Application of environmental modification in occupational therapy with universal design for disabled people with physical disability

Abstract

The number of disabled people in Thailand has been continuously increasing and most of them are physically disabled with a variety of symptoms and disabilities. With these disabilities, they can do less occupational performance that directly affects their quality of life. To increase their ability in occupational performance is therefore necessary but due to several restrictions, rehabilitation is difficult. As a result, their occupational performance does not increase as expected. Environmental modification in order to increase the capability on occupational performance is considered as an important issue for the disabled people. Presently, the most popular principle used for environmental modification is universal design which is the design created for every gender, age and for disabled people. However, with some restrictions, this principle has not been often followed to modify the environment of disabled people’s residence area. Hence, this review article has applied the environmental modification in occupational therapy, a principle for modifying the environment that mainly focuses on the disabled people with universal design in order to make the adjustment easier and adaptable with their residence’s area. Besides, their occupational performance will be increased and they can live more freely with disabilities and improve their quality of life.