Knowledge Check #17

During an observation at an out patient center, I noticed how easy the pitfalls of talking about clients can be with other caregivers. This clinic involved PTs, speech therapists, OTs, and office administration. The client population was pediatrics, so it seemed almost natural that these specialists developed bounds with these children, because most of them have been seeing these kids since they were babies. 

During lunch breaks or even down time, it was easy to fall into the routine of talking about the clients with other staff or administration near by. At first, I did not think twice about what was happening because I know these people meant no harm; however, it is clear that we should all be aware of our settings. Client's information is private and personal, and as health care providers we need to do our best to serve our clients in the most responsible way, by keeping their information confidential. I took away from this experience how easy it can be to slip up, so to be aware of the triggers that might bring on a situation that is not appropriate for a clinical setting. 

Assistive Technology

I really enjoyed learning about assistive technologies (AT) and how it pertains to occupational therapy along with making earth a more adaptable place for all people. As occupational therapist, our goal is to make the client and the client's home as comfortable and safe as possible, and I think the podcast "The Role of OT in Home Modification and Living in Place" did a great job of discussing how assistive technology can help with that. For example, they talked about how using Alexa helped a woman call 911 when she had fallen and wasn’t able to get back up.

I think when incorporating AT  in our day to day lives we need to keep an open mind, and we need to remember that we all have some sort of disability. I think Michael Nesmith did a fantastic job of encouraging people to think outside of the box and keep modifying technologies until they are accessible for all people.  As occupational therapists, this is vital in our field. It can be easy to live in your own bubble and not worry about people's struggle in everyday life; however, it is imperative in our field to open our eyes and see where our client is struggling and use AT to help improve our client's life.