Week 4

This weeks material provided a lot of information on some how to's for a lot of different disabilities. Which is super helpful so I'm going to start with just kind of going over what I read on Ilearn that really stuck out to me and then put some blurbs on my own research I found.

Blindness and Visual Impairment:
TIPS:

• To guide a person who is blind, let him or her take your arm. If you encounter steps, curbs, or other obstacles, identify them and pause briefly before proceeding.
• Speak directly to the person in a normal tone and speed.
• Do not pet or play with a working guide or service dog.
• When entering or leaving a room, say so.
• When a person who has a visual impairment is meeting many people, introduce them individually.
• Remove displays or other objects; avoid clutter; use large letter signs; raise low-hanging signs or lights.
• Use alternative formats for written materials.

First off, this one is near and dear to my heart. My grandmother when she was alive had macular degeneration. For those of you who don't know what that is basically it create these big black blurs in your vision. However, she had such a zest for life. Her favorite type of leisure consisted of reading, so when she wasn't able to read anymore we would buy her books on CDs or tapes. Or she would have friends read to her. This showed me how essential leisure is in our lives. This was something she loved so much that if it would have been taken away with her sight she would have been devastated. Anyone who has a disability wants to enjoy the things they love, just as we do. I think that when we are able to look past the disability and look at how we get to have a career that helps people find a love for life or even help them with that love. That is just so exciting to me!

Okay sorry rant over.

Deafness & Hearing Impairment:
TIPS:

• Using a normal tone, speak clearly and distinctly.
• Use facial expressions, body language, and pantomime.
• If a sign language interpreter is involved, speak directly to the person who is deaf, not the interpreter.
• If you are writing a message don’t talk at the same time.
• Ask the person to repeat himself or herself if you do not understand. The goal is communication; don’t pretend to understand.
• Avoid standing in front of a light source or window that might silhouette your face, making it difficult to see you clearly.
• Install a Teletypewriter (TTY) in your office.
• Learn how to find a sign language interpreter on short notice.
• If you know sign language try using it. It may help to communicate but also demonstrates your willingness to meet the person halfway.
• Arrange for people with hearing impairments to sit near the speaker in lecture/performance

Learning Disabilities:
TIPS:

• Be aware that occasional inattentiveness, distraction, or loss of eye contact by a person with a learning disability is not unusual.
• When communicating with a person with a learning disability, discuss openly the preferred way to communicate.
• Be sensitive to the fact that some information processing problems may affect social skills.
• Provide structure and clear concrete expectations.
• Provide positive reinforcement. Do not embarrass the participant by asking him or her to do a task that will draw attention to the disability.
• If the participant has difficulty with coordination, be sure to analyze activities for any safety issues and to manage any identified risks.

ADD or ADHD
TIPS:

• Get the person’s attention before talking to them.
• Be patient when communicating with someone with ADHD.
• Give positive reinforcement.
• Decrease the length of tasks and divide tasks into smaller parts to be completed at different times.
• Keep instructions simple. Limits, rules and consequences should be clearly stated and carried out consistently.
• Keep the participant close to the activity leader during group activity times, when attending or participating becomes a problem.
• Take frequent breaks.
• Keep a consistent daily schedule.

Mental Illness
TIPS:

• Remember that people with mental illness do not have lower intelligence.
• Be aware that people with more severe mental illnesses may have difficulty processing or expressing emotions.
• Be sensitive to the fact that some people with mental illness may overreact to emotionally charged topics or conversations.
• Learn more about the nature of the person’s diagnosed mental illness.

After watching the video that we did on OCD I decided to look into it a little bit to have some more knowledge of it. I found this awesome website that gives A LOT of insight on the matter, hope you enjoy!

 http://www.psychguides.com/guides/how-to-find-help-treating-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/

Week 3

Language!
How we talk and what we say is so important! We know that what we say and how we say it can have a lasting effect on people whether or not we mean to do so. I am so grateful for the information and videos that were shown in week 3 because they helped me understand why people first language is so important and helped me to understand a little more in how it works.

https://www.thearc.org/who-we-are/media-center/people-first-language.
This website also provided insight with a quote that said,
“Our words and the meanings we attach to them create attitudes, drive social policies and laws, influence our feelings and decisions, and affect people’s daily lives and more. How we use them makes a difference. People First Language puts the person before the disability, and describes what a person has, not who a person is. Using a diagnosis as a defining characteristic reflects prejudice, and also robs the person of the opportunity to define him/herself.”

YES! I love this! We make attitudes, by how we speak, we effect our attitudes and shape the ones of people around us. I want to speak in such a way that oozes love and helps breed confidence among everyone I come in contact with.  

TIPS:

1. Speak of the person first, than the disability
2. Emphasize abilities, not limitations
3. Do not label people as part of a disability group—don’t say “the disabled.” Say “people with disabilities.”
4. Don’t give excessive praise or attention to a person with a disability are don’t patronized.
5. Choice and independence are important; let the person do or speak for himself of herself as much as possibilities.
6. If addressing an adult say “Bill” instead of “Billy”
7. A disability is a functional limitation that interferes with a person’s ability to walk, hear, learn, etc. A handicap describes a situation or barrier imposed by society, the environment, or oneself
8. Focus on what the person can do and not on what they can’t do. Each participant can add excitement and variety to the group and/or program.

Week 2

This weeks lesson provides me with so much information on how important recreation is and all the benefits that it provides. These benefits help so many people. This lesson breaks leisure up into three different categories:

" Leisure as Time: Free time from obligations; time to do with what an individual wants. 
Leisure as a Recreational Activity: Freely chosen activity with positive outcomes; sports, games, art, hobbies, music, etc. 
Leisure as an Attitude (State of Mind): Feeling of satisfaction, positiveness, happiness. How we feel during an activity. Some individuals might find leisure in their work, i.e. professional basketball players, inventors, outdoor recreation instructors, writers, etc."
 It is so interesting that leisure can have so many different facets and I think that it is important to understand and learn about each one. That way you can find one or multiple things that provide you with an optimal level of FLOW. Also when it comes to working I want to be able to help people understand the different types of leisure and help them figure out what it is that provides them with an optimal level of FLOW.

Another thing from the reading that I found really insightful as well as important was all of the different benefits that can be gained from Leisure and Recreation:

• Psychological benefits: Self-confidence, personal growth, sense of control over one’s life, positive mood and emotion, reduced tension and depression, sense of freedom, creative expression, increased spirituality, and sense of wellness.
• Environmental benefits: Maintenance of physical facilities, development of an environmental ethic, preservation of natural sites, and environmental protection.
• Physiological benefits: Management of various diseases (arthritis, colon cancer, diabetes, etc.), Respiratory benefits, increased muscle strength and endurance, increased life expectancy, and reduced stress.
• Social and cultural benefits: Ethnic identity, family bonding, cultural and historical awareness, and enhanced world view.
• Economic benefits: Reduced health costs, higher employee productivity, less work absenteeism, and reduced youth recidivism (delinquency)

These are all things I will need to know in order to help people realize how important leisure is. It is like in the activity that we did where we had to explain why it is important to keep funding for leisure or recreation. These are key reasons and points that people need leisure and recreation in society. The ADA requirements allow that to be shared among all people as well which is awesome. When looking into the benefits for people I found a lot in regards to PTDS that really stuck out to me and I want to make sure that I am aware and able to find ways to help people benefit from things they love to do.

http://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2015/june/recreational-therapy-helping-soldiers-cope-with-ptsd/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipgNA-12BwA

Week 1

Inclusion is so important and plays a role in the life of everyone really. Everyone wants to feel included in one way or another and feel like their opinion matters. Or feel like they can participate and be a part of the team whether that's a real team or a metaphorical team. I think the 1st weeks lesson and application taught me how important it is that we do what we can to help people feel included. We never know what someone is going through or what ailments they or someone they know or love might be dealing with.
I think inclusion is an awesome way to use our minds to be creative and find new ways to include everyone. Especially within a recreational setting, recreation takes on so many different facets and there's so many different things people love to do. In the recreation world we are blessed to help people find those things they love regardless of if they have a disability or not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRHxHapwirw
This video shows how important inclusion is and how we can play a vital role in the lives of others to help them find something they love.