British Journal of Occupational Therapy

A multiprofessional research project examined in detail the factors that affect the adaptability of existing housing and explored issues relating to the introduction of assistive technology into the existing homes of older people in order to provide them with the opportunity to ‘stay put’. The research reported here investigated the feasibility of adapting the existing stock of social housing and the resulting costs and outcomes of introducing assistive technology.

This paper outlines that part of the project that examined in detail the adaptability of 82 properties representing a variety of property types to accommodate the needs of seven notional users, characterising the most common range of impairments of older people. The factors that affect a property's adaptability include property type and specific design and construction features. The implications for housing providers, clients and occupational therapists are discussed.

The research identified the unique expertise of occupational therapists, spanning the areas of housing, older people and assistive technology, and it introduced methods and tools that can help to determine best housing outcomes as well as cost implications. It is crucial that the profession is proactive in contributing to the development of housing policies that address the needs of an ageing population effectively.

It is widely recognised that immigration may be more distressing than anticipated, disrupting occupations and threatening health and wellbeing. In New Zealand, increasing numbers of new immigrants are reported to be accessing mental health services. This article reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative study into the things that Indian women, who have recently immigrated to New Zealand, do in their everyday lives as they endeavour to settle into New Zealand society.

The article describes a pattern of engagement in occupations that unfolds as the women learn about their new environment, the resources available to them and how things are done in New Zealand. Oh God, where did I come? describes how being in an unfamiliar environment initially compels the women to do familiar activities that boost their confidence and support wellbeing. The second pattern, Being in the change, sees the women getting to know their environment and engaging in both new and familiar activities. A New Zealander with an Indian soul finds the women doing more activities that challenge their abilities and knowledge of New Zealand culture.

It is argued that occupational therapists, with their knowledge of the person-environment-occupation interplay, are well placed to support immigrant health by facilitating occupational adjustment.

Little is known of the day-to-day experience of living with motor neurone disease from the perspective of those who have it, apart from what can be found in personal accounts such as those published on web pages. In this study, which was informed by phenomenology, seven people living in an urban setting in New Zealand were asked to describe their experiences.

This report focuses on the study findings that related specifically to disruption to occupation. It describes how early changes in occupational performance alerted the participants to the fact that something was wrong. The findings also showed the pervasive impact of an awkward and unreliable body on participation in occupations that gave meaning to life, expressed identity and filled time. Issues of how the family's world was changed, the introduction of assistive devices into their homes and the betrayal of trust were also powerfully evident in participants' stories.

Although the findings are broadly consistent with those of previous studies, the disruption to occupation and the consequent role losses are new findings. Further research into the impact of the loss of participation in occupation, the ways in which people are perceived when occupations are disrupted and the experience of having occupations taken away prematurely is recommended.

Motor neurone disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder and from disease onset health care intervention is palliative in nature. Numerous studies on wellbeing in motor neurone disease are consistent with the palliative care literature, where the values assigned to non-physical life domains increase with disease progression. Occupational therapists should consider all components of wellbeing for people with motor neurone disease and not physical disability alone. A better understanding of motor neurone disease and an awareness of the service needs important to this client group are necessary to improve the quality of care and to assist occupational therapists in meeting care needs.

This study examined the effectiveness of a pilot clinic-based social skills group at the KK Child Development Unit, Singapore. This programme was conducted by an occupational therapist and a speech and language therapist for children with autism spectrum disorder or language delay. It incorporated a cognitive behavioural approach to teach specific social behaviours (for example, sharing) and learning-related social skills (for example, group participation). Outcome measures were used pre-group and post-group to assess the short-term impact of intervention. The results indicated the potential usefulness of the pilot programme. The findings are discussed in relation to the occupational therapist's role and perspective in social skills programming and social skills in the Singapore context.

A preceptorship process for newly qualified occupational therapists is presented, highlighting the importance of reflective practice within the preceptorship period to extend the skills of new practitioners and to promote professional growth. Models drawing on the learning cycle (Kolb 1984) are used to explore links between the processes of reflective practice, continuing professional development and preceptorship. This opinion piece introduces the National Health Service Knowledge and Skills Framework (Department of Health 2004) as a development tool and summarises the findings of a pilot study to show how preceptorship supports graduates in maintaining good habits of reflective practice and continuing professional development.

The British Journal of Occupational Therapy strives to publish high quality research and scholarly papers. The journal faces a challenge in how best to meet this aim in the future. Regardless of the choices it makes, the focus on quality cannot be lost. One of the key features of quality is the peer review process, which all submitted articles must undergo. This paper reviews the policy of double-blind (anonymous) peer reviewing and suggests that an open peer review policy would provide greater transparency, accountability and credit, thereby enhancing the quality of the journal and strengthening its position for the future.