ALS and a Tennis Ball

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My mom and I were tossing the tennis ball back and forth while I was bouncing ideas around about how to transform a tennis ball into a therapeutic tool and it hit me! While I didn't literally get hit with the ball, the idea did just pop in my head. Looking at the tennis ball by itself and thinking of something was tough, but after connecting it to the needs of my client and her immediate and future interests, it was much easier! I came up with the idea of an adapted built up handle using a tennis ball based on my client's report of her occupations, her difficulties doing some of those occupations, and her goals for herself. 

I think the most significant thing I'll take from this project was making the connection between what my client needed and what I needed to do to help her do what she wanted to do. There's a difference between thinking about this process and then actually doing it - it was fun, too! This assignment makes you think deeper about the interests of a person in addition to a disorder. Not only did this assignment force me to think more critically about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), but it even further opened my eyes occupational therapy as a whole. Every time I do a hands-on project like this and have to put myself in the position of the clinician, it changes my perspective and understanding of this profession. 

I loved this media project and I'll keep my adapted tennis ball handle close to me! I think this change in perspective will continue to adapt and shape my OT identity as well as how I'll be able to use and practice clinical reasoning in the future.


Here is a link of me talking more about my media project:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR5-wEaaDCc




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