When I qualified 17 years ago as an occupational therapist, I worked in the
spinal injuries unit at Conradie Hospital in Cape Town. Teaching wheelchair
mobility skills to newly disabled people using a purpose built 'assault course'
was part of my job. One particular afternoon I was engaged in trying to teach
someone to do wheelies, to get up and down curbs. Watching my abysmal
performance was an ex-patient, who clearly decided that I should not be allowed
to inflict this particular 'training' on anyone else. He got me a spare
wheelchair and took me out for a day - transferring in and out of the car,
loading the wheelchair into the back seat, driving with hand controls, going
shopping, going up and down an escalator (a truly TERRIFYING experience),
experiencing being patronised by folk who meant well (I felt angry and
embarrassed), going out for lunch and disrupting the restaurant trying to get to
a table...
What did I learn from all this? I think the enduring lesson was that
people with disabilities have more to teach me than I them. To me, that was a
useful lesson, and one that still influences the way I work with people. Perhaps
simulation exercises that are run by people who are disabled have their place in
raising awareness of disability issues?
Regards,
Gail Eva.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|