Role of Occupational Therapists in Psychiatric Home Visits

<p>【Introduction】 The role of psychiatric home visits has become increasingly important because constructing a “comprehensive community care system that also addresses mental disorders" has become a primary healthcare aim. The role of psychiatric home visits is significant; surveys targeting psychiatric home visits supporters have focused on nurses, but none have been conducted on occupational therapists (OT). The purpose of this study was to examine the role of OT in psychiatric home visits based on the current status of support for OTs involved in psychiatric home visits in Japan.</p><p>【Methods】 5 OTs working full‐time at a psychiatric home visits station for at least 5 years participated in this study. Interviews were collected in person or online, and interview guides were used for monitoring, medication support, employment support, support for the elderly, and support for children. The interviews were recorded on an IC recorder, and a verbatim transcript was written. The transcripts were classified by 2 OTs using the KJ method.</p><p>【Results】 The support contents were classified into support contents and support methods. The support contents were organized into International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) items of a similar nature. Support methods were categorized into support through communication, support using activities, and support by adjusting and utilizing the environment.</p><p>【Conclusion】 The role of OTs was to support psychiatric home visits by focusing on activities and adjusting the environment in which the activities were carried out. The role of OTs was to encourage and adjust the environment so that users of psychiatric home visits services could participate in the activities they wanted to and increase their opportunities for social engagement.</p>