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My name is Avery Schneider, and I am a second
year Occupational Therapy Doctorate student at
Rush University. In December 2018, I had the
incredible experience of spending my second Level
I in Ibarra, Ecuador with three other classmates.
The most memorable experience was spent at an
outpatient community center for older adults.
Most of the 60 or so center members experienced
occupational deprivation due to various contextual
factors such as low socioeconomic status, chronic
medical conditions, mental illness, and lack of
familial or social supports. Individuals received two
free meals and healthcare treatment during their time
at the community center. We had the responsibility
of leading gross motor and fine motor activities,
which typically involved exercises and various crafts.
We were faced with several challenges while
working with this population. First, organization
leaders challenged us to come up with activities in
which every member could participate. In the past,
individuals who had low vision or low motivation
were either unable or not encouraged to participate
in the various planned activities proposed by other
volunteers. As a result, these members would sit with
their hands folded in silence while their peers enjoyed
the structured activities. Second, the members of the
community center did not speak English, and spoke
Spanish or Quechua, the indigenous language of
Ecuador.
Luckily, we each had a well-developed foundation
of Spanish phrases and vocabulary, and we embraced
the opportunity to apply our task analysis skills to
develop activities that could be graded or modified
to meet the client factors and performance skills of
every member at the community center. We had
great success with chair yoga, passing balloons with
beads inside to provide auditory cues for those hard
of hearing, as well as different parachute games. For
our craft activities, we created several examples of
each final project and placed them at every table to
act as visual cues. In order for members with visual
impairments to participate in coloring activities,
we hot glue-gunned pipe cleaners along the lines
of pictures to act as tactile cues. As students going
through the learning process, we discovered that the
raised edge left from the hot glue alone provided
enough guidance and tactile input to help facilitate
coloring.
As we set out to leave on our final day at the
community center, we were endued with songs,
smiles, many, many hugs, as well as a few tears.
Members with visual impairments thanked us for
giving them the opportunity to join their peers with
activities, and organization leaders regarded us as the
most flexible and client-centered volunteers they had
that year. I had many incredible learning experiences
that enhanced my knowledge and confidence as a
future occupational therapist. For example, if I can
help lead a group of 60 individuals in a different
language, I have confidence that I could successfully
lead a much smaller group in English! Additionally,
I will never undervalue the ability that participation
in meaningful activities will have on an individual’s
self-efficacy, morale, and social participation. I feel
incredibly thankful to have met these individuals,
and have the opportunity to experience occupational
therapy practice in a culture much different than my
own.
If any readers have any questions regarding
my fieldwork site or the experiences I had while in
Ecuador, I encourage you to reach out and contact
me via email at [email protected].