ABSTRACT

Purpose: The aim of this study was to provide preliminary evidence of an occupational therapy (OT) service involving home modification for community dwelling people with a mental illness. Methods: Six participants with chronic mental illness were recruited for this study through an organization of the parties concerned. The OT service provided to each participant consist of three sessions: a basic assessment, home modification and ADL intervention, and a follow-up. The intervention was provided in a mixed face-to-face and remote delivery model. COPM, Residential Environment Impact Scale (REIS), and a Service Satisfaction Questionnaire (SSQ) were used as pre- and post-measurements to investigate the clinical effect of the intervention. The results were analyzed through descriptive statistics and a Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: The COPM score for both the performance and satisfaction were improved after the intervention for all participants. Changes in the total score of the REIS were statistically significant (Z = -2.201, p = .028). The participants showed a medium-to-high satisfaction in general for the SSQ, which was scored out of 10 points for each area (elimination of risk factors, 6.5; satisfaction with clean up, 7.8; help in everyday life, 8.8; satisfaction with home modification service, 9.1; and hope of service continuation, 9.1, on average). Conclusion: This study found that home modification OT has a positive effect for people with a mental illness.