Appreciate inquiry – supporting meaningful occupational engagement within residential care settings

Background: When occupational therapy (OT) consultants attempt to promote meaningful engagement of elderly residents in care, an integrated approach relies on staff support. Appreciative inquiry (AI), as part of scheduled... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
When occupational therapy (OT) consultants attempt to promote meaningful engagement of elderly residents in care, an integrated approach relies on staff support. Appreciative inquiry (AI), as part of scheduled organizational development, could provide the foundation for sustainable collaborative endeavours. Unlike traditional problem solving that aims to identify and analyze problems; AI empowers people to appreciate and envision possibilities within systems and relationships (Roberts & Machon 2015). In this study an AI approach was followed to support staff members in becoming partners when exploring care practices. The aim of the study was to identify best practice scenarios for supporting persons with advanced dementia from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds living in long- term care facilities.
Method:
Four AI workshops were presented involving care staff, relatives, volunteers and residents. The study applied the first three AI phases to identify and compare what care partners perceived as examples reflecting excellent care.
Results:
Common themes across the initial sites were related to shared doing. Social events specifically were identified as opportunities that enabled inclusion.
Conclusion:
AI provides a translational design focusing on shared values and goals; optimising dialogue; and improving quality of care where various care partners are involved.
Application to Practice:
The power of appreciation could support a situation in which the OT consultant ensures that care partners are involved in discovering and valuing the power of meaningful engagement during a process where they are co-constructing occupationally just care practices for specific individuals living in their facility.