The increasing number of elderly people in the population and their greater use of the health care system require an increasing number of health care providers to work with older adults. A shortage of health care professionals to provide this care, as well as a reluctance to provide such care have been reported in the literature. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how occupational therapists decide to work with older adults. Using a comparative approach, 40 occupational therapists were interviewed, 20 working in gerontology and 20 working in paediatrics. The findings indicate that social characteristics and experiences of the individual, as well as the context of work are important influences for practice choice decisions. Mapping of career paths led to the development of a typology to further describe the different influences involved in the career choices of these occupational therapists. Recommendations related to education and practice provide practical means by which to implement change.
BeckerG.KaufmanS. (1988). Old age, rehabilitation, and research: A review of the issues. The Gerontologist, 28, 459–468.
2.
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (1988). Position paper on occupational therapy with the elderly population. Toronto, ON: CAOT Publications de l'ACE.
3.
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. (1989, May). Canadian membership data — 1988. The National, 6(3), special supplement. Toronto, ON: CAOT Publications de l'ACE.
4.
Carswell-OpzoomerA. (1990). Muriel Driver Lecture. Occupational therapy - our time has come. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57, 197–204.
5.
ChandlerJ.RachalJ.KazelskisR. (1986). Attitudes of long-term care nursing personnel toward the elderly. The Gerontologist, 26, 551–555.
6.
ChristieB.JoyceP.MoellerP. (1985). Fieldwork experience, part I: Impact on practice preference. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 39, 671–674.
7.
CorenA.AndreassiM.BloodH.KentB. (1987). Factors related to physical therapy students' decisions to work with elderly patients. Physical Therapy, 67, 60–65.
DriverM. (1968). A philosophic view of the history of occupational therapy in Canada. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 35, 53–60.
10.
DudgeonB.CunninghamS. (1992). Occupational therapy entry-level program applicants: A survey of northwest schools. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 46, 583–589.
11.
DunkleS.HydeR. (1995). Predictors and subsequent decisions of physical therapy and nursing students to work with geriatric clients: An application of the Theory of Reasoned Action. Physical Therapy, 75, 614–620.
12.
EzerskyS.HavazeletL.ScottA. H.ZettlerC. (1989). Specialty choice in occupational therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 43, 227–233.
13.
FeldbaumE.FeldbaumM. (1981). Caring for the elderly: Who dislikes it least?Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 5(4), 62–72.
14.
FraserB. (1992). The seniors health promotion project: Reflections on year two. The National, 9(4), 10.
15.
GeorgeL. (1983). Nursing turnover in long-term care institutions. Research in sociology of work: Peripheral workers, 2, 125–148.
16.
GersonK. (1985). Hard choices: How women decide about work, career, and motherhood. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
17.
GreeneD. (1998). Student perceptions of aging and disability as influenced by service learning. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 15(3), 39–55.
18.
HaberD.HinmanM.UtseyC.BabolaK.LooneyC. (1997). Impact of a geriatric health promotion elective on occupational and physical therapy students. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 18(2), 65–76.
19.
HaightB. K.ChristM. A.DiasJ. K. (1994). Does nursing education promote ageism?Journal of Advanced Nursing, 20, 382–390.
20.
HasselkusB.DickieV.GregoryC. (1997). Geriatric occupational therapy: The uncertain ideology of long-term care. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 51, 132–139.
21.
HasselkusB.KiernatJ. (1989). Not by age alone: Gerontology as a specialty in occupational therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 43, 77–79.
22.
HavensB. (1989, May). Keynote address. Paper presented at the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists' Annual Conference, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
23.
HobsonS. (1999). The International Year of Older Persons: What occupational therapists have to celebrate. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66, 155–160.
24.
HughesE.C. (1971). The sociological eye. New York: Aldine Atherton.
25.
KochT.WebbC. (1996). The biomedical construction of aging: Implications for nursing care of older people. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 23, 954–959.
26.
KvitekS.ShaverB.BloodH.ShepardK. (1986). Age bias: Physical therapists and older patients. Journal of Gerontology, 41, 706–709.
27.
LettsL.FraserB.FinlaysonM.WallsJ. (1993). For the health of it! Occupational therapy within a health promotion framework. Toronto, ON: CAOT Publications.
28.
LoflandJ.LoflandL. (1984). Analyzing social settings: A guide to qualitative observation and analysis (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
29.
LookinlandS.AnsonK. (1995). Perpetuation of ageist attitudes among present and future health care professional: Implications for elder care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 21, 47–56.
30.
McPhersonB. (1998). Aging as a social process: An introduction to individual and population aging (3rd ed.). Toronto, ON: Harcourt Brace.
31.
MilesM.HubermanA.M. (1984). Qualitative data analysis: A source-book of new methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
32.
MillerB.IshlerK.HeaterS. (1999). Gerontological Initiatives for Visionary Education Project: Interdisciplinary training for occupational and physical therapy students. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 19(3), 21–37.
33.
NovakM. (1997). Aging and society: A Canadian perspective (3rd ed.). Toronto, ON: International Thomson.
34.
PattonM. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
35.
PerrottaP.PerkinsD.SchimpfhauserF.CalkinsE. (1981). Medical students attitudes toward geriatric medicine and patients. Journal of Medical Education, 56, 478–483.
36.
RogersJ. (1981). The occupational needs of older persons: A focus of occupational therapy practice. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 2(2), 1–3.
37.
RowlingsC. (1981). Social work with elderly people. London, UK: George Allen & Unwin.
38.
ShefflerS. J. (1995). Do clinical experiences affect nursing students' attitudes toward the elderly?Journal of Nursing Education, 34, 312–316.
39.
ShermanM.RobertoK.RobinsonJ. (1996). Knowledge and attitudes of hospital personnel toward older adults. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 16(3), 25–35.
40.
SimpsonI. (1979). From student to nurse: A longitudinal study of socialization. London, UK: Cambridge University Press.
41.
StonesM.StonesL. (1997). Ageism: The quiet epidemic. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 88, 293–294.
42.
TateS. (1974). The scope for occupational therapists in the community in the future. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 41, 7–9.
43.
ThorsonJ.PerkinsM. (1980–81). An examination of personality and demographic factors on attitudes toward old people. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 12, 139–148.
44.
ToddA.RiderB.Page-RobinE. (1986). Attitudes of occupational therapy students toward older persons. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 5, 71–81.
45.
WilkinsM. S. (1990). Career paths: Occupational therapists' decisions to work with elderly people. Unpublished master's thesis, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
