Date of Award
8-15-2026
Degree Name
Occupational Therapy, OTD
Document Type
Capstone
First Advisor
Amanda Mohler
Second Advisor
Chris Pyles
Subject Categories
Medicine and Health Sciences | Occupational Therapy | Rehabilitation and Therapy
Abstract
The "Sipping with a Purpose" doctoral capstone project addresses an urgent societal need by bridging the employment gap for adults with IDD, a demographic experiencing an over 80% unemployment rate. Out of 41 local day center participants at The Learning Center (TLC) in Northeast Arkansas, only four are currently employed. This reveals a critical deficit in opportunities for local adults to build the work skills, independence, and self esteem that they desire far beyond a paycheck. To address primary employment barriers such as a lack of vocational skills and fears about disability benefit loss, this functional business provides simulated and real-world training environments. Participants gain transferable professional abilities ranging from financial literacy and customer service to meal preparation and community mobility, ultimately fostering meaningful community integration, social participation, and long-term personal independence.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Russell, Shelby, "Sipping with a Purpose: Empowering Adults of All Abilities Through Job Training and Work Skills while Enhancing Social Participation" (2026). Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstones. 95.
https://arch.astate.edu/nhp-ot-cap/95
