Apr 29, 2015

HI

I am busy preparing a presentation to a group of women regarding the importance of the fulfillment of life roles. Does anyone have ideas as to how to explain the role of OT related to life roles.

This group of women is quite ignorant of OT, so much education is needed.

Thanks

Shoshanah

Apr 29, 2015

We can help people identify the life roles that have the most meaning and desirability and that they want to add or expand in the future. Occupational therapists can help individuals assess and address the barriers and supports that influence their opportunities to pursue life roles that they value and enjoy. Gail

Apr 29, 2015

Shoshanah,

I would love to answer your question. This is one of my favorite topics. When I approach this situation, I start by asking them if any of them conside themselves a 'mother', a 'friend', a 'worker', ' a religious participant' and so on. I am sure you will get agreement. Then ask if any of these roles are important to them.

Then go into examples of how life events including illness, and disability impact their ability to perform those roles in the way they typically do.

An occuptional therapist using the Model of Human Occupation, identifies what is important to a person, then explores how they carry-out that role in their culture, in their environment, and finally identifies the skills that are limited by the disease/disability process.Though this process the OT can work with the person to help rebuild capacity to perform the activities needed to fulfill those life roles.

Hope this helps!

Patricia Scott PhD, MPH, OT, FAOTA

Apr 29, 2015

That is a perfect idea!

Best regards,

Stephanie Hoffman, OTR/L

Apr 29, 2015

Hi Shoshanah,

It may also be useful to engage your participants in a collaborative brainstorming activity regarding what roles are. This discussion can be helpful in identifying supports and barriers that these women experience in participating in their most valuable life roles. This could potentially start a very powerful discussion of the role of OT in life role fulfillment In the past I have used the Role Checklist to start my groups.

The Role Checklist can be downloaded through MOHO Web free of charge: Link:https://www.cade.uic.edu/moho/productDetails.aspx?aid=44

Best of luck!

Evguenia

Apr 29, 2015

Hi Shoshana,

I use to do an activity where I would ask people in the groupto tell me what they would identify as most meaningful in their lives. People would state things like family, friend, work, my kids, etc. I turned them into roles - you value being a student, parent, daughter, worker, etc. and then I would list them down on the board. Some said health and money... I tucked those off in a corner. I would explain that roles are social positions we hold that have some responsibilities, activities or tasks associated with them, but also bring us some sense of meaning and value.

Then I made a grid around that list of roles - with a column before and a column after. On the before I would ask them to tell me the important activities, task and responsibilities that a person has to do to be "successful" in that role. We sometimes talked about culture here. We didn't do them all - basically we would choose a few and run through some of the key responsibilities, activities, etc. Parenting was often interesting. For work I pretty much focused on work things that everyone needs to do - regardless of the job. Then we would talk about what we "got out of" that role - the benefits or the things that make up the meaning. For work it was money, but also a sense of productivity, pride, accomplishment, identity, connection, etc. This is where parenting gets even more interesting...

You could probably stop there or you could go to the next piece which is where therapy for OT comes in.

Depending on who was in the group I talked about what interferes with those task, activities, responsibilities - for example for people with alcohol dependence we would address parenting tasks because often those are really impacted - and they would start to see how there use patterns impacted their relationship with their kids and ultimately impacted their sense of meaning. With OT students I would talk about a few different reasons people come to OT - how having a stroke might impact the tasks associated with the roles. For the folks I talked to in the geriatric certification program (nursing home admins, OT/PT people, nurses, etc) we would address aging, different older adult conditions and some social issues - losing drivers license, nursing home placement....etc. For the people I worked with therapeutically it was always a powerful group but even for students and professionals it became clear how it wasn't just the conditions but the situations and choices of professionals could really impact meaningful participation in roles.

You are welcome to use any part of this if you think it would be helpful. If you publish it I would like to be cited... :)

Let me know if you do. I would love to know.

Lisa

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