PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND/OR PHYSICAL DISABILITIES CAN HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL.
TRY TO PROVIDE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO SHOW YOU THEIR ABILITIES.
DISPROVING MYTHS ABOUT PEOPLE WITH ID: AN OT'S PERSPECTIVE
BY LAURA LAWSON, OTS
I had the pleasure of attending Orange Grove Center (OGC) for my clinical experience during my first year of school. Orange Grove Center is a community program that supports children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities from Tennessee and Georgia.
While there, I spent my time in a classroom with low-functioning adults, meaning they are unable to work or volunteer in the community due to limitations from their disabilities. I had the unique experience of interacting with these adults from an OT perspective. I had very little previous experience working with people with intellectual disabilities, so while at OGC I discovered three "myths" about them that I want to disprove. After each myth, I provide a take-home message for tips everyone should keep in mind when working with people who share these qualities. My goal is for these tips to shed light on ways people working with and/or caring for individuals with intellectual disabilities can better relate to them.
Even though some of this information may seem obvious, I hope my take-home messages are helpful for those with little experience who are working with and/or caring for people with intellectual disabilities. As for students and clinicians, I think it is beneficial for us to not assume we know everything because of our textbook knowledge, clinical experience, and degree. I think we should practice putting aside our pride and asking for help when needed. Caregivers and teachers are great resources we can rely on for information and perspective to provide the best care for our clients with intellectual disabilities. •
MYTH VERSUS REALITY: WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH ID
MYTH #1
PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES WHO ARE NONVERBAL OR NEAR NONVERBAL DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND THEM.
I was in a classroom with a handful of adults who either did not speak, had speech that was difficult to understand, or repeated short statements. These adults showed me that they can understand much more than they are able to express through their words. For example, one woman was able to correctly identify colors even though she did not have the verbal skills required to say the name of each color. When different colored objects were placed in front of her, she was able to point to each one as I listed their colors.
TAKE-HOME MESSAGE
Try to communicate with people who cannot speak or who have trouble speaking as if they are able to speak clearly and form full sentences. To help them make their own decisions and direct their own care, it is beneficial to give them objects or images to look at so they can point to what they want.
MYTH #2
PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES WHO ARE NONVERBAL AND PHYSICALLY AGGRESSIVE ARE TOO DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH IN THERAPY
On my first day, I was with a young woman who expressed her anger and frustration by pulling my hair when she did not get what she wanted. I later learned that she had experienced a rough morning that day, which is why she was acting out. Pulling hair was the only way she knew how to share with me how she was feeling. To understand her better, I tried putting myself in her shoes. I imagined being unable to say what I wanted to and having someone new tell me what to do. On top of that, I imagined being in an already bad mood from having a rough morning. If I were in her situation, I would have probably acted similarly to the way she did.
TAKE-HOME MESSAGE
I think it is beneficial to teach clients who are aggressive and/or nonverbal ways they can express and manage their feelings. An emotion chart can be used to help them communicate their feelings and teaching them how to use deep breathing when they are angry can help them manage their emotions in a more appropriate way instead of acting out aggressively. Also, try to keep in mind that some people are naturally better at relating to people with intellectual disabilities who share these qualities and it is okay if it does not come naturally to you. All you can do is try your best.
MYTH #3
PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES WHO ARE CONSIDERED LOW-FUNCTIONING CANNOT DO ANYTHING FOR THEMSELVES.
I learned to not assume individuals' skill levels based on their physical appearances. One young man at OGC displayed impressive musical talent, even though he does not have the skills necessary to perform a traditional job in the community. Another young man, who uses a power wheelchair, can walk with the help of a walking device. A young woman who also uses a power wheelchair can swim with help.
TAKE-HOME MESSAGE
People with intellectual and/or physical disabilities can have great potential. Try to provide many opportunities for them to show you their abilities. You can try taking them to a basketball court to shoot hoops, giving them a puzzle to complete, or giving them paper to shred to learn job-related skills, among many other things. Try not to limit their abilities without letting them first show you all they are capable of.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Laura Lawson is an occupational therapy (OT) doctoral student at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Occupational therapists help people with disabilities be as independent as possible through rebuilding lost abilities or learning new skills in areas such as personal hygiene, child rearing, working, forming and maintaining relationships, and much more. Laura has always been interested in working in the medical field and fell in love with OT when she learned she can use her creativity and love of science to help people achieve their goals.