Document Type

Capstone

Abstract

Occupational therapy professionals can support individual and community interventions for improved health and wellness. Occupational therapists have the unique ability to assess the multi-faceted contexts that impact an individual's and/or community's ability to participate in daily occupations and their level of occupational performance. Addressing nutrition can improve the individual's overall health and wellness and subsequently improve occupational performance, and ability to participate in daily occupations. Many community-based programs act as resources, or access, to improved nutritional intake for community members working towards food security. Occupational therapy has a role in these community-based programs to facilitate improved nutritional intake through functional occupation to enhance overall health and wellness and promote occupational justice. The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of occupational therapy in nutrition, community-based gardens, and how the profession can impact food insecure communities through gardening. This project includes a literature review of the mentioned topics that promote occupational therapy's role in community-based programs to facilitate food security and improved overall health and wellness. The obtained research was then compiled and presented to local community resources working with food insecure communities to educate on the benefits of utilizing and occupational therapist in gardening programs. The pre and post surveys obtained from participants revealed an overall benefit of the information and it can be concluded that the participants have a greater understanding of occupational therapy's role in community programs and there is an opportunity for this area of practice.

Publication Date

4-10-2021

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