mOTivation with mikayla

Throughout my journey in OT school, I have learned so much, but I think the most striking thing that has been brought to the forefront of my mind is social determinants of health. This is a person's level of access to health care and resources based on where they live, what they do for a living, their level of social support, and how much education they have. This more often than not has a negative connotation attached to it, insinuating a lack of health care based on these factors. This is alarming because good health is not something just for important people, but rather a human right  everyone is worthy of. In the TedTalk given by Dr. Manchanda, I learned that the environment one works and lives in intertwined with their social networks affects one's health much more than one's genetics or the medications a doctor might provide. He emphasized a need for an "upstream" approach that would tackle these environmental root causes of health conditions.  If someone ...

It's important first to consider the individual's physical condition, age, endurance, and psychological condition in order to choose the most beneficial assistive device for a client & their needs. After assessing someone's mobility needs and environment they will be using it in, you can determine if they need to be fit for a cane, axillary crutches, loftstrand crutches, platform walker, or rolling walker. For safety reasons, it is important to customize the assistive device to the client's unique height and posture. Educating the clients and fitting them accurately will prevent injuries as well as increase efficiency of the assistive device. The whole purpose of an assistive device is to help the client move more efficiently despite their mobility limitations. Let's look at the specific mobility aids available and how to appropriately customize them for clients. For someone who needs the least amount of stability support, they should be fit for a cane. To do ...

The order for restoring confidence in mobility starts at the most basic level and gradually increases difficulty based on increasing activity demands until you reach the most complex level. A client will start with bed mobility, then progress through mat transfer, wheelchair transfer, bed transfer, functional ambulation for ADLs, toilet and tub transfer, car transfer, functional ambulation for community mobility, community mobility, and finally, driving. For safety reasons, it makes sense to gradually build confidence in this way. The skills learned and mastered in the early stages will prepare the client for the progression of transfers. For example, the muscles engaged in bridging, scooting, rolling, and sitting for bed mobility are the same muscles that are going to be engaged in the future transfers, but with added challenges like dynamic balance and stability. It is important to build confidence in oneself's ability to move and control their body in bed before in more potentia...