Memory Box Media Project

            I recently completed a media project for my class. It was a case report relating to a client named Susan, who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).  Most individuals have a life expectancy of 2-5 years after diagnosis. Susan loves to scrapbook and wants to leave behind something for her two children after she passes. I was instructed to use an everyday household item and turn it into an intervention for Susan. My item was a margarine tub. We decided to turn it into a memory box that she could place pictures, quotes, cards, and even voice recordings inside of. She would have the opportunity to maintain the muscle function she has in her hand, while continuing to do what she loves to do. 

            After completing this project, the most rewarding thing I learned was that anything you have at home can be turned into a meaningful activity. Always make the best of any situation, and you can find something to meet the needs and values of the client. I knew that the values, beliefs, and needs of the client came first in any situation, but when I was challenged to use an object that wasn't the most common in intervention it was very challenging. After completing this I learned that if I think hard about what is most important to the client, I can turn any type of material or product into something that the client finds meaningful. Being challenged with what materials are available as an occupational therapist may be difficult at times, but knowing that I can make an intervention with any type of material as long as I put the client first is possible. I feel like now I can be more creative than I imagined and turn a simple intervention into something that is fun while maintaining, promoting, or even preventing health issues. 

            My hopes after completing this project is that the skills I learned will be carried over. I hope to use my creativity in clinical settings so the client can do something beneficial without it being the same boring intervention. I want them to do something they love that is rewarding or can challenge them while increasing their occupational performance. In other settings I hope it allows me to think about how to be a better therapist so each client can have a different intervention no matter the materials available. Not everyone is the same so their interventions should be tailored to them. The client is always first, and I will strive to create an innovative task to meet their needs while within their functional abilities. This media project has taught me so much about being creative and using what I have available and not using  normal intervention items.