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/