Individuals with Disabilities and the Integration of OT

Individuals with Disabilities and the Integration of OT 

Judith Heumanis a woman who was diagnosed with polio at a young age and even had to spend time in an iron lung. Judith shared some of her experiences she has had with discrimination towards her. She spoke of neighbors who would not walk in front of her house out of fear of contagion. She spoke of a doctor telling her parents that they should be institutionalized. She was even not able to go to primary school as a young girl because there were no wheelchair accessible ramps for her to get into the school. This lead to her only receiving about two hours of schooling a week at home. Eventually, she made it through college to pursue a teaching degree and licensure. When it came time for to take her test, she passed the written and oral portions but failed the medical exam due to her "paralysis in lower limbs because of polio" according to her examiners write up. This treatment is so unjust in so many ways. The way some individuals have treated Judith in her life proves how pertinent the fight for individuals with disabilities is. One thing that has really impacted me not only in this TEDx talk but in our session today with Dr. Keisling was what was brought up about how we one day may all join the "disability family" whether it is sixty years down the road or in next few years following an unfortunate accident. Therefore, we not only should join the fight for disabilities for those who are currently in the "disability family", but also for ourselves or other loved ones that may join as well one day. It is a sobering thought that really could help some people gain some perspective on how important it is to become an advocate for those with disabilities. 

During the Era Presentations, I really gained insight into how the view on disability was changed in my time period: The 1940s. As I said previously, there are some people who are born with a disability, and there are others that gain one later in life. This occurred frequently during the 1940s due to many men having injuries during the war. This shaped the rehab movement, which was also heavily backed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt who had polio himself and required the use of a wheelchair. During this time period, a lot of these returning soldiers had to relearn how to function in their daily lives. It is quite beautiful to see how the world began to rally around these men not only from support through FDR, but also Dr. Howard Rusk who opened up large-scale rehabilitation hospitals to benefit these soldiers. If we could continue this form of support today that was seen in the 1940s for those soldiers, our world would get even better in regards to the fight for equality for individuals with disabilities. 

These materials that I have learned are so important for me as a future OT practitioner. I will most likely at some point work with some individuals with disabilities and while it is important for me to be able to treat them as my client; it is also imperative that I am able to put myself in their shoes. As OT practitioners, we do not just focus on what our client's problem is, we also put a focus on the client and look at them as a person. To allow ourselves to do this we must understand the struggle, and hardships they may have endured to gain insight on what has shaped them as a person. I hope as a future OT to bring a strong level of empathy to my field to make a purely holistic experience for those I am working with, and I think by learning the viewpoints, history, and stories of some individuals in similar circumstances really does prepare me well to do that to my best ability.