Introduction: Visual impairment can lead to feelings of loneliness, dependence on others, and a decrease in the quality of life. It affects the ability to perform occupations both at home and in the external environment. Rehabilitation and the use of specialized devices are crucial to enable independence in daily occupations and social inclusion. Occupational therapists play a vital role in addressing functional challenges related to vision and assist individuals in maintaining independence in daily life occupations. Purpose: The aim of this thesis was to conduct a scoping literature review and gather information on the importance of assistive technology in the occupational therapy treatment of older individuals with visual impairment. We were interested in the significance of assistive technology in facilitating daily activities for older individuals with visual impairment and the role of occupational therapy in this context. Methods: The thesis involved a literature review, with searches conducted in four databases: CINAHL, PsycInfo, OTseeker, and Web of Science. The search spanned from 2013 to 2023, including full-text articles in English. Nine articles were included in the final analysis. Results: From the article analysis, four main themes were identified: assistive technology in the external environment, assistive technology in the home environment, non-use of assistive technology, and the occupational therapy perspective. Discussion and Conclusion: The primary goal of rehabilitation services for blind and visually impaired individuals is to assist them in adapting to vision loss and enhancing the quality of occupational performance through the use of remaining visual abilities, assistive technology, and adaptation strategies. Occupational therapists play a crucial role in helping users adjust to vision loss and improve their quality of life. In the future, it would be meaningful for occupational therapists to actively participate in educating and training older individuals about the benefits of assistive devices and contribute to the development of more practical and useful technological solutions for this population.
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