Supporting the occupation of patients with a chronic disability such as Alzheimer's disease is a central concern in occupational therapy. The aim of this study was to discover and understand the opportunities for conducting a program aimed at stimulating occupational activities in a day-hospital unit for persons with dementia. Data were collected through field observations and interviews with patients and staff. Analysis focused on understanding how patients initiated and participated in activities. We concluded that features of the institutional setting paradoxically restricted the patients' activity much of the time.
BogdanR.TaylorS.DeGranpreB., & HaynesS. (1974). Let them eat programs: Attendants perspectives and programming on wards in state schools. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 5, 142–151.
2.
BorellL.SandmanE. O., & KielhofnerG. (1991). Clinical Decision Making in Alzheimer's Disease. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 11, 111–124.
3.
BorellL.SandmanP. O., & WinbladB. (1991). Abilities and activities of patients with dementia in day hospitals. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 5, 49–55.
4.
CherryD., & RafkinM. (1988). Adapting day care to the needs of adults with dementia. The Gerontologist, 28, 116–120.
5.
ConroyM. C.FinchamF., & Agard-EvansC. (1988). Can they do anything? Ten single subject studies of the engagement level of hospitalized demented patients. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 51, 129–132.
6.
FolsteinM. F.FolsteinS. E., & McHughP. R. (1975). Mini Mental State Examination: A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198.
7.
GlaserB. G., & StraussA. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory. New York: Aldine Publishing Company.
8.
GriffinR., & MatthewsM. (1986). The selection of activities—a dual responsibility. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 4, 105–112.
9.
HanleyO., & PeeleK. (1985). An active occupational therapy programme for the severely demented patient in a psychogeriatric day hospital. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 3, 336–338.
10.
HasselkusB. (1991). The meaning of activity in day care for persons with Alzheimer's disease. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 46, 199–206.
11.
HirschE. D. (1967). Validity in interpretations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
12.
KeyesB., & Szpak (1983). Day care for Alzheimer's disease. Post-graduate Medicine, 38, 22–25.
13.
KielhofnerG. (1983). Teaching retarded adults, paradoxical effects of a pedagogical enterprise. Urban Life, 12, 307–326.
14.
KielhofnerG. (1985). A model of human occupation. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
15.
KielhofnerG. (1990). Conceptual foundations of occupational therapy. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
16.
LevyL. (1987). Psychosocial intervention and dementia, part 1: State of the art, future directions. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 7, 70–105.
17.
LewisS. (1975). A patient-determined approach to geriatric activity programming within a state hospital. The Gerontologist, April, 146–149.
18.
MacDonaldK. (1986). Occupational therapy approaches to treatment of dementia patients. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 4, 61–72.
19.
MaceN. (1984). Day care for demented clients. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 35, 974–979.
20.
MattinglyC. (1990) Perspective on clinical reasoning for occupational therapy. In: Perspectives on clinical reasoning. Rockville, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association.
21.
ÖdmanP. J. (1985). Hermeneutics. In Husen & Postletethwaite (Eds.), The international encyclopedia of education. Oxford: Permagon.
22.
ÖdmanP. J. (1979). Tolkning, förståelse, vetande, hermeneutik i teori och pratik (in Swedish). Stockholm: AWE/Gebers.
23.
PanellaJ.LillistoneB.BrushD., & McDowellF. (1984). Day care for dementia patients; an analysis of a four-year program. Journal of American Geriatrics Society, 32, 883–886.
24.
PolkinhomeD. (1986). Methodology for the human sciences systems of inquiry. New York: State University of New York Press.
25.
RogersJ. (1986). Occupational therapy services for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (position paper). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 40, 822–824.
26.
StraussA. L. (1987). Qualitative analysis for social scientists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
27.
TrankellA. (1973) Kvarteret flisan (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedts.
28.
ZgolaJ. (1989). Doing things: An introduction to programming activities for persons with Alzheimer's disease. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
