by Alastair Hansen
www.silvervision.co.nz
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Generation Gap?
Should you use sustainable activities only with certain age groups?
I was asked to facilitate a group activity for a group of over 65's and my first thought was gardening. So I turned up with my potting mix, shovels made out of recycled milk containers and we potted up some plants to add some colour to their environment. This went down well and everyone seemed to enjoy the activity and there was lots of participation and interaction.
My follow up activity the next week was to make bird feeders out of recycled milk containers so they could attract birds to their gardens at home and maybe sit and watch the birds feed from their window. This idea went down like concrete and I had many bird feeders left behind, they did not want to finish them and the rate of participation was very low, they seemed to only join in because they had to do something that afternoon.
They made comments about recycling and how it was a silly idea and they really didn't see what all the bother was about....so.... bad idea for the age group? Or is the concept of recycling a new generation idea that is being forced on all generations?
What are your thoughts...
I was asked to facilitate a group activity for a group of over 65's and my first thought was gardening. So I turned up with my potting mix, shovels made out of recycled milk containers and we potted up some plants to add some colour to their environment. This went down well and everyone seemed to enjoy the activity and there was lots of participation and interaction.
My follow up activity the next week was to make bird feeders out of recycled milk containers so they could attract birds to their gardens at home and maybe sit and watch the birds feed from their window. This idea went down like concrete and I had many bird feeders left behind, they did not want to finish them and the rate of participation was very low, they seemed to only join in because they had to do something that afternoon.
They made comments about recycling and how it was a silly idea and they really didn't see what all the bother was about....so.... bad idea for the age group? Or is the concept of recycling a new generation idea that is being forced on all generations?
What are your thoughts...
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Spring Flower Sunday
When you are unwell or you have a house warming isn’t it nice when someone brings you flowers or a pot plant to care for. Why is that? What is it about the fresh flowers that changes the way we feel, or how we see the world that day? Is it the smell or the vibrant colours; is the fact that we have brought a little piece of outside, inside?
In a notice I received today they are collecting flowers to deliver to people who are shut in, and this got me thinking about the benefits nature may have on our health. Is it beneficial to dig round in the garden, or tend to plants inside?
As we build more buildings in smaller and smaller spaces we take away any natural environment that was there. We are faced with brick walls and long busy roads omitting fumes that pollute our atmosphere. We are working longer hours in air conditioned buildings and racing home to our air conditioned homes. We no longer (and I am generalising here) keep gardens that produce enough produce to feed our families; instead we race to a big supermarkets where all the produce is in perfect condition.
How is this good for our health?
Animals, humans and the natural environment do not exist as independent entities, we are all interconnected. Have you ever been upset or frustrated and gone for a walk outside and you are suddenly aware of the smell of the autumn leaves or the beauty of the flowers in your neighbours’ garden and without realising it your heart rate has slowed, you have become calmer and your breathing has regulated, THAT’S NATURE. How powerful is that!
So why not try bringing some outdoors in, have a pot plant in your office (and not the plastic kind), go on a nature walk, stop and smell the roses or open a window (if you can) and let some fresh air in. If none of this is possible have a calendar or poster of trees, flowers or open spaces where you can see it in times of stress and let nature take its course.
Reference
Maller, C., Townsend, M., Pryor, A., Brown, P., & St Leger, L. (2005). Healthy nature health people: ‘contact with nature’ as an upstream health promotion intervention for populations. Health Promotion International, 21,(1), (45-53)
In a notice I received today they are collecting flowers to deliver to people who are shut in, and this got me thinking about the benefits nature may have on our health. Is it beneficial to dig round in the garden, or tend to plants inside?
As we build more buildings in smaller and smaller spaces we take away any natural environment that was there. We are faced with brick walls and long busy roads omitting fumes that pollute our atmosphere. We are working longer hours in air conditioned buildings and racing home to our air conditioned homes. We no longer (and I am generalising here) keep gardens that produce enough produce to feed our families; instead we race to a big supermarkets where all the produce is in perfect condition.
How is this good for our health?
Animals, humans and the natural environment do not exist as independent entities, we are all interconnected. Have you ever been upset or frustrated and gone for a walk outside and you are suddenly aware of the smell of the autumn leaves or the beauty of the flowers in your neighbours’ garden and without realising it your heart rate has slowed, you have become calmer and your breathing has regulated, THAT’S NATURE. How powerful is that!
So why not try bringing some outdoors in, have a pot plant in your office (and not the plastic kind), go on a nature walk, stop and smell the roses or open a window (if you can) and let some fresh air in. If none of this is possible have a calendar or poster of trees, flowers or open spaces where you can see it in times of stress and let nature take its course.
Reference
Maller, C., Townsend, M., Pryor, A., Brown, P., & St Leger, L. (2005). Healthy nature health people: ‘contact with nature’ as an upstream health promotion intervention for populations. Health Promotion International, 21,(1), (45-53)
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Animal Odd Couple
Have a look at this story with your Occupational Therapy hat on and analyse the interaction, the companionship and the commitment of these two unlikely friends. We should learn from all nature, not take from it.
Sustainable Activities
Let me know what you have done today that is a sustainable activity. Is it something you do because you want to or because you have to?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The Nature Connection
When we work with nature, is the connection much deeper, or is it because there is a greater sense of purpose and connectedness to the people we are around?
“It has been suggested that occupational therapy can be at the forefront of brokering this negotiation process between an individual and his or her environment thus enabling being, becoming and health” (Wilcock, 2006, Harrison and Sellers 2008, cited in Diamant & Waterhouse, 2010).
“It has been suggested that occupational therapy can be at the forefront of brokering this negotiation process between an individual and his or her environment thus enabling being, becoming and health” (Wilcock, 2006, Harrison and Sellers 2008, cited in Diamant & Waterhouse, 2010).
A Sense of Belonging
Diamant, E. & Waterhouse, A. (2010). Gardening and belonging: reflections on how social and therapeutic horticulture may facilitate health, wellbeing and inclusion. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(2), p84-88.
I have just finished reading this article and it’s like a light has gone on (better late than never). I know it has never been just about the activity we look at as Occupational Therapists, but I think I have always been so tied up with the activity that I haven’t stepped back and taken a deeper more personal look at it from the other side.
Is the key to a successful group, not the activity, but a sense of belonging and inclusion?
I was involved with a group that seemed to have little focus or direction and I wondered why the service users would come (apart from some having to) to this particular location to take part in activities that did not seem meaningful to them. Now as I reflect and having read this article I understand a little more clearly the depth and meaning groups can offer. Even though the group I was with seemed disjointed, the friendly banter between members, the shared lunch and the outings all provided that sense of doing and being together.
As an occupational therapist providing the right balance in group facilitation will be challenging but now I will try to remember and step back and imagine what it is the people I am working with are taking away with them.
I have just finished reading this article and it’s like a light has gone on (better late than never). I know it has never been just about the activity we look at as Occupational Therapists, but I think I have always been so tied up with the activity that I haven’t stepped back and taken a deeper more personal look at it from the other side.
Is the key to a successful group, not the activity, but a sense of belonging and inclusion?
I was involved with a group that seemed to have little focus or direction and I wondered why the service users would come (apart from some having to) to this particular location to take part in activities that did not seem meaningful to them. Now as I reflect and having read this article I understand a little more clearly the depth and meaning groups can offer. Even though the group I was with seemed disjointed, the friendly banter between members, the shared lunch and the outings all provided that sense of doing and being together.
As an occupational therapist providing the right balance in group facilitation will be challenging but now I will try to remember and step back and imagine what it is the people I am working with are taking away with them.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Sustainability and Meaningful Occupations
Meaningful Occupations are “chosen, performed and engaged in to generate experiences of personal meaning and satisfaction by individuals, groups, or communities” (CAOT, 1997a, 2002, p 181). If we so choose, these ‘meaningful occupations’ may revolve around us trying to be more environmentally friendly. For example, I enjoy preserving, gardening and keeping a compost bin to get rid of all my biodegradable kitchen waste.
We are constantly encouraged through the media to alter the way we go about our everyday occupations in order to reduce our carbon footprint, but this is our personal choice as to how we go about this. Some choose to be vegetarian, use a bike as transport, grow their own produce or recycle furniture or appliances. While such activities are considered very important to the future of the planet should we as novice Occupational Therapists seek occupations for our clients that are environmentally friendly as a way to keep them occupied in their phase of recovery.
Is perhaps our advancement of this cause reflective of our training and the nature of our industry? Are we promoting these activities because they are cost effective and we are working within tight budgets? After all, as a student we have been taught many activities that can be done on a shoestring budget that are effective and meaningful.
As a caring and proactive profession maybe we feel we should be passing on our sustainable ideas to our clients and when they are in our care we see this as opportunistic to introduce these activities as a “meaningful” way to be occupied?
The four “R’s”, yes there are now four instead of three (reduce, reuse, recycle and repair) are steadily edging their way into our daily routines with the expectation of them becoming habits of all households. As novice Occupational Therapists do we employ such sustainable activities as part of our clients’ recovery plan. Are they really beneficial to our clients or are they just benefiting the environment?
We are constantly encouraged through the media to alter the way we go about our everyday occupations in order to reduce our carbon footprint, but this is our personal choice as to how we go about this. Some choose to be vegetarian, use a bike as transport, grow their own produce or recycle furniture or appliances. While such activities are considered very important to the future of the planet should we as novice Occupational Therapists seek occupations for our clients that are environmentally friendly as a way to keep them occupied in their phase of recovery.
Is perhaps our advancement of this cause reflective of our training and the nature of our industry? Are we promoting these activities because they are cost effective and we are working within tight budgets? After all, as a student we have been taught many activities that can be done on a shoestring budget that are effective and meaningful.
As a caring and proactive profession maybe we feel we should be passing on our sustainable ideas to our clients and when they are in our care we see this as opportunistic to introduce these activities as a “meaningful” way to be occupied?
The four “R’s”, yes there are now four instead of three (reduce, reuse, recycle and repair) are steadily edging their way into our daily routines with the expectation of them becoming habits of all households. As novice Occupational Therapists do we employ such sustainable activities as part of our clients’ recovery plan. Are they really beneficial to our clients or are they just benefiting the environment?
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