Sensory Assignment

Sensory Assignment

Name:

Institution:

As people grow into their old age, they often experience sensory problems that prevent them from living life as they did before. Such sensory issues include a deterioration in vision and hearing, conditions affecting limbs such as arthritis, and even loss of smell. These changes happen gradually over time, and those around the older adults have to step in and help them. Those with advanced conditions require full-time care as they are unable to do the most basic routines, such as walking. When one is young and healthy, it is difficult to imagine how old people with such sensory conditions feel. The sensory assignment was a perfect experiment to allow students experience these changes, the problems that accompany them, their feelings and thoughts, as well as the challenges presented by the environment.

Given the fact that my home environment is familiar to me, the sensory problems were not as intense as the new environment. The tinted and oiled glasses proved to be quite a challenge as I am used to my clear visions. I had to fight off the urge to remove them severally in the course of the assignment. The loss of hearing and eyesight was my greatest challenge. The earplugs locked out almost every sound, and the silence was overwhelming. I could not hear most things, and this, coupled with limited eyesight, made things very difficult indeed. Movement around the house with the glasses proved a challenge, although my feet instinctively found their step due to the familiar environment. To add to the frustrating experience, I could barely smell anything. I am used to familiar smells such as food, my mom’s perfume, and other seemingly insignificant scents. The wire tape around my knuckles made it almost impossible to hold on to anything.

For the new environment, I chose a nearby church that I had never been to. As we pulled up near the church building, I could tell it was going to be much more challenging, given the steps leading to the door. There was a small ramp to the side, but I chose to practice with the stairs. I altered my senses sequentially as well as cumulatively. For the sequential part, things were not as bad as one sense could help where the others were significantly inhibited. The visual challenge proved the hardest. The treated glasses barely allowed me to see anything, and I stumbled through the steps. Putting on the earplugs without any other altered sense was not so bad as I could see the things I could not hear. I could use my phone with ease, which was quite a relief. The wire tape to my knuckles was not too challenging as I did not have much to hold or grab while in the church. Both at home and in the new environment, the gloves presented a considerable problem to my sense of touch as I could not differentiate between different textures. In both places, sequential alteration allowed other senses to function where others were impaired, but the cumulative alteration was the worst. I could barely see, feel, hear or touch anything, and got into some accidents such as a minor fall at the church, hitting objects such as walls and dropping things at home.

The temporary emphatic status took quite a toll on my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. The most prominent feeling was that of helplessness, especially when it came to cumulative alterations. I had to call out for help with everything, such as a glass of water which fell, walking to my room, and choosing which perfume to wear. Using my phone was out of the question as I could neither see nor hear. The silence with the earplugs also made me feel very lonely. Although the assignment lasted for about an hour in each location, it was quite disconcerting and draining. I learned that I am very impatient as I had to stop myself from ripping away my sensory inhibitors in trying to get something done. I also learned that people can be very kind and helpful, as a lady at the church offered helped me up when I fell at the church. I explained the assignment to her, and she said that we must always help others who may not be able to do things for themselves. After the assignment, I feel very differently towards older people with any kind of impairment. I felt first-hand the frustration and helplessness that comes with not being able to manage the smallest task and having to rely on others. Henceforth I will go out of my way to be helpful and considerate.

The environment proved to be a significant challenge, and I would have benefited from several changes. The first challenge was the steps and stairs both at home and at the church. The ramp at the church made walking easier, but at home, I had to go upstairs to get to my room. Another change that I would have benefited from was even flooring. Both at home and in the church, the floors had different levels that I tripped during the cumulative alteration. The people in my environment could have been more helpful in several ways. One was to guide me either verbally, or with touch depending on the sensory alteration, they could also have made the environment more conducive by removing objects and placing things in my hands when I had the tape on my fingers. The sensory assignment was an eye-opening experience that has transformed my view of people with sensory impairments. I learned that we need to be more patient and attentive to their needs, as well as give them all our respect and support.