About

Anne Escher is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Boston University Sargent College. She holds an OTD (Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy) from Chatham University, obtained in December 2016, an MS in Occupational Therapy from Boston University earned in 2008, and a BA in Anthropology from Skidmore College completed in 1998. Her academic and scholarly interests focus on ensuring that all people can engage as fully as they desire in important occupations. Her clinical practice spans the life course, including NICU and pediatric units at an acute care hospital, inpatient rehabilitation with older adults, home-based care for older adults with low vision, and community-based practice for adults with communication challenges. Her primary scholarly interests are with adults in community-based settings and teaching and learning for adults.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Psychology
• Social psychology
• Physical therapy
• Psychiatry
• Audiology
• Cognitive psychology
• Psychotherapist
• Mathematics education
• Medical education
• Nursing
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation

Selected publications

• 23 Special Kinds of Acquired Language Disorders: Aphasia

  European manual of medicine · 2025-01-01

  book-chapter
  PublisherDOI

• Associations Between COVID-19 Symptoms & Amounts of PT & OT in COVID-19 Patients in a Skilled Nursing Facility

  American Journal of Occupational Therapy · 2024-07-29

  articleSenior author

  Abstract Date Presented 03/22/24 This study explored potential associations between COVID-19–related symptoms and rehabilitation intensities. COVID-19 patients with delirium may be less able to tolerate high rehabilitation amounts. Moderate rehabilitation amounts are recommended. Primary Author and Speaker: Benjamin Ezra Canter Additional Authors and Speakers: Anne Escher Contributing Authors: Lauren Raschen, Joann Reinhardt, Himali Weerahandi, Wingyun Mak, Orah Burack, Kenneth Boockvar

  PublisherDOI

• Exploration of collaborative goal setting in occupational therapy for adults with aphasia

  British Journal of Occupational Therapy · 2024 · 3 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Psychology
  • Psychotherapist
  • Physical medicine and rehabilitation

  Introduction: Aphasia, an acquired communication disorder, often results in restrictions to participation in daily activities leading to a decline in social networks, reduced quality of life, and decreased emotional well-being. Collaborative goal setting in rehabilitation settings is an important aspect of client-centered therapy for all clients; however, it is often ignored for people with aphasia due to lack of time, limited training in communication strategies, and a negative approach toward communicating with the person with aphasia. Method: This study used qualitative descriptive methodology to explore the experience of adults with aphasia with collaborative goal setting. Through interviews and observation, authors sought to gain an understanding of the facilitators and barriers to collaborative goal setting for people with aphasia. Participants were four adults with poststroke aphasia recruited from a university Aphasia Resource Center. Findings: Findings demonstrate that the environment and a client-centered approach support goal setting while too many adaptations and limited comprehension limit goal setting. Conclusion: The authors conclude that occupational therapy practitioners should support collaborative goal setting for people with aphasia through use of aphasia-friendly goal-setting processes, including adaptations to existing goal-setting measures as appropriate.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Characteristics of Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Received by COVID-19 Patients in a Skilled Nursing Facility: A Retrospective Cohort Study

  Journal of the American Medical Directors Association · 2023-01-30 · 3 citations

  letterOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Barriers, Challenges, and Supports to the Implementation of Standardized Patients and Simulated Environments by Occupational Therapy Education Programs

  Journal of Occupational Therapy Education · 2022 · 4 citations

  • Medical education
  • Medicine
  • Psychology

  A national survey examined the implementation rates, barriers, challenges, and supports to implementation of two types of simulation (standardized patients and simulated environments) by entry-level occupational therapy education programs in the United States. It also sought to identify relationships between program characteristics and implementation of these types of simulation. An online survey inquiring about academic program characteristics and use of simulation was sent to all occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs in the United States in 2017 prior to the implementation of the 2018 Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education Standards and the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Data were analyzed using both statistical and content analysis. There were 97 responses to the survey, with an approximate response rate of 23.8%. Thirty-eight percent of responses used standardized patients and 70% used simulated environments in their didactic coursework. Programs at private institutions were more likely to use standardized patients than programs at public institutions (Cramer’s V=0.229; p=0.024). Funding was the most cited support, challenge, and barrier to the use of standardized patients. Physical space was the most cited support and challenge for the use of simulated environments, with funding as the most cited barrier. Study results indicate that adequate funding, space, and potentially other resources are needed for successful implementation of these types of simulation. Future research should further study the barriers and supports to implementation of simulation by occupational therapy academic programs as well as further examination of implementation rates.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Effective interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to address participation for adults with aphasia: A systematic review

  British Journal of Occupational Therapy · 2021 · 5 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Medicine
  • Psychology
  • Nursing

  Introduction: Occupational therapists work with clients with impaired communication to re-engage in valued occupations. This systematic review seeks to answer the question: What are effective interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to address participation for adults with aphasia? Method: A systematic review of the literature was completed using PubMed, PsychInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and OT Seeker databases. Intervention studies within the scope of occupational therapy practice with a participation outcome, and published in peer reviewed journals from 2000 to 2019, were included. The quality of each study was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Findings: Thirteen articles fit the inclusion criteria. Categories of interventions that emerged from the data include community-based groups, individually tailored programs, adaptation/presentation of materials, interprofessional interventions, and psychoeducation. Conclusion: There is evidence to support the use of interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to increase participation for people with aphasia. Specifically, the use of community-based groups and adaptation of materials are effective to facilitate participation. Most of the studies were pre-post one group design; however, they demonstrated positive results for participation outcomes. More research is needed on people with aphasia that focuses on participation in meaningful occupations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Effectiveness of Health Promotion, Management, and Maintenance Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review

  American Journal of Occupational Therapy · 2018-05-01 · 36 citations

  review

  OBJECTIVE: This systematic review examined the effectiveness of health promotion, management, and maintenance interventions within the scope of occupational therapy to improve occupational performance and quality of life (QOL) and decrease health care utilization for community-dwelling older adults. METHOD: Thirty-eight articles representing 36 studies were included in the review. Articles were published 2008-2015 and described studies of participants with a mean age of 65 or older who were living in the community. RESULTS: Strong evidence supports the use of group, individual, or a combination of group and individual interventions to improve occupational performance. Group interventions were also effective at improving QOL. The evidence was insufficient that any of these interventions decreased health care utilization. CONCLUSION: Addressing health promotion, management, and maintenance is within the scope of occupational therapy practice and has been shown to improve occupational performance and QOL for older adults. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

  PublisherDOI

• Occupational Therapy in an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program: Performance and Satisfaction Outcomes

  American Journal of Occupational Therapy · 2018-03-14 · 20 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract In this study, we examined the effectiveness of a community-based, occupational therapy intervention situated within an intensive comprehensive aphasia program (ICAP). Occupational therapy interventions addressed goals of participants with chronic stroke and aphasia for improving their satisfaction with and performance of instrumental activities of daily living, social participation, leisure, work, and volunteer activities. Over 3 yr, 19 people with chronic stroke and aphasia participated in a month-long, intensive, interprofessional, community-based program. Significant improvement in participation in valued activities was demonstrated on the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (p < .01), goal attainment scaling (p < .01), and two domains of the Stroke Impact Scale (p < .05). We conclude that occupational therapy using collaborative goal setting and problem solving as part of an interprofessional team may be an important component to include in ICAPs to address functional participation goals.

  PublisherDOI

• Occupational Therapy Within an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program: Outcomes for People Living With Chronic Stroke

  American Journal of Occupational Therapy · 2017-07-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract Date Presented 4/1/2017 This poster presents findings from a study that supports inclusion of occupational therapy in an intensive, comprehensive aphasia program to increase performance of and satisfaction with valued occupations focusing on instrumental activities of daily living, leisure, work, and social participation for people with chronic stroke and aphasia. Primary Author and Speaker: Anne Escher Additional Authors and Speakers: Aditi Amlani, Angela Viani, Sue Berger

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Sue Berger

  5 shared

• Aditi M. Amlani

  Stanford Health Care

  3 shared

• Angela M. Viani

  VA Boston Healthcare System

  3 shared

• Kenneth S. Boockvar

  James J. Peters VA Medical Center

  2 shared

• Himali Weerahandi

  University of California, San Francisco

  2 shared

• Orah R. Burack

  New Jewish Home

  2 shared

• Lauren Raschen

  New Jersey Department of Education

  2 shared

• W Mak

  New Jewish Home

  2 shared

Labs

• Sargent Center for Simulated Clinical ExperiencePI

Awards & honors

• Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association (FAO…