Occupational Performance Issues
Related to CVD
Potential breakdowns in occupational performance may occur when an individual is suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD). As there are many varying causes, symptoms and conditions related to CVD, all cases will be different. Due to severe energy restrictions, respiratory functions, and surgical precautions, certain occupations may be difficult to complete. Individuals may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, a reduction in mobility, range of motion, and general functional output, which may prevent them from achieving maximal potential for occupational engagement.
Provided below are some occupational performance issues that may occur with CVD.
Self-Care
Productivity
Leisure
Managing Occupational Performance Issues
CAOT (2014) recommends individuals to consider various occupational elements from the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance (1997), including self-care, leisure, and productivity activities that may help to improve health and task efficiency, while reduce lifestyle stressors. Please refer to the section "Theories and Frames of Reference" for more detail.
Suggestions for managing various I-ADLs is provided below.
Household activities
Create a weekly schedule of typical activities you complete (e.g., shopping, household chores, meal preparation). Reflect on the value that you attach to the activity or task, your strength and endurance needed, time for rest periods and exercise, the best time of the day for the activities, support or assistance available from family, friends or the community (CAOT, 2014).
Eating habits
Brainstorm ideas for better eating habits that could work with your schedule. For example, pre-planning weekly meals, or making a large recipe and freezing portions for quick and easy mid-week meals.
Physical activities
Integrate physical activity into your lifestyle by walking more, taking the stairs, and engaging in playtime with children.
Rest and sleep
If you are not currently getting a good night's sleep, what are factors that may enable you to do so? If you are feeling exhausted or tired, find ways to prioritize rest into your schedule.
Leisure activities
Think of activities you use to enjoy, or was interested in trying, and do your best to get involved in leisure pursuits you are interested in.
Work
Be mindful of the distance and travel time to work, the type of transportation you use to get there, duties, work hours, and physical and mental job demands. There are many considerations for a safe return-to-work in addition to physical capacity, for example, an OT can perform a job demands analysis and recommend modifications to the tasks or environment to best accommodate one's needs.
Provided below are some occupational performance issues that may occur with CVD.
Self-Care
- Bathing/ hygiene: must be mindful of healing wounds and sternal precautions, range of motion, and balance
- Eating and meal preparation: including unhealthy food consumption and unawareness of and access to healthy dietary choices.
- Transfers: may be impacted due to reduction in range of motion, balance, endurance, strength
- Dressing: range of motion restrictions with sternal precautions after surgery, or due to obesity
- General health: individuals who are in the hospital for long periods of time are at increased risk for infections such as MRSA and C-Difficile.
- Sleep and rest: Lack of sleep due to pain or stressing/ worrying about other areas of life puts extra stress on the heart and brain.
Productivity
- Work: Work performance may be reduced when individuals present with shortness of breath and pain, due to angina and congestive heart failure. Work stressors (deadlines, coworkers, commuting, etc.) are generally common exacerbating factors to poor cardiovascular health.
- Shopping: May be limited due to shortness of breath, chest pain, mobility restrictions, and community access.
- Driving and wheelchair mobility: Sternal precautions postoperatively restrict individuals from driving for 6-8 weeks. Thus, community mobility may be limited.
- Housework, Yard work: May be difficult to complete due to shortness of breath, energy conservation strategies, loss of motivation, and is often an exacerbating factor to induce cardiac arrest (gardening, shoveling snow)
Leisure
- Individuals often experience such a loss of energy, ability, and interest to engage in previously enjoyed activities, as people generally tend to aim to finish self-care and productivity tasks first. Leisure pursuits may fall by the wayside.
- After experiencing cardiac arrest when doing a previously-enjoyed activity, individuals may be hesitant to try it again (e.g. cycling or hiking)
Managing Occupational Performance Issues
CAOT (2014) recommends individuals to consider various occupational elements from the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance (1997), including self-care, leisure, and productivity activities that may help to improve health and task efficiency, while reduce lifestyle stressors. Please refer to the section "Theories and Frames of Reference" for more detail.
Suggestions for managing various I-ADLs is provided below.
Household activities
Create a weekly schedule of typical activities you complete (e.g., shopping, household chores, meal preparation). Reflect on the value that you attach to the activity or task, your strength and endurance needed, time for rest periods and exercise, the best time of the day for the activities, support or assistance available from family, friends or the community (CAOT, 2014).
Eating habits
Brainstorm ideas for better eating habits that could work with your schedule. For example, pre-planning weekly meals, or making a large recipe and freezing portions for quick and easy mid-week meals.
Physical activities
Integrate physical activity into your lifestyle by walking more, taking the stairs, and engaging in playtime with children.
Rest and sleep
If you are not currently getting a good night's sleep, what are factors that may enable you to do so? If you are feeling exhausted or tired, find ways to prioritize rest into your schedule.
Leisure activities
Think of activities you use to enjoy, or was interested in trying, and do your best to get involved in leisure pursuits you are interested in.
Work
Be mindful of the distance and travel time to work, the type of transportation you use to get there, duties, work hours, and physical and mental job demands. There are many considerations for a safe return-to-work in addition to physical capacity, for example, an OT can perform a job demands analysis and recommend modifications to the tasks or environment to best accommodate one's needs.
References
CAOT. (2014). How does occupational therapy help? Retrieved from http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?pageid=3703
CAOT. (2014). How does occupational therapy help? Retrieved from http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?pageid=3703