How Contexts Are Affected By One's Illness

There are many contexts in which we live. When one becomes sick or injured, the contexts that surround the patient can be affected. Context is defined as “Variety of interrelated conditions within and surrounding the client that influence performance, including cultural, personal, temporal, and virtual contexts” (OTPF, 2014). As occupational therapists, it is extremely important to view the contexts that are affected by one’s illness or injury. Linda was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome and has become very ill. Due to Linda’s illness, many of her contexts such as professional, social, cultural, political, economic, and ecological have been affected.
Professional
Professional context is related to one’s professional performance within clinical practices. Linda is a full-time nurse who works in the ICU unit at a trauma hospital. Her professional context has been affected by her illness because she is unable to go to work and perform professionally. As a nurse, Linda spends long hours on her feet. She has developed ataxia, which will make it
Linda was raised and born in Germany and is 40 years old. Growing up, her customs and beliefs could have been different than due to where she was raised. She appears to have a strong work ethic due to her engaging multiple activities. Linda enjoys cooking which may be due to growing up in Germany and cooking a lot when she was younger. Due to her ataxia she may be unable to grasp a pan or stir or transport objects around in the kitchen. Although her strength has improved, she may still have trouble with maintaining her balance. Therefore, she may be unable to cook for her family, which is one of the activities that she engages with. These examples are appropriate for cultural context because they relate to Linda’s activity patterns that she enjoys participating