Ulla-Carin Lindquist: A Case Study Take Away

Lauren Newman did a fantastic job on presenting to the small group about a woman named Ulla-Carin Lindquist who was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 49. She passed away just a year later at the age of 50. Ulla-Carin was a news anchor is Sweden. She also had other roles such as being a mother, wife, journalist, writer, and a friend to many. Ulla-Carin did not live long with her diagnosis, but in that short time left she made the most of her life by writing a book describing her struggles and challenges in which she had to overcome. She went into detail about the disease and the different ways it affected her body. Ulla-Carin also had to overcome barriers to write her book by using an assistive technology computer where she used the movements of her nose and a webcam to operate the computer. She successfully finished her book and then passed away 3 months later. Lauren suggested excellent goals for Ulla-Carin that the OT should aim for. She also pointed out different interventions OTs could have used and various modifications that could have been made to the home. Overall, this was a very interesting and informative presentation on a strong woman facing such drastic changes to her life so quickly.

The Therapeutic Relationship Between the Client and the OT

Our most recent class of Foundations, we began discussing the therapeutic relationship that the occupational therapist and the client should form between one another. The therapeutic relationship is not like a relationship between family members or friends although it is based off of trust, empathy, and effective communication like other relationships. The difference in this relationship with others occurs with the goal of the relationship. Overall, the therapeutic relationship looks toward a goal to improve the client's well-being and health. It is a relationship with a therapeutic foundation. However, in order to maintain and create an effective relationship the OT must form trust with the client. There needs to be an element of empathy from the OT, but the OT must also be careful to not pity or assume characteristics of the client. Effective communication is also crucial from both sides of the relationship. Verbal and nonverbal communication must be carried out correctly and professionally. While there may be some communication barriers, it is the role of the OT to ensure understanding to the client and from the client to promote the success of interventions to be carried out by the client. Essentially, the therapeutic relationship has a very serious element about it, but it also requires some humor and easiness to make sure both the therapist and the client feel comfortable during the course of therapy.

Neuro Note #2: OT 537

For my second neuro note I chose to watch another TED Talk. I actually really enjoy watching these short videos because they tend to be interesting and very informative, so I find them beneficial to my learning experience. The TED Talk I chose to listen to this time is titled "Protecting the brain against concussion" by Kim Gorgens. I was not necessarily sure if I wanted to watch this one for my neuro note, but as I began the video I was happy I chose to listen to her speak. Kim discussed the relevance of concussions especially in children. She is a mother of an eight-year old little boy and has labeled herself as being somewhat of a neurotic mother when it comes to his protection. However, after she provided the statistics and prevalence of concussions in children I do not necessarily see her as being neurotic. Children are at a higher risk for sustaining a concussion given the various play activities they participate in. Gorgens went on to say that once you sustain your first concussion the likelihood that you will suffer from more increases tremendously. This is especially the case for children because children are more vulnerable to brain injury, so while an adult may recover rather quickly, a child does not have that same rate of recovery. Another point Gorgens discusses is the long term effects that multiple concussions has on an individual. Research has shown that individuals with multiple concussions tend to be prone to having early onset dementia in adulthood. Overall, this TED talk was aimed toward discussing the awareness of sustaining a concussion and how important it is to be aware of the risks. Gorgens is a strong advocate for wearing helmets whenever participating in activities that concussions are likely to occur such as football and riding a bike. I learned a great deal more about concussions and how the risk of multiple concussions becomes exponentially greater after enduring the first one. I definitely enjoyed this TED Talk and am excited to learn more details about the mechanism of concussions in class.



Gorgens, Kim. (2010, May). Protecting the brain against concussion [TED Talk]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/kim_gorgens_protecting_the_brain_against_concussion#t-370534

Improving Your Cultural Competence as an OT

Today in Foundations of Occupation Centered Practice we discussed the importance of culture differences and being aware of what individuals consider good or bad, desirable or undesirable, or even acceptable or unaccpetable to them. Being culturally aware is crucial to providing care and treatment in all healthcare professions, not just occupational therapy. However, when planning interventions and other aspects of care as an OT it is definitely important to be aware of your clients and not make cultural assumptions. There are several ways to improve one's cultural competence but an important first step would be self reflection. Simply learning about yourself and acknowledging assumptions or biases and then actively moving to rid those thoughts can completely change how you treat individuals and clients.

Specialty Areas in Occupational Therapy

Today in Foundations of OCP, we discussed different specialty areas in occupational therapy and why all of these are important. I enjoyed learning about these areas and getting a better understanding of each specialty. There are different requirements and tests that one is required to complete before earning a specialty. There are a few areas that I definitely do not have any intentions in specializing in but I still find them interesting to learn about. One in particular is the driving and community mobility specialization. I find the adapted vehicles so intriguing! I love learning about them and seeing how each one is different and custom made for an individual. However, I don't think that this is an area I would personally ever choose to specialize in because teaching others how to drive is not necessarily a strong point I have. So while the specialty is definitely needed and interesting, I can highly respect those who choose to specialize in this area because I know that it would not be an easy task at all.

Emerging Areas in Occupational Therapy: Autism in Adults

AOTA's vision 2025 states that "occupational therapy maximizes health, well-being, and quality of life for all people, populations, and communities through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living". This vision is crucial to various developments of emerging areas of practice in the field of occupational therapy. There are several emerging areas that I read about and noticed that seemed very interesting to me as an OT student. However the one that stood out to me the most is the area of practice in relation to autism in adults. More often than not, people typically think that providing OT intervention or other therapy services is a strictly pediatric field.  In reality, that is far from the case and people typically forget the importance of working with individuals with autism as they progress into adulthood. 

I personally have always had a heart and passion for children with autism. Working with children who have autism is a huge factor into my decision to become an occupational therapist. As I was reading about this emerging area of practice, I realized that intervention does not need to simply end at childhood and early adolescence. Thinking about it all makes sense, but putting those thoughts into action is a completely different step. Therefore, I was especially intrigued by the emphasis on continuing intervention plans and treatment programs for adults who have autism. I read about an OT named Teresa May-Benson who is a huge advocate for this emerging area of practice and has developed programs for adults with autism that she practices in. I think she said it best when she said that, "Occupational therapy services with this population are necessary throughout the lifespan...". I believe that is very true because as an OT working with adults who have autism, it is still very important for us to help those individuals improve their quality of life, live comfortably in the world, and build/maintain positive relationships with others.

Sherri Woodbridge: A Case Study Take Away

Camille did an excellent job presenting her case study on Sherri Woodbridge. Sherri is an elderly woman mid 50s who was diagnose with Parkinson's Disease at the age of 44. Although she began showing symptoms in her early 30s she was not diagnose until years later. Sherri has a positive outlook on the diagnosis and does her best to make the most of it. She is an avid blogger and has won many awards/recognition for what she writes about concerning Parkinson's Disease. Camille told us all about how she copes with the diagnosis and various treatments that she has received. Although she doesn't mention going to occupational therapy, Camille made some good suggestions on why she should see an occupational therapist and what she could gain from this experience through different interventions provided. Overall, I enjoyed learning about Sherri Woodbridge and the obstacles she has overcame while making the most of the life she has been given.