ABSTRACT

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects, role type, dependent variables, and outcomes in studies on the role performance of occupational therapy for the elderly. Methods: The databases were collected using RISS, RISS, Pubmed, CINAHL, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. The studies were selected according to the PRISMA flow chart. Finally, 17 studies were chosen for analysis. The 17 studies selected were evaluated using the qualitative level model of the evidence-based study and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) randomized controlled trial checklist, CASP case control checklist, and CASP qualitative checklist. Results: There were six randomized control studies corresponding to level I, each of which satisfied all items of the CASP checklist. Occupational therapy intervention was the most common with 13 studies on the role performance of self-caregivers. The roles of hobbyists and organizational members were detailed in nine studies each, whereas the roles of friends were described in seven studies. Mental health was the most common evaluation tool for the dependent side used to derive the outcome of intervention with physical health and quality of life evaluation, each of which were found in six studies. Conclusion: Through this study, the role performance of occupational therapy interventions for the elderly was investigated, and the basis for setting occupational therapy intervention strategies and goals for the elderly in the future was presented. In the future, it will be necessary to consider subjects who need to evaluate and perform roles other than those of the elderly according to the life cycle, and research on the intervention of occupational therapy used to perform roles suitable for domestic circumstances will be needed.