Introduction/rationale: Populations worldwide are ageing, with increasing numbers of older adults living in urban environments. Age-related challenges are exacerbated by environmental factors like heatwaves, which may limit outdoor activities and societal participation. Heatwaves are intensifying, and in Sweden, where heatwaves have historically been rare, there is limited experience designing urban outdoor environments that meet older adults’ needs. Understanding older adults’ perspectives regarding this current issue is essential.

Objectives: To identify and describe places in the urban outdoor environment in need of improvement, as experienced by older adults regarding their outdoor activities during heatwaves.

Methods/approach: A co-creation approach using the visual method "Life filming" was employed. Older adults residing in two cities in Sweden participated in workshops focusing on film technique using tablets and exploring their urban outdoor environment. The films generated group discussions about urban outdoor environments in need of improved design in relation to heatwaves, outdoor activities, and societal participation. Additional data were collected through field notes and interviews. Analysis is ongoing.

Results/Practice implications: Preliminary findings highlight the need for improved design in open spaces, particularly squares. A key proposal involves mobile gardens to support outdoor activities during heatwaves. Participants emphasized the challenges of urban densification and called for integrated green oases with water access, to foster outdoor activities and social participation during heatwaves.

Conclusion/Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: The design of urban outdoor environments is crucial for enabling older adults' participation in outdoor activities and society. This perspective can help create functional environments where older adults can safely engage, despite the increased severity of heatwaves.

Introduction

Loneliness and social isolation are a threat to older adults’ quality of life and well-being. Occupational therapists are well positioned to support it, however, there is a scarcity of evidence in the literature reporting their involvement.

Method

A scoping review was conducted to map occupational therapists’ involvement addressing loneliness and social isolation in older adults. Four databases and manual searches of references list were included and analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis.

Findings

A total of 14 studies and 2 study protocols were identified from 422 hits. Two main categories were identified: “Features of the LSI interventions” and “Nature of Occupational Therapists’ involvement” with four and two sub-categories respectively.

Discussion

Occupational therapists’ involvement in interventions addressing LSI were primarily as researchers. The number of interventions involving occupational therapists has gradually increased with a focus on community and technological-based interventions.

Conclusion

Further research is needed to support occupational therapists’ practice.

Bakgrund/Syfte*: Globalt sett åldras befolkningen och allt fler äldre personer lever i stadsmiljöer. Åldersrelaterade problem kan förvärras av miljöfaktorer så som en värmebölja, vilket i sin tur kan begränsa meningsfulla aktiviteter och delaktighet i samhället. Värmeböljor ökar i frekvens och intensitet till följd av global uppvärmning. Eftersom värmeböljor tidigare varit relativt ovanliga i Sverige är vi oerfarna i att planera stadsmiljöer så att de fungerar för äldre personer och deras aktiviteter. Speciellt viktigt är kunskap om äldre personers egna perspektiv. Syftet var därför att identifiera platser i stadsmiljön som inte fungerar respektive fungerar bra för äldre personers utomhusaktiviteter under värmebölja.

Metod/Tillvägagångssätt*: Den visuella metoden Life filming har använts. Äldre personer bosatta i Göteborg och Jönköping har i en studiecirkel skapat filmer om sin stadsmiljö med iPads. Filmerna har sedan lett till engagerande gruppdiskussioner om hur värmeböljor påverkar meningsfulla utomhusaktiviteter på olika platser i staden. Därutöver har data samlats in genom fältanteckningar och intervjuer.

Resultat/Förväntat resultat*: Vi kommer att presentera filmerna och de perspektiv som deltagarna lyft fram. Resultatet belyser både process och slutprodukt.

Slutsats/Praktisk tillämpning*: Stadsmiljöns utformning är viktig för att äldre personer ska kunna utföra meningsfulla aktiviteter och vara delaktiga i samhället. Deras eget perspektiv kan bidra till att skapa bra och attraktiva utomhusmiljöer där äldre personer tryggt kan utföra utomhusaktiviteter i staden trots ett allt varmare klimat. 

In the face of a warming climate and an ageing population, developing age-friendly urban areas is increasingly important. This study investigates the impact of the urban environment and socio-demographic factors on older adults’ perceptions of indoor heat and outdoor activity during warm summers and heatwaves. The study takes a novel approach, incorporating survey data from older adults (age 64–92, n = 348) living in southwestern Sweden, with data on tree canopy coverage, building volume, and distance to water from geographical information systems (GIS). We further examine older adults’ preferences for different types of urban environments during heatwaves and desirable environmental features during warm days.

Results show that older adults living in areas with higher tree canopy coverage, close to parks, or with access to summer residences are less bothered by indoor heat during warm weather. Those living in urban areas with higher tree coverage and those having acess to a summer residences are less likely to avoid outdoor activity during heatwaves. Shade is the most desirable feature during warm days, with a majority seeking it in green areas. These findings highlight the importance of urban greenery and proximity to parks in ensuring outdoor activity, health, and well-being among older adults during warm summers and heatwaves.

BACKGROUND: The Swedish Government is implementing a Transition To Integrated and Person-Centred Care, with telehealth as a key component. This transition affects both patients and healthcare professionals, including occupational therapists. However, knowledge about occupational therapists' views on telehealth in their practice is limited.

OBJECTIVE: To explore and describe how occupational therapists within regional primary care reason about telehealth in an occupational therapy practice context.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A qualitative interview study was conducted, using semi-structured interviews with 14 occupational therapists. Data was analysed using systematic text condensation.

RESULTS: The occupational therapists reasoned about telehealth in three main areas: Through the lens of the patient, Through the lens of their profession, and In relation to the context.

CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates that conventional occupational therapy is not always feasible through telehealth. To fully utilize telehealth, the occupational therapists see a need to adopt new ways of working. They emphasized the importance of retaining in-person meetings, and that further developed telehealth could constitute a valuable complement to the service they provide.

SIGNIFICANCE: These insights regarding telehealth could guide the profession and support development in relation to the transition to integrated care and person-centred care, ultimately benefiting those who need occupational therapy.

Background

Heat waves impact the health of older adults, and occupations are important for health. An overview of research focussed on older adults' occupations in heat waves can be useful for occupational therapy practice.

Objective

To identify what the literature shows about older adults' experience and performance of, and participation in, occupations in heat waves.Material and methodThis scoping review included a literature search in five academic databases, four databases for grey literature, and a manual search. Literature in English regarding older adults 60+ and their occupations in heat waves were eligible.

Findings

Twelve studies were included. Findings showed that older adults adapt their occupations using bodily, environmental, and social interaction strategies and by changing their daily routines. Personal, environmental, social, and economic factors facilitate and maintain occupations in heat waves.

Conclusion

Older adults adapt their occupations in heat waves and different factors impact how they can be adapted. Future research is needed to explore how older adults experience their occupations in heat waves, and to deepen the knowledge about their heat-adaptive strategies.

Significance

The findings support the role of occupational therapists in the design and practice of interventions managing the impact of heat waves in daily life.

This study aimed to explore the experiences of older migrants' (70+) access to and participation in different meeting places. Qualitative interviews were conducted with participants originating from Finland and four countries in the Western Balkans: Bosnia- Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia. The participants used everyday places in the neighborhood, which were not primarily meant to be meeting places, to create and uphold social contacts. These meeting places contributed to experiences of community and trust. Both everyday meeting places and organized meeting places were used to establish and develop relationships that could result in an exchange of both practical and emotional support. Perceptions of "not belonging", limited proficiency in Swedish, and a strained financial situation created barriers to accessing some meeting places. The results of this study demonstrate the significance of meeting places that are not purposefully aimed at older people in general or older people from a specific country.

This chapter presents the ICECAP-O, a measure of capability tailored for older people. It briefly presents the original version of the ICECAP-O. In addition, it describes the work that has been done concerning the translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the ICECAP-O to the Swedish context. Finally, the chapter contains arguments for the use of the Swedish version of the ICECAP-O in health and social care, and in the evaluation of interventions and longitudinal research studies where older people’s capabilities are a focus.

Background: Welfare Technology (WT) can contribute to occupational justice. The implementation of WT products and services therefore needs to be promoted in order to benefit end-users.

Objective: To evaluate an interactive showroom of WT.

Material and method: Municipal employees (n=217) filled in a questionnaire before and after they visited an interactive showroom of WT - an occupational therapist-led group intervention

Findings: The number of participants confirming WT’s potential to contribute to municipal operation areas increased in seven out of eight areas after their visits (p<0.05). A statistically significant increase was also found regarding knowledge of and confidence in WT, and its potential value. Fifty-six percent indicated they had no plan for a follow-up after their visit.

Conclusion: A visit to the interactive showroom increased the perceived knowledge and appreciated value of WT. The perception of the possibility of implementing WT in various municipal operation areas also increased, which may contribute to the pursuit of occupational justice.

Background

Earlier research regarding immigrants has shown that lifestyle and environmental factors are of importance for the risk of developing certain diseases. Food habits are one of these factors. As there is little research concerning immigrants and food habits, the aim of the present paper was to explore food habits operationalised as meal frequency and vegetable intake among a group of older immigrants in Sweden. Specifically, the following questions were explored: changes in food habits when migrating, missing food from the native country, gender differences in food habits and association between food habits and self-rated health and well-being.

Method

A total of 131 persons from the health-promoting study “Promoting Aging Migrants’ Capabilities” (PAMC) conducted in Gothenburg, Sweden, 2011–2014, were included in this exploratory secondary analysis of questionnaire data. Participants were 70 years or older, cognitively intact, and living in ordinary housing. They had all migrated to Sweden from Finland or the Western Balkan Region (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia). Descriptive statistics as well as binary logistic regression were used to answer the research questions.

Results

Forty-eight percent of the participants in PAMC reported that they had changed their food habits when migrating, and 17% considered that they missed certain foods from their native country. Most of the participants migrated to Sweden more than 20 years ago. There was a significant difference in self-rated health in favour of the male participants (p = 0.02), but food habits, operationalised as meal frequency and vegetable intake, were not associated with self-rated health or life satisfaction.

Conclusion

Men rated their health as better than women did, but food habits operationalised as meal frequency or vegetable intake, were not associated with self-rated health or life satisfaction. Results from this secondary analysis were affected by methodological shortcomings. Further studies to understand the role of food habits in relation to health in a migration context are desired.