For this particular assignment, we had a scenario of a client that had been referred to OT. We had a great amount of information about them including: what their challenges and barriers were, what their interests were, and a goal they wanted to achieve. My client, Alice, loved to garden, but hasn't been able to keep it up due to her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. She had limited shoulder ROM, problems with fine and gross motor skills, and wasting food due to not checking what they already had before going to the store. Therefore, I took what Alice loved to do, gardening, and made this product which I call "A Plastic Milk Jug Gardening Basket."
The most meaningful thing I learned while doing this project was how important it is to keep in mind what the clients interest are, while also thinking about how the intervention is going to be useful to them. There were so many things that I thought I could do with a plastic milk jug, but after going back and realizing that it wasn't going to be beneficial to the client I knew that wasn't the way to go. Also, there were so many things I could have made that would help with the challenges and barriers she had, but it wasn't anything she would enjoy doing, which is a huge part of occupational therapy. My ah-ha moment was definitely when I was able to connect the dots to fulfill both requirements the client needed.
Before this assignment, I didn't have a full grasp on how you could make useful products for a client with items you have around your home. I knew that it was frequently done, but with all of the technology the world uses today, I think it becomes more difficult to train your mind to think outside the box and use common household products. After this assignment, I have learned that it can be a bit of a challenge, but once you set your mind to it, it becomes something that can be fun, beneficial, and interesting! Furthermore, I have learned how to use my own judgment and OT experiences to problem solve on a clinical level rather than problem solving on paper or verbally, therefore really putting my skills to the test.
This project will benefit me in the future, because now instead of going straight for a specific pre-made OT product or the internet, I will have a more broad category of objects to choose from for my clients and other projects. This project has definitely opened my eyes to how rewarding, challenging, and important it is to think about all aspects of the situation when choosing an appropriate intervention, and I feel much more confident in my ability to do that now!
**Separate photos provided so each component could be easily read
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