Coffee Can à Portable Container

 

The most meaningful thing I gained from this assignment was how one very simple thing can have many applications and be used for multiple stages of an OT intervention. At first, I was really stumped on how to use a coffee can for the client-centered intervention with my specific client, (Susan). I kept thinking it needed to be an amazing and complex invention, when I reality - simplicity was the key. The portable container I came up with works because it can be used for canes, walker, and wheelchairs. The attachment for the mobility aid is adaptable so it can be both horizontal and vertical. Because of the changeability, the container can be used to implement all of the Ps in the principles for conserving energy (plan, prioritize, pace, and position). It is amazing such a cheap, home-made project can really make an impact on people.

The first thing that comes to mind that I learned by doing this assignment is that I solidified my knowledge of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and the OT role during each stage of the disease. It also helped me think on my feet in an OT perspective. I was informed that the client had an electric wheelchair on the way, however, I needed to find a quick and cheap way to optimize occupational performance until the shipment arrived. Since my client did not have any adaptive equipment, (except the quad cane), I looked up options that could address her current symptoms. This essentially lead me to improve on my “thinking out of the box” when it comes to everyday household items and how they can be transformed into tools.

In the process of completing this assignment I trained my brain how to think “OT style”. This project prepared me to combine the information we learn in class with my personal ideas I will one day use in a clinical setting. Because this was one of the first occasions we have been given a patient scenario and asked what steps we would take to help the client, it feels like the most drastic step yet to reshaping the way I approach solving problems.