Extreme Home Makeover: Mental Hospital Edition :)

Last week in Pyschosocial Dysfunction class we watch the movie titled "First Break". The movie depicted the struggles of individuals living with a mental disorder. Throughout the movie one of the individuals went back and forth into a mental rehabilitation hospital suffering from schizophrenia. I couldn't get over how dreary and cold the atmosphere appeared to be! I've always heard of the stereotypical "white-walled" mental institution, but to get a glance of it through this individual's story impacted me greatly! The walls were a grayish white, the halls were vacant, in the rooms were a cot with one sheet, a dresser, and a chair. I just kept thinking to myself during the movie...why can't they just paint the walls at the least a nice yellow?!?! Maybe a picture of two? Before I knew it, my mind had headed off to Lowe's to redecorate. I kept saying to myself...what can I physically do to make these places look more like a therapeutic environment??? What do Central Regional Hospital and Dorthea Dix look like? Is there a reason for this environment or is it the lack of funding??? All of these thoughts were swimming around in my brain.

A few days later, with my thoughts still impacted by what I saw...I started reading Chapter 11 titled Responding to Symptoms and Behaviors, in our textbook. The chapter described common symptoms of mental disorders and also strategies for modifying the environment. I realized that with most all of the symptoms of mental diagnoses, professionals warn to avoid stimulating environments! Ah ha! (Insert: lightbulb going off in my head) There might be reason for the white! I hadn't thought about the impact of too much stimulation through decoration and color etc... Even if this isn't the main reason for the dreary halls, I learned again that sometimes there is more than meets the eye. :) This will be a topic I definitely ask about during our fieldwork!!

Learning Disabilities

As we were watching the video on Learning Disabilities, I kept thinking how difficult elementary school for the students. I have 2 children with learning disabilities and another child that is starting the process to determine if she has a learning disability. I know how challenging school was for my children with accomodations for learning disabilities. I can not imagine what it would be like for a child without any help to be successful in school with a learning disability.

The school system and family members failed the students. Many times, parents know something is off with the child, yet the parents don't know what help is available or are afraid of the child needing "special education". All parents want their children to be bright and not have problems in school. Cultural differences contribute to parents not seeking help because of the negative stigma associated with learning disabilities. Plus it is much easier to label a child as "lazy" or "lacking motivation" than actually finding out if there is a true problem.

My children with learning disabilities both have above average IQs. Learning disabilities does not mean the child is below average intelligence but the child has problems processing information effectively. Accomodations in learning can overcome the learning disability.

It is great that each student wanted to continue his/her education and finally find the help he/she needed to be successful.

There is a link to help determine if a child might have a learning disability.

Autism

Today in class, we discussed autism and how those with this condition are usually not touchy, feely people. I was reminded about a wonderful little boy I know, who also has this diagnosis. He would be on the opposite end of this spectrum, as he is a touchy, feely little guy. He loves to hold hands with his mom, and they cuddle on the couch each morning before school. I realize that there are varied levels of autism. It is a fascinating disorder where some people are "trapped" in their bodies, unable to function in most settings. On the flip side, are those that can successfully function in school, sports, and many other settings. One visible sign of this disorder may include the continuous flapping of hands. Whatever bodies they are wearing, they are still in there! How to connect with them may be one of the challenges we as OTA's will face.
Double click on my title to access link.

Blogging

When we were given the assignment to start a blog, I wasn't sure what to think. My first thought was, "what does this have to do with becoming an OTA?" I am still struggling with this question. I guess I am hoping that I can learn from the other bloggers about their OTA experiences and apply them to mine whenever I go on fieldwork. Now, onto a lab we had last week. When we had to write something down about our classmates, I could not wait to get mine back and see what others had written about me. I did not take the comments as critical criticism, but took them as constructive advice. We don't always look at ourselves as others do. I realize that I am not very confident in speaking out, and I know that I need to work on this. This class of students seems to be very supportive of each other and this support will help us all to overcome obstacles and become very good OTA's!
To view my link, double click on my title. I hope this works!

A Double Lesson

Our feedback exercise in class led us to draw attention to behaviors in class that we might need to evaluate and adjust in order to improve our professional demeanor as OTAs. The lesson itself was enlightening, as we each had the opportunity to be evaluated by our peers and then reflect on their thoughts. I found it fascinating that as we discussed our "flaws" there came to light the fact that maybe some of the things we perceived as flaws, were in fact, often just differences in learning styles. For example, some students were told that they were too quiet in class, didn't participate enough, others were told the exact opposite. When this was discussed, it was explained that this level of participation was really about their learning style more than it was about level of comfort, shyness, or even intelligence.

This lead me to the realization that although we are all students in the same class, learning the same things, we are all learning in a different way and it is very important to acknowledge and accept these differences. Participating verbally a lot or a little is not objectively a good or bad thing that needs to be changed.

In practice as OTAS, we will often be in the "teaching" role and have to adjust what we are teaching to a huge variety of deficits, illnesses and learning styles. Just as we need to understand and adjust to our peers now, we will need to be able to adapt our treatments to our patients learning styles to be effective.

The lesson that I took from our class on negative feedback was the importance of flexibility and tolerance as students and eventually OTAs.

The link provided is to a site that discusses learning styles and even gives you a free test to determine your own learning style. I think it is extremely important to learn your own style to be an effective student, but also to understand the other styles to be an effective leader.

Mental Health Victory

My experience starts 40 years prior.  I grew up next door to a family with a mentally handicapped daughter as the oldest of four children.  She has the mental capacity of about a 20-month old.  She is 17 years older than me, so she has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  She was in school as a small child and again as an adult, but only for a few weeks.  At any rate, she hasn't been in a learning environment outside of home in many years.  After learning about the stigma of mental illness in the 1950's, I can understand why, though they never "hid" her.  They took her out and about when necessary.  A trip to McDonalds (the same McDonalds) everyday is necessary.

She is a very loving and outgoing person, "speaking" to and touching everyone with very few of the social inhibitions that a normal person has. 

About 3 months ago, because of a change in her family situation, it made it almost mandatory for her to go to a day program for several hours each day.

Until this point, the only real "spark" of cognitive ability that I had seen in her besides dressing, eating, etc. was matching socks.  She couldn't fold them, but I remember her matching colored socks when she was in a good mood and felt like it.

Last Sunday, I was invited to her baptism.  I was excited for her, but was unsure how she would handle being in that setting, having to sit quietly, not touching, calling out, etc, for an hour and then getting sprinkled by the preacher.

The change in her behavior, since starting school, was amazing.  She was able to sit quietly, with few outbursts (none that could be heard beyond the two rows that she and the rest of her family were on).  When it was time to go forward, she went down quietly, without running with her parents to the front.  She let the minister sprinkle her, then walk with her down both aisles and around the congregation.  I was so proud of her.  She must be working very hard at "school."

It is very encouraging to me to know that someone who is 57 years old is still capable of learning and responding to therapy.

Giving And Receiving Feedback (positive and negative)

In lab a couple days ago we did an exercise where we took a piece of paper and folded it in half. On the inside we wrote what professional skills/behaviors we thought that we needed to work on. We then passed the papers around the room having other write on the outside what they thought we needed to work on. The whole class seemed to panic a little. It was hard to tell what people were more anxious about. What it giving others negative feedback? Or receiving it? I felt a little bit better once our instructor told us that we could also include positive feedback. All in all I think it was a beneficial experience. It was much easier for me to receive feedback from each other now that we know each other better. When we got feedback from the groups that we ran after only being together for the short summer semester I was a little offended when I read that someone said that I said "like" a lot. I knew it was true but I guess I just didn't want others to acknowledge it. The feedback that I received the other day I was ok with. I had discussed the issue of me talking and seeming more professional with the instructor and classmates on a few other occasions. I hope no one was offended by the exercise as it was designed to help us learn how to give and receive feedback when we get out into the "real world" as OTAs. Also I just want to say that it is one thing to receive feedback from peers, instructors or other professionals. It is a completely other thing to receive feedback from the check-out girl at Harris Teeter. I think if the check out girl had told me that I don't speak professionally I would be a little offended and probably embarrassed.

I've posted a link to a website about how to give and receive feedback. It has a checklist so that you can determine how good you are at both giving and receiving feedback. There is also trips for how to handle difficult feedback situations. (I hope the link works the way it is supposed to, if not I'll try to post it again)