Occupational Therapy Assistant Case Study

As my partner and I maneuvered around campus, we came across various barriers which would hinder the best performance of an individual in a wheelchair. For example, in Birch Hall we attempted to access the available study rooms, but the doors to the study rooms are made of thick glass, making the process of opening the door extremely difficult. Moreover, we traveled from the Birch building to the Hickory building, entering a steep path. We identified that a person in a wheelchair could potentially lose control as a result of the path’s downhill nature. In addition, when we reached the Hickory building, we found that the restrooms had no doors. Although, at first, this would appear to benefit an individual with a wheelchair, the walls curved
When individuals have certain disabilities, these limit their performance because the structures of their bodies are not functioning properly. An Occupational Therapy Assistant must understand the body’s structures and functions in order to assist clients in their performance in light of their clients’ limitations. Modifying clients’ everyday activities, an Occupational Therapy Assistant may suggest for individuals to use community mobility by bus rather than independent transportation; clients with disabilities may not have the capacity to drive. While an Occupational Therapist Assistant’s role is in part to modify the environment to make it accessible for a handicapped person, a physical therapist’s may help the individual to walk independently again. To bring individuals to their best state of well-being, healthcare team members must collaborate interprofessionally to make performance and lifestyle goals that meet individuals’ every need. Various professionals’ must understand their clients’ disabilities to assist in improving their clients’ participation in life (ICCOTAP,