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The purpose of this project was to demonstrate to occupational therapy students how a computer could be introduced to elderly persons and used to teach new leisure skills. Faculty and students took an Apple IIc computer, color monitor, and printer to local nursing homes and senior citizens' programs. Participants' age ranged from 60-85. All had age-related problems and many had complications from disease or injury that limited their ability to participate in leisure activities and to maintain life roles. A one-time instructional session was given to groups ranging in size from six to ten. Response to the instruction was consistently positive. Observation of participants' reactions indicated increased feelings of self-esteem and mastery. Students benefitted from the opporfunity to engage in a supervised experience in activity adaption and teaching leisure skills. Students also felt that the experience was highly beneficial in helping the interact comfortably and appropriately with elderly persons.
Lisette Kautzmann (Mon,) studied this question.