“When you meet someone, the first question usually asked is, ‘What do you do?’ Of course, they mean for a living. For someone with disabilities, discrimination and stigma too often compound the issue of access to gainful employment.”

A.T. Still’s Dr. Jyothi Gupta Makes Meaningful Work for All her Mission

Dr. Jyothi Gupta’s work revolves around other people being able to experience the dignity of work. While her efforts have been the hallmark of her career, they’ve become something more for the newest member of the Brain Injury Alliance’s Board of Directors — they are the foundation of her personal mission.

As Chair and Professor of the Department of Occupational Therapy at A.T. Still University, Dr. Gupta mentors doctoral students in the practice of community-based program development. Prior to this position, she was a professor at St. Catherine University after earning her PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of Windsor (Canada), with postdoctoral research fellowships in biomedical sciences and a Bachelor of Health Science (BHSc) in Occupational Therapy at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

Dr. Gupta explains that Occupational Therapy (OT) takes a whole-person approach to facilitating individuals to participate in everyday life activities that are both meaningful and purposeful. In the term occupational therapy, the word occupation denotes everything a person does to occupy their time. Her particular interest is getting individuals back to productive occupations, such as work or school. “I like OT because of its broad scope of practice. We incorporate physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral rehabilitation approaches to practice,” she explains. “However, what we are seeing today is a gap in services with cognitive rehabilitation in certain settings that need it the most.”

Despite the stigma that claims those who don’t work choose not to out of laziness, Dr. Gupta strongly disagrees. “People need to feel productive, to be useful to society,” she believes. “When you meet someone, the first question usually asked is, ‘What do you do?’ Of course, they mean for a living. For someone with disabilities, discrimination and stigma too often compound the issue of access to gainful employment.”

Her research on workplace experiences of individuals with various disabilities (e.g., physical, mental, visual impairments) indicates that, despite the Americans with Disabilities legislation, people with disabilities continue to experience stigma, marginalization, and often, employers have diminished expectations of them. Dr. Gupta believes there is need for the public to be educated (employers in particular) about the value of employing individuals with disabilities.

She cites an example of an ex-CEO who sustained mobility-related impairments when she slipped on ice. “She is one of the sharpest people I know, but now that she’s in a wheelchair, prospective employers automatically assume that her ability to think is impaired. Like many others, due to the stigma of disability, she has been marginalized and can’t get the work for which she’s eminently qualified.”

For those with brain injuries, their challenges aren’t always as apparent. “I teach students how to recognize invisible disabilities to improve cognitive functions,” Dr. Gupta emphasizes. “If they can still do their jobs with accommodations, they are employable and must have equal access to employment. If their abilities aren’t acknowledged or recognized, this can result in secondary issues such as depression and aggravate existing conditions.”

At A.T. Still University (ATSU), people come to the student-run, faculty-supervised pro bono clinic for rehab services, with options for either in-person or teletherapy visits. Dr. Gupta is also hoping to implement a program in cognitive rehabilitation for individuals experiencing post-concussive symptoms, as well as COVID-19 brain fog, which has symptoms comparable to a mild traumatic brain injury.

Returning to work after the biggest waves of the pandemic (to date) has been daunting and confusing, for employers and employees alike. A recent McKinsey study of over 1,600 people revealed that returning to work has negatively affected the mental health of one-third of the respondents, with almost half of those who had yet to come back expecting to be impacted negatively.

The report further demonstrated that with emotional stress already on the rise, people have been reluctant to return to the workplace, especially if they have cognitive or substance misuse disorders. The prejudice they regularly experience often prevents them from seeking care. The takeaway for researchers? Creating flexible and customized solutions appropriate for each workplace.

Fortunately, such solutions are typically easier to come by than most people think. “Not all accommodations for those with disabilities are expensive. In fact, most are not; this is a myth,” Dr. Gupta reminds. “Sometimes it’s just common sense, such as including short breaks from screen time. As long as the work gets done in a timely manner, does it matter?”

Due to brain fog, many have been unable to work more than a few hours a day. A recent U.K. cognition study known as the Great British Intelligence Test disclosed that 85% or those with “mild” or “moderate” COVID-19 can have lingering cognitive issues, including poor attention, problem-solving, executive-functioning, and decision-making, as well as short-term memory loss.

Almost overnight, Dr. Gupta says the pandemic changed how she teaches and trains as well. “We used to place students in clinics to hone their skills. However, once beds were full of COVD-19 patients, we couldn’t do clinical rotations as usual. Without face-to-face interaction, everything had to be online, including therapy services. There was no social networking or labs for students for a full semester.”

As a result, students’ opportunities to socialize, which Dr. Gupta notes is key, especially for those from out of state, were greatly reduced. “Without this, we saw a rise in isolation, loneliness, mental health issues, and impacted academic performance. It was a true existential crisis,” Dr. Gupta explains.

The affects have been felt by the patients they treat as well. It’s harder for people with concussions, for example, to spend a lot of time on Zoom. What’s more, for parents with brain injury, devoting an hour of computer time for telemedicine has been too hard; they simply couldn’t rehab in timely fashion. Meanwhile, children with brain injuries who received certain therapies were unable to benefit the same way in a virtual setting.

“Without the personal interaction, play therapy was impossible,” she says. “With Zoom, we could only do talk therapy, which wasn’t nearly as effective, as it is hard for children to attend for long periods of time.”

On National Concussion Awareness Day 2021, Dr. Gupta presented at a Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona webinar for professionals. CEO Carrie Collins-Fadell was thrilled for her to share her insights and expertise. “Having services for those with brain injuries is important, and even more so, meeting them where they are,” Carrie emphasizes. “Dr. Gupta is on the forefront of raising society’s consciousness about making sure these needs are met.”

Overcoming the stigma of brain injury is the next step for getting survivors connected with such vital supports. “The answer is education, education, education,” stresses Dr. Gupta. “We need an attitudinal change toward the implicit bias. Organizations like the Brain Injury Alliance are instrumental in fostering understanding of brain injury and awareness of available programs and services.”

But that’s not all. “Corporations have a responsibility to their communities,” she shares. “They must realize that income inequality has a ripple effect within communities. The well-being of a society depends on all its citizens leading healthy, productive, and meaningful lives.”

Dr. Gupta believes we must overcome the notion that providing accommodations at work is special treatment instead of what it really is – leveling the playing field. Employers should to the demands of a job, as well as providing for a living minimum wage, would dramatically benefit and change the lives of millions of people.

“We need to live with purpose. We need to work. We need routine and structure,” Dr. Gupta reminds.

We need more advocates like Dr. Gupta making the clarion call for equal employment opportunities for all.

ABOUT BRAIN INJURY ALLIANCE OF ARIZONA

The Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona (BIAAZ) is the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of adults and children with all types of brain injuries through prevention, advocacy, awareness and education. BIAAZ also houses the Arizona Brain Health Resource Center, a collection of educational information and neuro-specific resources for brain injury survivors, caregivers, family members and professionals.

What began in 1983 as a grassroots effort has grown into a strong statewide presence, providing valuable life-long resources and community support for individuals with all types of brain trauma at no charge.

The Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona:

• Works with Congressional Brain Injury Task Force
• Houses Arizona Brain Health Resource Center
• Hosts Statewide Opioid Use Disorder & Cognitive Impairment Workgroup
• Has Statewide Opioid Use Disorder & Cognitive Impairment Response team with peer support, training, and family wraparound services
• Facilitates Brain Health Advisory Council
• Manages statewide Neuro Info-Line: 888-500-9165