title: Taking Our Seat at the Table: Community Cancer Survivorship.
abstract: Cancer survivors are at risk for occupational performance issues related to activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, work, and social and community participation. Occupational therapy practitioners can address these performance issues by offering services within existing community cancer survivorship programs that focus on adaptive and compensatory strategies to facilitate meaningful lifestyles and optimize health and well-being. Occupational therapy services do not currently exist at these community sites, nor are occupational therapy practitioners recognized as providers in existing community cancer survivorship programs. Recognition of practitioners' distinct value in cancer survivorship, advocacy for occupational therapy services in the community, development of supporting documentation for occupational therapy's role in community survivorship, and research on the efficacy of interventions in community cancer survivorship are needed to expand occupational therapy's role with this growing population.
authors.affiliation: Katie M. Polo, DHS, OTR/L, CLT-LANA, is Assistant Professor, College of Health Sciences, School of Occupational Therapy, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN. At the time of writing, she was Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Program, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL; polok@uindy.edu.
authors.forename: Katie M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Polo
authors.affiliation: Caitlin Smith, OTD, OTR/L, is Occupational Therapist, PhysioPartners, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D003153:Community Health Services; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D024382:Professional Role; D058992:Social Participation; D015996:Survival Rate; D017741:Survivors; D014937:Work