Participation In Occupation 2

 THE ACTIVITY

In this course we choose an activity that we already participate in and are able to do at least 2 hours a week.The activity that I chose is cleaning because I have always liked to clean and I like to have things organized and looking nice.

I think that it will be easy for me to do at least 2 hours a week as my flatmates are very good at being messy and I will be able to fit it in around my study as I will be able to break it down into little half hour slots if I needed to.Cleaning is something that I do everyday like making sure my room is tidy or my dishes are done. Cleaning makes me feel like I have achieved something once I have finished and everything looks good and sometimes it is a way for me to socialize and spend time with my friends/flatmates when we all clean up the house and also spending time with my family when mum makes us clean the house at home.

Working as an Occupational Therapist cleaning will be important as clients will need/want to be able to clean their homes. For some clients being able to clean their house will give them independence to be able to do it themselves and the way they like it, it will also be able to give clients the feeling that they haven't lost their role as the mother or carer of the home. Cleaning may also be therapeutic for clients to be able to spend time by themselves and it will also give them a sense of achievement once they have completed cleaning.

Tutorial Eight: Assistive Technology

Assistive technology is defined as ‘any item, piece of equipment or product system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customised that is used to increase or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities’ (Hussey and Cook. 2000. P 5). My understanding of assistive technology is something that can help individuals with a disability with performing activities.

An assistive device that was shown to us during a tutorial was an Ipad. ‘The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. Its size and weight falls between those of contemporary smartphones and laptop computers. The iPad runs the same operating system as the iPod Touch and iPhone—and can run its own applications as well as iPhone applications. Without modification, and with the exception of websites, it will only run programs approved by Apple and distributed via its online store’ (ipad, 2011) .

The Ipad is a flat computer that is 9.5 inches long, 7.31 inches wide, 0.34 inches deep and weighs 1.33 pounds (601 g). It can come with 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB. And the cost starts at $799.

You are able to download special apps that are for people with disabilities. You are able to download book that can be read aloud for blind people and you are also able to zoom in on the screen. The touch screen makes it easy to use for individuals that have limited mobility. It has apps that can be downloaded to helps kid learn and it can help kids communicate.

Here is a youtube clip about a toddler with a disability using the ipad

References:

Cook, A.M. & Hussey, S.M. (2000). Assistive Technologies: Principles and Practice. USA: Maple-Vail (York).

ipad. (2011, 05 12). Retrieved 05 11, 2011, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad

Tutorial Seven: Linking to blogs of interest and exchanging comments

Task One: Make a blog feed for your chosen 5 blogs.

Here is  my 5 chosen blogs that relate to OT practice:

New Zealand Association of Occupational Therapists

A Blog about OT

Hannah Perry’s OT Blog (Student)

Meaningful Occupations

OT – Educational issues

Here is an example of a post I made on another students blog:

Kirsty J said...

Nice job at directing the movie Hannah we did a good job!

12 May 2011 06:14

Hannah P said...

Thanks Kirsty! I think the movie turned out pretty well :) Great team effort.

12 May 2011 06:15