Neuro Aspects Media Project

My client is Paula. She is seventy-six years old and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease seven years ago. Prior to her diagnosis, she was a professor of history at a local college. After retirement, she enjoys keeping up with her colleagues and former students on her computer and spending time with her husband. She is currently in a long-term skilled nursing facility where she is receiving services like occupational therapy. After evaluation, Paula is cognitively aware but has an intention tremor and cannot sit unsupported for more than five minutes. She has poor trunk control but her upper extremities are in good shape. She has spasticity and increased tremor in her left leg which affects her balance. She is very independent but needs maximum assistance with bathing and dressing. Her ultimate goal is to return home to her husband to maintain a good relationship. 

For our media project we had to create an intervention or an adapted device for our client from three materials assigned to us. My materials were clothes pins, yarn, and/or construction paper or notebook. After reading the case, I had many ideas for Paula but could only choose one, so I chose to make an adaptive device that will aid Paula in putting on her pants and zipping up anything with a zipper. It's a two in one. For this device I used yarn and a paperclip. I also used clothes pins but they are optional. Every client is different with the amount of reinforcement they might need. I turned a paperclip to where it was in a 'S' shape and tied yarn at one end of the clip. The purpose of the paperclip was to act as a hook. If you have a hook laying around, I would use that. However the purpose of this project was to be innovative and use things you had lying around the house. 

The reason I chose to make the project I did was because ultimately she wants to go home, but she needs maximum assistance in dressing herself which her husband cannot assist with as he is also older. This device would help aid in putting on her own pants. It could help aid in slipping on and zipping up a dress or a jacket. Anything with a loop in the clothing, this device can help aid her in dressing. I enjoyed this assignment because it really made me tap into my 'OT brain' and make something meaningful to the client. There were many different routes I wanted to take with this project but I had to decide which one was going to address what was meaningful to the client while helping her reach her goals. I attached my own pictures for reference. The last picture shows the device with the clothes pins which is optional. 











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