Experiencing a Disability

Purpose:
Routine daily activities are no longer automatic and effortless for an individual who becomes
physically challenged. The purpose of this activity is to have students gain an appreciation of the
daily activities for someone living with a physical disability.
Objective:

The student will examine the impact of being physical challenged by participating in mock ADL
situations.
The student will examine the perceptions, emotions and reaction to being physically challenged
that may manifest while performing a typical ADL activity.
The student will identify and develop skills of observation as the patient performs a therapeutic
activity.
The student will list the sequence of actions that make up an ADL task.
Procedure:
Working in pairs, students will role play the 4 situations listed below. During this activity, one
student will role play the patient and the other student will observe. Students will then reflect on
the activity by completing a 2 page paper.
Situation 1: Patient with Unilateral Upper Extremity Weakness
• Student to don and doff large shirt and button it closed with the non-dominant hand.
• Student to don an arm sling and place on dominant upper extremity with non-dominant hand
only.
• Student to open and close a peanut butter jar and jam jar with one hand, prepare a PB & J
sandwich, spreading contents on bread slice with the non-dominant upper extremity.
• Student to fold towel with the non-dominant hand only.
• Student to unbutton the shirt and remove the arm sling with one hand

Situation 2: Patient with Hemiplegia Propelling a Wheelchair
• Student to propel a wheelchair, using only the non-dominant upper and lower extremity. Student
to negotiate the campus environment as well as the community environment.
Situation 3: Patient with Hemianopsia (visual field restriction impairment)
• Student will wear glasses that have the right visual field obscured.
• Student will stack cups in a 4, 3, 2, 1 pyramid pattern. The activity will be timed using a
stopwatch.
• Students will negotiate an obstacle course.
• Students will throw and catch a plastic beach ball.
Situation 4: Patient with a Speech Impairment
Student one will communicate to their partner, without speaking or writing, the following
messages.
• “I am hungry”.
• “I have to go to the bathroom.”
• “My car had a flat tire today”.
Student two will communicate to their partner, without speaking, the following messages.
• “I am tired and need to go back to bed”
• “My back hurts when I lean forward”.
• “My left arm is weak and the right arm is strong”

Reflection:
Students will write a full 2 page paper reflecting on this experience. The paper will consist of
.5”margins, Times New Roman 12 point font, double spaced. The following questions will be
answered regarding each situation:
1. Describe the most difficult activity for each situation and explain why this was challenging.
2. Describe the strategies/adaptations you used to accomplish each activity.
3. Describe the feeling(s) you experienced during each situation.
4. Identify at least 1 safety issue that presented during each situation.
5. How has this experience impacted your future work as a PTA?