Neuro Aspects Media Project: Pipe Cleaners

    Through completing the Media Project, I gained insight on client-centered intervention and the benefits of purposeful activities. Initially, I was focused on creating a piece of adaptive equipment (AE) to help Dennis engaged in his passion for gardening, but I quickly realized how important it was to first address the deficits that are restricting Dennis from getting back into gardening. Due to his CVA, Dennis showed problems with left neglect, right/left discrimination, dynamic sitting and standing balance, object release, spatial relations, fine motor coordination, and many other deficits. By first working on his deficits instead of immediately prescribing AE, Dennis will have an opportunity to improve skills that will carry over into his other contexts and occupations. My "ah-ha" moment was realizing that it is important to first attempt to address these deficits instead of immediately moving to compensatory strategies by giving AE. A client may be able to bypass using certain adaptive equipment by improving deficit areas first. 

    This assignment improved my client-centered practice. Before completing this assignment, I read Dennis' case study and saw several areas that I felt were important to address, however, I stopped to consider his personal goals of getting back to his hobbies. I focused on finding his "clinical carrot", in this case, gardening. I improved my understanding of the importance of incorporating Dennis' passions when his case study mentioned that he struggles to understand why he is in therapy. When treating Dennis, I have learned that it is important to explain why this activity is beneficial to his goals and even other occupations he values. As a future practitioner, I sometimes forget the importance of explaining why a specific intervention was chosen. As mentioned earlier, I began this assignment focusing on compensatory strategies to improve his engagement in gardening, however, I quickly learned that it is important to give Dennis the opportunity to improve his areas of deficit before providing compensation. The areas he is struggling with post-CVA influence more occupations and ADLs than just those pertaining to gardening. Culturally, within his family, Dennis is expected to do all home maintenance which will be improved by addressing his deficit areas. By addressing the client's goals and considering the importance of remediating skills impacted by the stroke, Dennis' engagement in all occupations will be improved. As a future practitioner, I will continue to think "outside the box" to find economically-friendly intervention ideas to engage my clients. I learned that interventions do not have to be expensive or manufactured by a medical company to be effective. This project has influenced my outlook on client-centered practice and prioritizing remediation of skills before jumping to give AE. Because of this assignment, I will remember how creativity can produce efficient, client-centered interventions that are driven by the client's volition. When completing observation hours, I often saw practitioners having clients engage in monotonous interventions that did not showcase their personal goals in relation to occupation. This assignment reminded me of the importance of always putting the client's goals ahead of my own. I will always remember how a few minutes of brainstorming led me to creating an intervention that addresses both my client's goals and also his areas of need due to his diagnosis. Taking the extra time to consider your client can lead to impactful interventions. 

link to the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U27b0aKqOy0