"Blog it"

My reflections on my first ever blog

 

So at the start of the semester when we were asked to create a blog to share our experiences, I must admit I was slightly apprehensive. Not that I hadn't used social media before, but the idea of pouring out my inner most thoughts and feelings on a public platform was not exactly attractive to me! Nevertheless I decided to give it a try, and… wow! I'm addicted to blogging! I'm constantly thinking about new and interesting blog posts, and when anything significant occurs my first thought is, " I'm so blogging that!'. Frankly, I am a very talkative person and I feel as though countless ideas and thoughts are constantly running through my head that I just have to get out. And I've now found the perfect outlet.. Blog it!

Prac Reflections

I have quite an honest confession to make. For the first time in my 3 years of studying OT, I have really enjoyed working as an OT at my practical venue. As 2nd years we were a bunch of nervous and unsure students, blundering through with great ideas but poor implementation. I admit I often questioned myself repeatedly on the 'point of it all'. It becomes really difficult to gain from something when you cannot see the progress. Last year we did mainly assessments with our patients and did not observe the great impact treatment has on patients.

Group Games - Resources

As explained in my previous post, growth games are a good way of building rapport and cohesion within a group. Here are some links to growth games and warm-up activities to use in your sessions.

Activities for recreation therapy groups

Youth games

youth group games

40_icebreakers_for_small_groups.pdf

Reflection on Growth Games

As a class we participated in a few growth games to develop group cohesion and grow as a class. I think it was a great experience because it helped us develop relationships with our classmates who we had to work with at our practical venues. It was also a learning experience because we had to analyse each game and see if it would be appropriate for patients and at what level.

Review on Girl, Interrupted

As an addition to our lectures on Personality Disorders, we were required to watch the movie Girl, Interrupted. Below are some of my views on the movie, as well as the trailor.

 

The movie "Girl, Interrupted" takes place in the late 60's, starring Wynonna Ryder as Susanna Kaysen, who gets put into  Claymore, a psychiatric hospital.  After staying in the hospital ward for a few months, she gets diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The film is  not so much about the recovery process  as it is about what makes a person choose to recover (or not), and all the factors leading to one's choice to recover. In my opinion the film provides a worthwhile exploration of mental illness and the effectiveness of the mental health care system.

DISABILITY ALL SORTS

A DIRECTORY OF ORGANISATIONS AND RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN SOUTH AFRICA

 

The link below leads to a directory of organisations and resources for people with disabilities in South Africa.It is a comprehensive directory that would be of value to all South Africans with disabilities, and all those working with people with disabilities.

 

Link >>> DISABILITY ALL SORTS

Simple home modifications for the disabled

As an Occupational Therapist, our intervention often involves adapting the home environment for those with disabilities, especially those on wheelchairs. For those of you interested in architecture or design for the disabled please check the link below:

Simple home modifications for the disabled

 

Tolerant?

Values Clarification

 

Values are basically one's sense of right and wrong, and tend to influence your attitude and behaviour. So where do our values come from? Are they influenced by our culture, religion, friends or society? I think it’s a combination of all four.

 Most of our values are engrained from early childhood into adolescence. Firstly from our parents and family who teach us what is acceptable and what is not. By adolescence we start getting influenced by our friends and other elements in our lives. Negative behaviours may be encouraged, and the values engrained by the parents may be challenged. Culture and religion plays a major role as well. Our roles in society and acceptable behaviours are defined mostly by the cultural and religious norms instilled by our parents. But again societal norms gained from school or friends  challenge these cultural and religious norms.

Wheelchair Training- 2011

Above is a picture of our wheelchair training on campus last year. In order to teach others how to use a wheelchair we have to be familiar with them ourselves. We had to learn the parts, how to assemble a wheelchair and what regular maintenance entails. We also had to learn how to navigate on different terains like grass and concrete, how to go up and down ramps, and how to do 'wheelies' to get up stairs. It was a great learning experience, and after an hour we were all extremely exhausted! I really learnt how difficult life can be for a person with a disability.

Movie Recommendation

Like Stars on Earth   
Taare Zameen Par (original title)

An eight year old boy is thought to be lazy and a troublemaker, until the new art teacher has the patience and compassion to discover the real problem behind his struggles in school. Although I watched this movie many years back, it still sticks out in my mind because I cried continuously. It really touches you deeply, and is a must watch for anyone wanting to work with children. Watch the trailor below:

Diagnosing Dementia

Exclusive Video Interview: Steven Spielberg on his Dyslexia

In this exclusive interview, Steven Spielberg discusses his dyslexia for the first time ever, with Quinn Bradlee of Friends of Quinn.

"When I felt like an outsider, movies made me feel inside my own skill set."
Remarkably, the world famous director of E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Schindler's List, The Color Purple, and Raiders of the Lost Ark was diagnosed with dyslexia only a few years ago. While he wishes that there had been more awareness of LDs in the 50s, he acknowledges the impact of his supportive parents who helped him endlessly with his studies, making sure he did add well as he possibly could in school.

Watch the video here >exclusive-video-interview-steven-spielberg-on-his-dyslexia

Quadriplegic receives computer to help with everyday tasks

Baltimore shooting victim controls device with her eyes to connect, communicate

Read the article here > Paraplegic receives computer

Disabled remain marginalised

Disabled remain marginalised - News24

 

Employers are struggling to meet targets for disabled people in the workplace, the advocacy group I CAN said on Tuesday.

"There is a lack of knowledge on how to include disabled people in the workplace, and coupled with ignorance and fear, companies are just not making the effort," said I CAN head Alison Smeeton.

Casual Day 2012

Some of my amazing OT class, and our supervisors

In September this year, we raised awareness for people with disabilities, by buying and wearing a casual day sticker. Every year there is a different theme for Casual Day. This year it was "All Aboard", where we were encouraged dress up like sailors and pirates, and show our support for those with disabilities. At our practical venue we had a special day planned for the residents, involving special games and food according to the theme. It was great to see all residents joining in, even those who don't regularly attend our group. The fun and activities were a great way to improve the mood of the residents, and gave them something to look forward to. It was over all a great success. Have a look at some of the pictures below to view the fun activities we engaged in.

Autonomy and Culture

Autonomy is a fundamental concept of Occupational Therapy. As OT's we hope that our patients can achieve functional independence to the maximum. Independence doesn't mean being able to perform all tasks without assistance. Sometimes independence can mean performing little tasks or part of a task independently. Just achieving this little independence can make a huge difference to the quality of life of a disabled person. It is activities, or as we call it in OT 'occupation', that adds meaning to our lives.

Before I became accustomed to the OT way of life, I did not realize how vital gaining that little bit of independence can be. Brought up in a traditional Muslim and Indian household, elders and those who are physically or mentally disabled are considered to be of great value to the family, as they bring God's blessing and mercy onto the household. As a result many traditional families such as mine, emphasis the importance of caring for these people as it will earn us great reward. 'Caring' can be quite objective. Often we do what makes us feel good instead of doing what makes the patient feel good. As we feel great sympathy for them, we overcompensate by assisting them in all tasks. Helping makes us feel good, but for the patient loss of independence and relying on others for their every need can become terribly distressing.

"Assistive Devices"

 

 

Today I realized how much we as able bodied people rely on "assistive devices". As a student and a wife, I find it necessary to make use of various devices that make my life so much easier. For example the washing machine and dishwasher are devices that give me much more time to concentrate on OT. For life as a student on the go, I cannot do without my netbook. Smaller than your conventional laptop, it is easier and lighter to carry around, as well as convenient to pop out at any time. Even in the kitchen we cannot do without essentials like the Fryer, food processor, Kenwood chef, and various other beaters and grinders. My new kitchen dream is a pressure cooker- Curries and dolls done in 10 minutes tops! A housewives fantasy! It is now simply a life of convenience. If our ancestors saw us today, they would be horrified at our laziness to say the least! Traditional Indian women back in India, cooked squatting on the floor, beat, ground and washed everything by hand. They kept active right until they were elderly.  This learned helplessness through overreliance on assistive devices and modern technology, has severely disabled us. And then we wonder how did they live longer and healthier lives than us??

A day as a disabled person

The following post is a reflection on spending the day as a disabled person. As a personal growth exercise, we as OT 3rd years were each given a disability to act as closely as possible. We were then required to spend the day at Pavilion Shopping Centre and carry out a list of activities as a person with a disability, to experience the difficulties and stigma people with disabilities experience daily.

The wonderful sound of laughter, the comforting tone of a friend, the warning sound of danger, and the beautiful sound of music; these are just a few things missing in the life of a deaf person. Above all else, communication is a daily struggle! If they are not fortunate enough to be educated in sign language, communication is limited to a few basic gestures, or writing to express one’s needs. In the day I spent trying to understand the struggles of a deaf person, one thing was overwhelmingly clear: life for the deaf is lonely!