Occupational therapists’ professional reasoning about older people at risk of suicide

Arbetsterapeuters professionella resonemang om äldre personer i risk för suicid Abstrakt Introduktion: Suicid ökar med stigande ålder och har högst prevalens bland äldre personer. För att minska äldres suicidalitet är det viktigt att identifiera riskfaktorer, samt utveckla effektiva insatser. Arbetsterapeutens roll beskrivs vara att stödja den äldre personen i att finna hopp om framtiden och att skapa en tillvaro med meningsfulla aktiviteter. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att belysa arbetsterapeuters professionella resonemang om äldre personer i risk för suicid Metod: En kvalitativ intervjustudie där tio arbetsterapeuter rekryterades genom snöbollsurval och strategiskt urval genomfördes. Arbetsterapeuterna var verksamma inom olika organisationer och träffade regelbundet äldre personer. Resultat: Resultaten presenteras i tre kategorier: Arbetsterapeutens resonemang om teoretisk kunskap, Arbetsterapeutens resonemang om praktisk erfarenhet samt Resonemang kring organisatoriska förutsättningar. Arbetsterapeuters resonemang om teoretisk kunskap sågs som en grund för att kunna arbeta suicidpreventivt mot äldre personer. Arbetsterapeuterna upplevde att de hade begränsade erfarenheter av att bemöta äldre personer med suicidala tankar, och det fanns begränsat med rutiner kring hur man bemöter dessa personer. Samverkan inom organisationen sågs som en förutsättning för att kunna ge adekvat vård. Slutsats: Mer kunskap om hur arbetsterapi kan användas i suicidpreventivt arbete behövs, och rutinerna i verksamheterna behöver stärkas. Occupational therapists’ professional reasoning about older people at risk of suicide. Abstract Introduction: Suicide increases with age and has the highest prevalence among older people. To reduce the suicidality of older people, it is important to identify risk factors, but also to develop effective interventions. The role of the occupational therapist is described as supporting the older person in finding hope for the future and to create an existence with meaningful activities. Aim: The purpose of the study was to shed light on occupational therapists' professional reasoning about older people at risk of suicide. Method: A qualitative interview study where ten occupational therapists were recruited through snowball selection and strategic selection was conducted. The occupational therapists were active in various organizations and regularly met older people. Results: The results are presented in three categories: The occupational therapist's reasoning about theoretical knowledge, The occupational therapist’s reasoning about practical experience and Reasoning about organizational conditions. Occupational therapists' reasoning about theoretical knowledge was seen as a basis for being able to work suicide prevention against older people. The occupational therapists felt that they had limited experience of dealing with older people with suicidal thoughts, and there were limited routines for how to respond to these people. Collaboration with other professions and activities was seen as a prerequisite for being able to provide adequate care. Conclusions: More knowledge about how occupational therapy can be used in suicide prevention is needed, and the routines in the activities need to be strengthened.