Wellness Programing Through Social Participation For Seniors

This course represents the dissemination phase of my occupational therapy doctoral capstone project. I completed my capstone at an adult day center, focusing on wellness programming to enhance the quality of life in the older adult population. This course is designed to educate participants on the impact of mental illness in older adults, the role of social participation in addressing mental health challenges, and how occupational therapy can promote mental well-being in this population. It highlights the significant toll that a lack of socialization can have on older adults, particularly in relation to their mental, emotional, and physical health. As part of my capstone experience, I developed wellness initiatives tailored to the needs of older adults in community settings. These initiatives included educational handouts for care providers to use in the home environment, group activities aimed at increasing social engagement among adult day center members, and a comprehensive guide on how to establish an occupational therapy department in a community-based setting. Through this work, I aimed to demonstrate the importance of occupational therapy in fostering meaningful social participation and supporting the holistic well-being of older adults across a variety of environments: in the home, at the day center, and in the community.