Neuro Note #5: Me Before You

Thoughts on Me Before You

       Me Before You is a fictional movie about a high profile man who was in a pedestrian accident resulting in a SCI.  William Traynor lived a lavish life before he became quadriplegic.  After the accident, he rarely smiled or engaged in leisure activities.  His parents hired Louisa Clark, a extroverted, free spirit, to be Will's caregiver.  Her personality and excitement for life was inspiring to me.  At first, Will is not fond of Louisa, but as time passes their connection grows stronger.  Louisa planned several activities for them in hopes of Will finding enjoyment in his life again.  The role Louisa played in this aspect reminded me of what an OT could do for Will.  Minus the physical relationship at the end of the movie of course.  She did her best to find things Will enjoyed before the accident and tweaked them to fit his current needs.  Some attempts of the actives did not go as planned, but Louisa helped them adapt to the changes.  

      Will made plans to go to an assisted suicide facility to end his life.  This controversial aspect of the film led me to wonder about the reality of someone doing that and how hard it must be for them and the family.  It is difficult to say whether or not I agree with that.  As an OT, I would hope to help my clients find joy and meaning in their daily lives so the thought of ending life is not in question.  From another perspective, a person's own suffering and pain is difficult to understand from the outside, therefore if someone has made that decision it could be unchangeable.  

      I have heard several reviews from my classmates about this film, so I decided it would be my last Neuro Note.  While it was fiction, it gave me insight on what life is like for a person after a SCI.  I hear about stories of triumph and overcoming obstacles such as Fletcher Cleaves, but stories about the suffering and pain following SCIs are rarely broadcasted.  It was sad to see how much he hated his life, but that is some people's reality.  In conclusion, this movie made me laugh, made me cry, and gave me more insight on the life of a person who is a quadriplegic. 

Sharrock, T. (Director). (2016). Me Before You [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Bros. Pictures

Sim Lab Reflection

1.  I thought I did well until I watched myself.  After that, I would say I did good.  I noticed a few things I would like to work on or change.  I realized I did prompt Francis to answer questions which can skew the results of the assessment. I think I did well at getting to know Francis after I finished the assessment.

2.  I am most proud of the way I tried to relate to Francis and the situation she was in.  I enjoyed talking with her about her family and working on starting a therapeutic relationship.  After the assessment was over I did my best to ask about what she likes to do and her home situation. 

3.  I struggled with giving feedback when she answered the questions.  I did not want to let her know she got it correct but I also did not want to be rude in my response.  I prompted her with a couple questions which I know could affect the results.  I think I need more practice with giving assessments more objectively while remaining kind. 

4.  I would like to know how to effectively give an assessment under a time constraint.  Although I did finish in enough time that may not be the case every time.  I'm curious how it would be like to interact with a client that was not as welcoming and understanding as Francis was. 

5.  I would definitely use germ-x or wash my hands because I forgot that simple step this time.  I would not prompt Francis to answer questions correctly.  When I left I did not ask if she needed anything, so next time I would try to do that.  I would also like to improve my sitting posture.  I noticed I slumped over a lot and that I should start sitting up straight more. 

6.  I was reassured that I am in OT school for a reason.  I really enjoyed the real life experience and it was refreshing to start to apply what we learn in a clinical setting.  I learned that when I obsess over one thing going into a situation, odds are I'm going to forget it!  For example, Germ-x.  I told myself over and over to do that but as soon as I walked in I forgot.  So lesson learned, when I do get on field work I need to relax and create good habits in clients' rooms.  Lastly, keeping a client on task can be difficult, but with more experience I will be able to do it more effectively. 

Neuro Note #4: Breea and MS

Breea's Story

    I did my Neuro Note on Multiple Sclerosis-Breea's Story because I was interested in learning more about MS after we learned about it in class.  Breea was diagnosed with severe onset MS and was in the hospital around 6 weeks recovering.  I enjoyed how in the beginning of the video different people said what Breea was to them.  It made me think about how important roles are to shaping an individual's life.  During her hospital stay, her parents took her away one day to visit the ocean.  They called this "Operation Ocean View".  Seeing the ocean was so meaningful to her especially while being cooped up in the hospital for so long.  Long hospital stays take such a toll on a person's sense of freedom and happiness.  
    Breea set goals for herself which were to walk again and graduate from high school.  Because she was extremely tenacious, she met both of those goals!  In fact, she wrote one of her college entrance essays in the hospital room.  I noticed how much strength and encouragement Breea's mother showed throughout the video.  She always pushed Breea to new goals, yet showed patience and kindness throughout the rehab process.  Therapy was difficult for Breea.  The did several leg strengthening exercises and fine motor practice for her affected hand.  After 8 long months, Breea was able to jump, spin, and do a back bend!  When the Youtube video was published she was about to start college and only uses a leg brace for long distances.
    I really enjoy learning about personal stories involving different diseases. This video gave such a good overview of everything Breea went through with MS.  I learned so much about what it is like to regain function from a MS flare up.  I would definitely recommend other OT students watch this if they want to gain a personal perspective of MS. 


There is also a short version of her video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfD9s1_TN0s

B. (2012, September 08). Retrieved May 24, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfD9s1_TN0s

Dementia Case Study - Ronald Reagan

    Ronald Reagan was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease a few years after he ended his presidency.  He lived 20 years after being diagnosed.  Interestingly, he was the first president to be divorced.  Ronald was adamant that Nancy not be negatively affected by his diagnoses.  I think an important aspect of Alzheimer's disease is the relationship between the caregiver and the person who was diagnosed.  Lauren did an excellent job of thinking of interventions and goals.  An issue with clients with Alzheimer's disease is not having normal sleep patterns.  After 3 months, Lauren wanted Ronald to have restful sleeps and would do this by taking walks during the day instead of napping.  I really enjoyed hearing about Mr. President and how he and Nancy were affected by Alzheimer's disease.

Rachel White's Case Study: S.C. and MS

S. C. was born with congenital adrenal hyperplasia which lead to precocious puberty.  This means she started her period at the age of 6 months.  She also had GERD.  A week before her 21st birthday she was diagnosed with relapse-remission Multiple Sclerosis.  She enjoys riding horses and volunteers at a local hippo-therapy clinic a few times a week.  Rachel wanted a short-term goal for S.C. to be to tell all of her law school professors about her diagnoses. A long-term goal is to work on energy conservation.  OT can also help with fine motor skills.  I found it so impressive she has continued through law school without telling her professors about her having MS, but I hope she will tell them soon.  I enjoyed learning about S. C. and her life with MS.

Ellen's Case Study: Woody Guthrie

   Ellen presented a case study on Woody Guthrie and his diagnoses with Huntington's Disease. He lost motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. He began having violent outbursts and involuntary movements. His mother had Huntington's Disease so when he started having symptoms he assumed that it was HD. He had challenges getting into a regular schedule because he was a traveling musician. OT could help him with routine management to help with the mood changes caused by HD.  OT could also help him map out places when he travels. Lastly, OT can help with end of life planning and caregiver education. I was curious if any of his children or grandchildren got genetic testing done to see if they have the defective gene. This case study was really interesting, and Ellen did a great job of presenting. 

Neuro Note: TransFatty Lives

    TransFatty Lives was an interesting twist on the raw depiction of a man diagnosed with ALS.  Patrick O'Brien was a New York City DJ who got diagnosed with ALS at the age of 30.  He created the film and made it very relevant and honest. 

    Being a musician by nature, the film was very deep and poetic.  He said once that before he was diagnosed, he never thought life could get any more complicated.  O'Brien said he realized how unimportant most things were before he was diagnosed.  The fact that the disease was only going to worsen adds an intense mental and emotional struggle to ALS. 
    At the end of his life, Patrick fought relentlessly to stay alive.  He narrated the film to his son Shawn using his AAC.  When they took him to the hospital, he repeatedly said he did not want a tracheotomy.  Although, he made the difficult decision to get a trach and live in a nursing home just to be alive for Shawn.  Because Patrick's cognitive function was still intact living at the nursing home became monotonous.  Patrick had an idea to have a fashion show using the nursing clothes and equipment.  It was inspiring that in the midst of the end stage of ALS, Patrick's humor and creativity never diminished. 
    I chose to watch this film because I heard good reviews from my classmates, and we recently learned about ALS.  Learning what happens to individuals behind closed doors is so important for future OTs.  This film showed the struggle, fear, and vulnerability that can accompany ALS.  Patrick directed this film all while typing directions using the movement of his eyes!  How amazing!  I think this would be a great resource for other students to watch on their own time.  I really enjoyed watching it, but I'm not sure everyone would as a class. 


O'Brien, P. (Director). (2015). TransFatty lives [Motion Picture]. United States: Netflix.

Virginia's Case Study - Joseph Heller

     Joseph Heller was an author of No Laughing Matter, a book recalling his experience with Guillian-Barr'e Syndrome. He was diagnosed when he was 58 and it wasn't until he was 60 when he fully recovered. At the time of diagnoses he was in the process of writing his 4th book. It was interesting that his symptoms started at the middle of his body rather than the limbs. Doctors considered this an anomaly. His best friend and co-author Speed Vogel was also his caregiver during his time with GBS. Heller had issues with grasping door handles and lifting his legs to take steps. He was always pretty dependent on others because he rarely had the opportunity to do anything on his own. Sounds to me like he was pretty spoiled before his diagnosis with GBS. Therefore, OT could help him with his ADLs and learning how to be independent. According to Heller, GBS does not discriminate and it comes out of nowhere. I enjoyed learning about Joseph Heller and how it affected Joseph. Virginia did a great job!

Foundations Wrap-up

    I am in awe that we have already been in OT school for almost 5 months.  Foundations has been such a rewarding and fun learning experience. It was so beneficial that we touched on a little bit of everything regarding the profession.  My class and I now have a solid "foundation" of OT!  I think my favorite project was the Activity Analysis.  I loved breaking down activities and really examining what factors when into each one.  This course has enabled me to begin thinking and acting like an OT. While the tests in this class sure do make us think critically, I believe it will allow us to be well prepared for the NBCOT when that time comes.  Overall, I appreciate all the hard work Professor Lancaster put into this class and our learning experience. 

Humor Me

Another aspect of a therapeutic relationship in OT that I thought was important is humor.  Humor and laughter are an important source of communication between most people and even more so when in a therapeutic relationship.  It is a way for people to relate to one another.  Being able to laugh and joke with our clients makes both parties so much more comfortable. It also makes the session so much more fun!  I remember my dad liking the clinicians who joked with him so much better than the ones who didn't.  I also think it is important to know when to joke and when not to.  Being self-aware about humor is vital for it to be effective.  In conclusion, when creating a therapeutic relationship, humor can benefit both the client and the clinician.

L. O'Brien's Case Study: K. T. and ALS

    K.T. was diagnosed with ALS in May of 2010.  He began seeing signs in his left hand when he was 41.  Lauren said numerous football players have been diagnosed with ALS due to the trauma from playing.  When K.T. was diagnosed he and his wife got a divorce and he moved in with his parents.  The case study revolved around what K.T. was experiencing when he was in stage 3 of ALS. He had lost upper extremity function and his breathing worsened at this point.  He utilized an AAC device and several home modifications.  K.T. lived 5 years with ALS.
    I enjoyed learning about ALS from this case study because we were able to hear about it from a personal perspective. K.T. was a friend of Lauren's family, so she knew more details.  His diagnoses enabled him to create a foundation for ALS and TBI awareness. I visited the website and it is hopefully igniting an awareness of severe injury in the football community.

Walk a Mile in Another Man's Shoes

Today in Foundations class we discussed how to effectively utilize therapeutic relationship and therapeutic use of self.  Experiences and perceptions play a vital role in creating this relationship with clients.  Empathy is also so important to create this relationship.  I have recently been actively trying to improve my empathy skills.  Events in my life such as when my dad was sick gave me a new perspective on so many things especially in the health field.  In class while going over the do's and don't's I was fortunate enough to have experienced some of these things first hand.  It's funny to say I was "fortunate to" because at the time of my father's illness I did not realize these experiences could benefit me one day.  That thought made me realize how important life experiences are in order to create therapeutic relationships with clients.

Using My "OT Think"

    I am so grateful for all the knowledge I've gained while being in OT school thus far.  This weekend I noticed myself starting to observe my environment and begin "OT thinking".  I went to a 10k in Corinth, MS.  I struck up a conversation with a friend who is facilitating a research study involving exercise physiology and individuals with SCI.  It feels so rewarding to be able to discuss such a topic and be able to understand and articulate. I asked him if his participants utilized universal cuffs or tenodesis to perform the activities in the research study.  He had never heard of tenodesis therefore I did my best to explain this phenomena with him.
    My next situation was during the start of the race, the wheelchair runners began first.  I was analyzing all of the wheelchairs trying to point out any adaptive equipment I recognized and if they were tilted back or straight up.  I was so happy that these people were able to be a part of such a fun and meaningful event.
   Lastly, after the race I was sitting on a bench and witnessed a man have a bike wreck due to his chain coming off his bicycle.  As I called 911, my friend ran over to assist him.  The rider was what I believe in shock and lying on the ground.  Luckily he had a helmet on.  While I was talking to the dispatch, all I could think about was all that I have learned about TBIs and what I should be doing to help the man.  Finally, he was helped up and they realized the severity of the accident was not to the extent we assumed.  What a tough guy!  After the rider regained energy, he walked his bike past us and I noticed that he appeared to have Down's Syndrome.  I have not learned a lot about Down's Syndrome, but I am very excited to.  Knowing that he is able to participate in activities that are meaningful to him made me so happy.  What an awful experience for the rider, but the toughness he showed was inspiring!

Cultural Competence

    In class today, we discussed cultural competence.  I am so glad this topic was brought up in our curriculum. It is so important as OTs to have our cultural competence skills fine tuned.  This will benefit us in the workplace, with clients, and even when using interventions with clients. 
    Learning about different professions' culture is important to be able to co-treat and work together.  There are so many professions that we as OTs will work with especially in an acute setting.  When a client knows that you are aware they have different values and you respect them, I feel like they will be much more trusting.  Empathy plays a huge role in this as well. I love the phrase, "walk a mile in another man's shoes", because it gives a good depiction of what it's like to try to understand another person. Lastly, being culturally competent is essential for intervention planning.  An example I thought of was how people eat. Some people eat with their hands, some people eat with chop sticks, and some eat with a fork.  Not all of these individuals would benefit with doing activities with a fork. While this is a minuscule example, it shows how culture can affect our daily lives.  Conclusively, I enjoyed our class on culture and I hope to continue to learn and grow from my classmates so that we can all be more culturally competent. 

Neuro Note: "Attitude is Everything"

"Muhammad Ali's Eldest Daughter Shares Memories of Her Dad and Hope for Those with Parkinson's: 'Attitude is Everything'"

    I was very intrigued when learning about Parkinson's Disease (PD), therefore I chose an article about Muhammad Ali to reflect on for my Neuro Note. The title of this article is: "Muhammad Ali's Eldest Daughter Shares Memories of Her Dad and Hope for Those with Parkinson's: 'Attitude is Everything'". This People article is centered around an interview with Maryum Ali, Muhammad Ali's oldest daughter.  Maryum gave advice for family members of individuals with PD.  She told the interviewer that a very important aspect to living with PD is to do what makes you happy. When I read this, I immediately thought about how this aligned with OT practice. Maryum noted that ensuring the whole family is aware of the details and symptoms of the disease is imperative to live happier lives.  As a future OT, I hope that when I effectively educate caregivers and family members of their loved one's disease or disorder, it will bring happiness to the family just like Muhammad Ali's.

    Muhammad's first symptoms were slowed movement and softer speech. They suspected he acquired PD from a combination of his boxing and exposure to pesticides. I thought this was interesting because of the misconception that solely boxing caused his PD. I would enjoy digging deeper into the research involving the negative effect of pesticides. According to Maryum, the medications for PD caused abnormal side effects. For Muhammad this was the desire to look at books constantly. The family did their best to accommodate his new hobby. I'm interested in learning more about side effects of the medicine for PD and how that can affect the OT intervention.  From having experience with my own father's chronic illness, I know it can often be challenging to face the negative or abnormal side effects of medication knowing you possibly cannot live without it. 

    Maryum's main takeaway of this interview was that when facing PD, "Attitude is everything". Muhammad Ali was constantly motivated and determined to not allow PD take over his life and live his life to the fullest. What better way to live life than by living it to the fullest! 

Maryum and her Dad 

   

Herbst, D. (2016, August 25). Muhammad Ali's Eldest Daughter Maryum Shares Memories. Retrieved May 03, 2017, from http://people.com/celebrity/muhammad-alis-eldest-daughter-maryum-shares-memories/

photo retrieved from: http://people.com/celebrity/muhammad-alis-eldest-daughter-maryum-shares-memories/

Why are speciality areas important?

   While researching specialty areas, I thought of several reasons why they are vital for OT practice.

1. important to distinguish skills to better serve clients

Speciality areas allows OTs to give clients the best and most relevant OT intervention. 

2. helps us relate to each population

Each population has different needs and those needs should be focused on. Learning about what relates to certain populations positively influences the client and therapist relationship.  

3. A way for OT practitioners to incorporate other fields

 Because Professor Lancaster is specialized in assistive technology, she is able to learn and help other fields. For example, she worked with a home builder to help insurance pay for certain home modifications the client needed. Also, Professor Lancaster explained that an OT in Murfreesboro is working on having an OT on the city council. If this happens, it would be extremely beneficial to the city! 

In conclusion, specialities are a way to better serve our clients, relate to different populations, and connect with other fields. I am excited to see what speciality areas I will be drawn to. 

Emerging Area of Practice: Chronic Disease Management

    Because chronic illness is becoming increasingly common, I find this a very relevant and important area of practice.  Being specialized in this emerging practice could also reduce the cost of healthcare that the client is responsible for.  Reducing health care spending is a shared goal among many Americans.  Chronic disease management allows OTs to work with clients to improve their occupation of managing their lifelong disease.  Daily activities and routines play a vital role in managing a chronic illness, and this fits perfectly in our scope of practice.

    This emerging area of practice facilitates solutions for individuals with chronic illnesses to live their life to the fullest.  Vision 2025 is centered around providing occupational therapy to all people and increasing their health and well-being.  Related to chronic disease management, this could mean managing medications, daily routine, changes in diet and physical activity.  Specializing in the management of chronic illness aligns well with this vision, as it is a way to promote health and help individuals manage or prevent conditions.
 

The Sky is Not the Limit

In class yesterday we had the privilege of meeting Fletcher Cleaves. Fletcher obtained a C5 and C6 spinal cord injury around 7 years ago. Since then he has pushed himself to accomplish tremendous goals and has become an inspiration along the way. Fletcher said so many important things I couldn't help but jot them down. Here are a few things that stuck out:

-  Fletcher pointed out that goals are just dreams if a plan is not created. This mindset started when he was playing high school football. He trained twice a day to reach his goal. This carried on after the accident, thus he successfully met his goals. I found this relevant to so many aspects of my life, especially as an OT student.
-  Fletcher gave us some advice as future OTs. He reminded us to be realistic to our clients, yet do not shoot down their dreams. This balance is so important when helping clients reach their goals.
- Fletcher's presence gave the entire class such joy. I find it extremely inspiring that he can capture a room so quickly.
- Lastly, I was amazed at his adaptive truck. I'm sure for a mid-20s man, driving is such a meaningful occupation and realizing he is able to do this is

Haleigh's Case Study: Robert and PD

    Haleigh's case study was about Robert, a client with Parkinson's Disease. The discussion centered around a program called LSVT BIG Program. Her mother is certified to administer this program and recently completed a research study involving Robert. This plan consisted of outpatient therapy four times a week for one month. He was taught the different activities a part of the program and was asked to do them at home as well. There is also a six month follow-up so that the therapists can see his progress. We were able to watch videos of Robert doing sit to stands and sit to supine. These videos were great to supplement our learning and helped us see how the program positively affected him.

Chucky Mullins

    Today, I shared my case study on Chucky Mullins with my small group.  It was exciting to share his story as well as my ideas on how OT could have benefitted him.  One thing we discussed was how OT could help Chucky with his relationship with his girlfriend. We were unsure if sexual activity would even be possible and if so how OTs could help him. As I was completing my case study I did not think about this aspect, so I'm glad new ideas were facilitated via this group discussion. Another aspect I made sure to address was helping Ole Miss become more of a universal campus.  Ensuring Chucky can get around campus is vital for him to perform his meaningful activities.  The group discussion helped me to share my ideas and get feedback on how we could improve the long term and short term goals.


HOTTY TODDY!

This is Reflection

Neuro Note #1

     The material I chose to delve into is a photo documentary title This Is. This Is followed a newly wed couple through the ups and downs of brain cancer. The husband Josh was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiform or GBM brain tumor just months after the couple was married. I went through the documentary several times and each picture exemplifies different emotions each time. Similar to how the documentary laid out a few details, I wrote all of the words that came to mind as I was going through the documentary. 

Here are my words: 

unconditional

love

strength

adapting

struggle

active

determination

real

laughter

bravery

intimate

emotional

despair

     I chose to reflect on this because it gave a clear and raw explanation of the emotional rollercoaster of brain cancer. It depicted the emotions clearly without having to be spelled out. I gained even more insight on aspects of terminal illness that are hidden from the public view. Jenna, the wife, showed such strength and tenacity while caring for Josh. Knowing the challenges the caregivers of clients or patients with brain cancer is important for OTs. Often times caregivers do not show outwardly how much they are struggling with seeing their loved one suffer and remaining strong. I hope to create meaningful, therapeutic relationships not only with my clients but also with their caregivers. Individuals who are going through similar situations can view this documentary and be reassured they are not alone in their journey. As a future OT, I hope to grow and learn from others' stories such as Josh and Jenna's so that I can show insight and empathy for my clients when they are going through difficult times.

     Everyone can learn from this photo documentary and I definitely recommend it to further our learning about brain cancer!

Link to documentary: http://www.thisisdocumentary.com

References

Gilbert, J. K. (n.d.). This Is. Retrieved April 21, 2017, from http://www.thisisdocumentary.com/

Developing Clinical Reasoning

After the lecture about clinical reasoning, I was scheduled to observe at the Rachel Kay Stevens Clinic.  I decided to bring a notebook to begin working on my clinical reasoning skills.  My professor described the client as "a mystery".  The client exhibited attention deficits.  I noticed he did not stay focused on one activity for very long.  Once he focused on the OT evaluation he could only concentrate for around 1-2 minutes.  The OT2's explained to me that he seemed to be sensory seeking.  The client seemed impulsive as he was playing.  He listened well and had sufficient hand writing.  I took notes on anything I found note worthy and asked the professor and OT2's about my questions at the end.  I was able to observe and learn from the evaluation and begin my journey of developing clinical reasoning. 

Keep Calm I'm a (future) OT

        Today in class, I learned an interesting fact that OTs get sued the least compared to other health professions. I started to make guesses on why that was. Our therapeutic use of self is most likely one reason. Creating a therapeutic relationship with the client is in our scope of practice. Other professions may not have the same relationship with clients. The relationship is evident even in the beginning stages of evaluation during the interview part. Professor Lancaster pointed out that another reason may be that OTs are typically better at documentation. I think this is because we are trained to pay close attention to the details of our client.
         The documentation and legal aspect of occupational therapy can be intimidating to students. (At least it is to me!) I have also heard insurance can be a difficult aspect of the profession. I am excited to continue learning about the ins and outs of these subjects.

Finding an OT Niche

     While learning about the MOT2's experiences at the AOTA Conference, I realized that I have absolutely no clue what area of practice I want to go into. I believe this is perfectly fine due to the fact that I am only 4 months into OT school. I know most of my classmates have an idea of what area they are interested in. I just find so many of the areas I can potentially work in to be so interesting. Before I started OT school, I had a feeling I would be drawn to geriatrics but now I am leaning towards mental health and even community health. One the beauties of our future profession is that I have so many options and am able to reach an vast amount of individuals. I hope that as I continue to gain knowledge of OT, I will be able to make a better decision. Until then I am relishing in the fact that my options are endless. 

Neuro Aspects and Personal Perspectives

      Today in class, I was able to hear very relevant and also disheartening stories of classmates who have personally experienced situations involving brain injuries. This helps get a more empathetic and emotional understanding of how brain injuries can affect not only the individual but also their loved ones.
      Professor Lancaster's blog also gave so much insight on the details people do not often think about regarding a family member's illness. One thing that I related with was the blog post titled "No Rhyme or Reason". I have personally said this myself that it can be frustrating hearing "everything happens for a reason" from bystanders when you are facing difficulties. Knowing unfortunate events can happen to anyone and everyone was oddly comforting to me when dealing with my father's chronic illness. While I know it can be difficult to comfort someone who is facing adversity, I have realized sometimes it is better to just tell them, "I am here for you" rather than trying to give "rhyme or reason" to a situation. I hope I can create meaningful relationships with clients and be able to comfort and support them, but never to tell them they are hurting for a reason.

DisABILITY

    Aimee Mullins's TED Talk was related to how disability and/or adversity is seen as a negative phenomenon, when it is often a fact of life. When Mullins's listed the synonyms for the word disability, I was very taken aback. The terms were extremely derogatory and demeaning. If society has this view of individuals with disability, it is difficult for them to feel empowered and respected.
    I found her story about her doctor very relevant to our profession. I have learned that by being in a health profession we are leaders to our clients and others. Being leaders, we have the responsibility to promote empowerment of all people, regardless of ability or disability.

Thoughts on OT Theory

The theory I am the most fond of is the Kawa Model. I found the representations are very appropriate for what they represent, and this will be a great way to explain OT to clients. Like Professor Lancaster said in class, it may be easier for a client to relate to and understand this model due to the concrete comparisons.  I could see myself more likely to implement this model into practice. Although, the ecological models do include an important aspect—environment. Environment plays a huge role in the holistic view of a person. Stress and increases in cortisol levels throughout a person's life can affect virtually every aspect of their life. Stress that is caused by extrinsic factors in the environment can lead to disease, mental illness, and unhealthy habits. When dealing with clients, I also hope to include this model to help them change their environment if needed to reduce stress which could positively affect their benefit of receiving occupational therapy. I learned about this theory in my Exercise Psychology class in undergrad, but I hope to gain more experience with it in relation to OT.

How does OTPF influence OT Practice?

          The OTPF defines OT practice as a whole. The framework is a model for how to evaluate clients. This is centered around a top-down approach which is important to the profession. The constructs help the practitioner know what affects the client's life and the client's performance based on several factors. Once the occupational profile is created, the practitioner has an established foundation on how to help the client increase functional ability.