Email
Print
Students experience life with disabilities
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: April 9, 2009
We can all learn something by walking in someone else's shoes. That's the easiest way to create empathy for someone else's life.
A group of students from the Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Occupational Therapy Assistant Program learned for a few hours Thursday what it's like to live with a disability.
They boarded a bus at Davidson Drive for an afternoon of Chick-fil-A dining and Target grocery shopping at Afton Ridge in Concord.
Each student was assigned a disability or the job of caregiver. Those with caregivers then switched halfway through, so they could each benefit from the experience.
Program instructor Amy Mahle explained why it was important for students to experience this.
"First, students will have an increased awareness of access issues in transportation, architectural barriers and public accommodations," Mahle said. "Second, they will have firsthand knowledge of the emotional and physical difficulties that persons with disabilities face every day."
All the students were in the second semester of the program.
"OTA 112 is Fundamentals of Occupations class, and it's where my students are learning about people with disabilities, and what OT does to help them become more independent in their daily living," Mahle said.
Jantzen Cranford, a 22-year-old student, was given the disability of blindness; his aide was fellow classmate Reshma Patel, 23.
"I learned how dependent I was on others," Cranford said. "That you really have to trust that people are willing to help you, and that they are good."
He talked about what was difficult about trying to get around when you are blind.
"Just knowing your surroundings was hard," Cranford said. "Not knowing if a curb was there or a step. I really relied on Reshma to tell me to step up or down. I really relied on my other senses."
Laura Hamilton, 24, enacted a paraplegic, and her caregiver was 31-year-old Garrett Botirius.
"Getting on and off the bus was really hard," Hamilton said.
"It was tough for Garrett to maneuver the chair around. Getting looks and having everyone stare was hard."
Once everyone had ordered something and used the restroom, the trip continued with the daunting walk to Target. Once they had all made it to the store, they attempted to get items on their shopping lists.
Carrie Holloway, 33, in a wheelchair, was a paraplegic, and 21-year-old Hannah McLaurin was her caregiver. They went down the aisles to find the items they needed, but many were stocked high where Holloway couldn't reach.
"There is a reacher some people carry with them," Holloway said. "But if it's way up high, like the salad dressing, there would be no way I could reach it. I would have to search around me for someone. I would be very frustrated."
Students ended their day exhausted, but with a better understanding of what their patients' lives are like, and with a bit of advice.
"Never be afraid to ask for help, or be a help to others," Holloway said.
For more information on the OTA program or Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, call 704-403-1556 or e-mail admissions@cabarruscollege.edu
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Click a region for news specific to that area.
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
Advertisement
