Development and Validation of the Protocol for Administering Telehealth Home (PATH) Assessments

Authors

  • Cicily McBride 1Spalding University, Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
  • Sara Story Valparaiso University, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Valparaiso, Indiana, USA
  • Jana Cason Spalding University, Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy, Louisville, Kentucky, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2023.6545

Keywords:

Aging in place, Home safety assessment, Occupational therapy, PATH protocol, Remote assessment, Synchronous home assessment, Telehealth

Abstract

Home safety assessments and subsequent modifications can prevent hospitalization, institutionalization, and death among older adults. Telehealth has been shown to be an effective means to administer home safety assessments. However, a structured approach to synchronous telehealth home assessments has not been examined. This study involved development and validation of a structured telehealth home assessment protocol. The Protocol for Administering Telehealth Home (PATH) assessment was developed based on literature review, clinical experience with in-person and telehealth home assessments, and interviews with content experts. Six older adults participated in the validation phase of the protocol using a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods, one-group research design. The validation process resulted in modifications to the protocol to enhance its utility in practice. The PATH protocol provides a valid, structured approach to conducting synchronous telehealth home assessments and can be used by occupational therapists to administer home assessments for older adults desiring to age in place.

  

Author Biographies

Sara Story, Valparaiso University, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Valparaiso, Indiana, USA

Dr. Story earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Science and a Masters of Occupational Therapy from Spalding University. She was awarded a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine in 2011 and earned a Doctorate in Leadership (EDD) from Spalding University in 2020. Dr. Story is board-certified in gerontology through the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) through the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). She has maintained her status as a clinician to bring the current clinical practice to the classroom. Her primary areas of practice include gerontology and mental health with a research interest in aging in place, community mobility, and mental health services. She has delivered presentations at the state and national level.

Jana Cason, Spalding University, Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy, Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Dr. Cason holds a Doctor of Health Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Indianapolis and joined the Spalding faculty in 2004. She is the immediate past chair of the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Technology Special Interest Section (2013-2016) and immediate past chair of the American Telemedicine Association’s Telerehabilitation Special Interest Group (2014-2016). She is the senior associate editor of the International Journal of Telerehabilitation and has authored numerous refereed articles, book chapters, and standards and guidelines documents related to telehealth. Dr. Cason was inducted as a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association in 2013. Her primary areas of teaching are physical health and wellness, research, and measurement of OT outcomes in varied service delivery contexts.

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Published

2023-05-11

How to Cite

McBride, C., Story, S., & Cason, J. (2023). Development and Validation of the Protocol for Administering Telehealth Home (PATH) Assessments. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.5195/ijt.2023.6545

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 1 (2023)

Section

Remote Home Assessments

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Copyright (c) 2023 Cicily McBride, Dr. Sara Story, Dr. Jana Cason

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.