Media Project

This media project was definitely one of the more difficult assignments that we have had this semester for me. I spent a large majority of the week leading up to this assignment brainstorming ideas both by myself and with classmates. I had a difficult time thinking of something to use the newspaper for that would benefit Joe that was also client centered. Once I was told to try and focus on what he can do, rather than what he cannot do, I read the case study closer and noticed that it talked about needing set up for grooming. I decided to try and make an item that would allow Joe to get ready for the day and perform his grooming independently. Newspaper is a fairly flimsy object, so I thought that using paper mache with my newspaper would allow me to build an item sturdy enough for Joe to use it to store all of his grooming necessities.

Before this assignment, we had talked in class about adaptive equipment and the idea of making interventions out of random objects, but we had not actually done it ourselves. This assignment got us thinking more than ever because we had to read a case study and use an assigned object to come up with an intervention. If it had lacked either of the two parts, this assignment would have required way less thinking and adapting. Since I specifically had to use Joe and newspaper, it definitely challenged how well I can think of interventions. Now after completing the assignment, I think that I have learned to not focus on the negative aspects of someone’s ability, but also look at the positives. I have seen my classmates create new interventions with their items as well, and that has also made me think more and more about different possibilities for this project.

This assignment has changed the way I will think for other assignments in the future. As said before, not just focusing on what the client cannot do, but also what he can do. I used this project as a means and an end, while many of my classmates use it as a means. My mindset was focusing on the means because that is what most people were talking about, but this assignment has taught me that everything is unique and mine can be completely different than theirs and still be just as correct. Joe wants to be independent in his ADLs and iADLs, and creating a box that will store all of his necessities for grooming will help him be able to get ready in the morning without any assistance, since everything will be in one place ready for him.