Once a month I volunteer at a program for adult with disabilities. The program is designed for the volunteers and the participants to get together once a month, either at a group activity or on their own. Activities are determined by the program’s staff and have included making flowers out of paper, a cooking class, trips to restaurants, and playing board games. Recently the program staff contacted me and suggested that the woman I am partnered up with, Ros, and I spend our time together doing structured activities like bowling or going to the movies. Ros prefers to walk around a park or a shopping center and spend the time talking with me. I have become more aware of the division of those division between individuals with disabilities and
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In this framework, the focus for supporting individuals with disabilities, is to identify and address the ways institutions can adjust to meet the needs of individuals who are disadvantaged. In practice, it is essential to determine what the client’s goals are, what is important to them and what strengths do they have to help them achieve what they want for themselves (Kim & Canda, 2006).
Another example of systemic oppression of individuals with cognitive limitations is the care provided from adults with diagnoses of dementia. In every assisted living I work in there is a separate locked unit for residents with dementia. These units illustrate the current presence of oppression through grouping all individuals as the same with the same behaviors and abilities. The reason given for why the units are locked is so the residents do not wander outside and get hurt. The idea of safety seems reasonable, however, many of the individuals I work with have never attempted to leave by themselves. The locked unites provide an intervention that generalizes the experience of people instead of looking at the individual’s wants and needs and developing individual plans for safety. Maybe the reason the individual who attempts to leave is looking for someone to take to or is bored with the surroundings. Identifying individual needs and developing specific assistance, may make a bigger impact on the quality of individuals lives and safety. In relation to this example, it would be beneficial to facilitate conversations with the residents about their interests and organize specific activities to increase
In this framework, the focus for supporting individuals with disabilities, is to identify and address the ways institutions can adjust to meet the needs of individuals who are disadvantaged. In practice, it is essential to determine what the client’s goals are, what is important to them and what strengths do they have to help them achieve what they want for themselves (Kim & Canda, 2006).
Another example of systemic oppression of individuals with cognitive limitations is the care provided from adults with diagnoses of dementia. In every assisted living I work in there is a separate locked unit for residents with dementia. These units illustrate the current presence of oppression through grouping all individuals as the same with the same behaviors and abilities. The reason given for why the units are locked is so the residents do not wander outside and get hurt. The idea of safety seems reasonable, however, many of the individuals I work with have never attempted to leave by themselves. The locked unites provide an intervention that generalizes the experience of people instead of looking at the individual’s wants and needs and developing individual plans for safety. Maybe the reason the individual who attempts to leave is looking for someone to take to or is bored with the surroundings. Identifying individual needs and developing specific assistance, may make a bigger impact on the quality of individuals lives and safety. In relation to this example, it would be beneficial to facilitate conversations with the residents about their interests and organize specific activities to increase