An Outing with Nick :)

About Nick:

First and foremost, Nick is a musician. He is the third of four children born to Frank and Marilyn Malloy in Macon, Georgia. Over the years, Nick has been a member of several bands, playing guitar, writing his own music, and singing his heart out. He has recorded music in Nashville, Tennessee with artists like Dierks Bentley, and was destined for musical greatness before half a second asleep at the wheel changed his life forever.

About Nick’s injury:

Nick was involved in a single vehicle accident on March 28, 2012. On his 23^rd birthday, he fell asleep at the wheel while driving home on Interstate 75. The accident is believed to have taken place at around 2:30am, however, due to the isolated nature of this stretch of interstate, he was not noticed until after 8am. Nick sustained a spinal cord injury (SCI) at the 8th thoracic vertebra. In addition to his SCI, he also broke several ribs, collapsed a lung, and suffered massive muscle and soft tissue damage to his left forearm.

After several weeks in the neuro intensive care unit at the medical center of central Georgia, Nick began three months of intensive rehabilitation at The Shepherd Center in Atlanta. While at Shepherd, Nick learned the skills he would need to return to a functional life following his injury. I had the opportunity to spend an average of three days per week with Nick while he was in treatment at Shepherd and got to see first hand how his physical environment was so critical in his life following his injury.

 I have been on many outings with Nick both before and after his accident. For this assignment, we ventured around the Metro area and made stops at the following places:

·      Ikea

·      The Watershed Restaurant, Buckhead

·      Lenox Mall

·      Nick’s home

Sociality is Nick’s biggest personal struggle since his accident. Because he walked for 23 years, waking up with a paralyzing spinal cord injury was life changing. Since Nick was an active young adult at the time of his injury, he experienced social withdrawal and isolation in the months and first year following his injury. Playing guitar and using his music has been a vital part in his recovery process. Because he sustained so much damage to his left hand, playing the guitar was a challenge at first, but it also gave him the motivation to reach his physical therapy goals. He is still not writing or playing like he did before the accident, but he has come a long way from the days when he did not want to look at a guitar.

On our outing, the easiest place with the best accessibility was at Ikea. It has nice, wide aisle ways and easily accessible elevators to all the floors. The salespeople there were willing to help us with lifting if we bought things, which was nice since Ikea is kind of “do it yourself” when it comes to getting the pieces you need to assemble your furniture. There were several places that were hard to get around in, but the two hardest were a restaurant we attended in Buckhead and the True Religion Brand Jeans store at Lenox mall. True Religion was not very accessible because the store was long and narrow with little floor space. Crowding became an issue when a group of people came into the store. Because of the counter’s placement in the center of the store, it was impossible for Nick to see all the things he wanted to see once more people came into the store. It was very frustrating, especially because the people who were crowding us did not realize how it affected Nick. Eventually, Nick made some selections and rolled out of the store while I stayed behind to pay. Even when stores are technically ADA- compliant, which I am sure True Religion is- crowding can become a big problem when the store is small to begin with. At the Watershed Restaurant in Buckhead, Nick and I had to eat outside because it was late and the bar had turned into a sort of “standing room only” joint by the time we got there. Needless to say, we could not stand, so out we went. During dinner, I made several trips to the bar for both of us- something I usually let the man do

on the date. Navigating through a bar crowd to order drinks when you are in a wheelchair is easier said than done, though, and even if he got through the crowd the bar was too high for him to order comfortably.

Privacy and adaptability have been considered in all aspects of Nick’s home. After his accident, a group of friends worked hard to get his house ready for him to come home to. His room at his parent’s house, which used to be upstairs, was moved downstairs to better adapt to his new needs. The carpeted floors were changed to hardwood, and the bathroom had to be totally adapted and outfitted with a new shower, sink, and toilet to be more manageable for Nick. The room Nick uses now used to be the entranceway to the house, so the front door had to be moved to give him the privacy that he needed. The adaptations to his bedroom and bathroom allow him privacy and the chance to function independently, which is important for Nick.

Physical Environment -NC

Nelly C.

Physical Environment

Human Socialization

      For this assignment I went out with my friends sister Marie we went to eat at Olive Garden for lunch. I have known Marie for several years yet we never really spend time together. She never really goes out due to her medical conditions. Marie is 23 years old and suffers from severe obesity, high blood pressure, and Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a medical condition that affects the knees and hips from the extra weight and pressure, which adds stress to the joints. Today obesity is considered one of the leading preventable causes of death.

     Although Marie has this condition; she is very optimistic, outgoing, funny, and just an overall positive person. She is 23 years old and full of life. Although it is difficult for her, it has personal meaning, and she does not let her surroundings or medical conditions inhibit her in any way. Going out in general, walking, or doing an excessive amount of movement affects Lori sociability, as it is difficult for her to move around and about. Yet she still keeps a positive attitude.

     When we arrived to Olive Garden we did not have any problems when it comes to accessibility.  Parking was fine, entryways were fine, and seating was fine also. The seats are mostly chairs, which was nice. I was glad to see a variety of seating arrangements and styles. Often places only high tops and booths or seating that could make it difficult for people in Marie’s situation or on wheelchairs.  Being with her in this setting allowed me to realize how simple everyday tasks can become so difficult for people who are in her situation. Yet, I am glad that Olive Garden is mindful of it. I am also glad Lori demonstrated adaptability to manage to get through it. The service was great. The people around us were nice. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. We had a great meal. I was even impressed because we arrived at a perfect time. It was lunchtime and it was not busy. We arrived at a great time and avoided crowding. I was very surprised because Olive Garden is always very busy which is why they even have waiting areas outside to prevent people from standing around and waiting at the door.

     After eating and talking we decided to go to a near by park. We sat on the bench outside and enjoyed the nice weather. We even walked around to some nearby shops. We talked about her life and how her environment plays a big part of her lifestyle. We talked about her daily activities and how she believes they are so limited due to her medical conditions. She does not exercise much because of high blood pressure and her joints. Yet, she is on medication and is getting specialized treatment. She also talked about how her social life and how she does not go out. She does not do what most young twenty years old do. She spends a lot of her time at home. Her close friends visit her and her family is very involved at home. She said she prefers to keep to herself and this is her way of being content and having her own privacy. In her opinion she does not live an average lifestyle. However, she is comfortable with her situation and her environment. It took time for her to get acclimated to it. Yet, she is fine now and she has a great support system.

     After sitting and walking some around the park and shops Marie thanked me for taking her out. We both really enjoyed ourselves and learned a lot from each other. I personally am very appreciative of this assignment and glad we got the opportunity to bring small everyday problems to light. It’s important to be aware of our surroundings and of others. It’s even more important as human services professionals to be aware of how physical environments influences behaviour and how it can impact our clients’ life.        

         

Physical Environment Assignment - Charity Lipham

I spent an evening with my friend who recently had back surgery to correct extensive ruptured disc issues and nerve pain down one leg.  She cannot walk up or down stairs and cannot remain seated for long periods of time without feeling increasing pain.  

First, I picked her up at her parents’ house where she was staying to recover.  I drove because sitting and driving is painful for her.  We went to eat at Chili’s as requested a high-top table so she could halfway sit down and half stand on her leg that doesn’t have nerve damage.  The area with high-top tables is also the closest seating area to the front door.  She can still eat like she normally does, so we enjoyed catching up and discussing her recovery.

After dinner, we wanted to watch a movie.  Going to a movie theater was not an option because sitting down for that period of time would be painful for her.  We headed back to her parents’ house so we could watch a movie where she could lay down with her back straight.  We also chose to pick something OnDemand so we wouldn’t have to make another stop to get a RedBox or something.  She had a mattress set up on the main floor of her parents’ house so she wouldn’t have to go up or down stairs.

Accessibility was a major concern when choosing where to go.  We knew Chili’s had no stairs to go up.  We also knew they had tables where she could stand if bending to sit started to hurt and where she wouldn’t have to slide into a booth.  We probably could have gone to see a movie based on how accessible they make them to handicap individuals (bottom level seats that don’t require use of stairs), but with her particular injury and recovery, she felt that having to sit up would be too painful.  We couldn’t go to my apartment to watch a movie because you have to take stairs up to mine, so we had to just go back to her parents’ house. 

My friend’s comfort was also very important.  She can still do a lot of things, but sitting too long or walking up or down stairs makes her pain increase.  Essentially every decision we made was for her comfort.  We chose activities that she could do without pushing herself too much.  It would’ve been most comfortable for my friend if I had just brought over take out, but she had been stuck at home since her surgery and wanted some different sensory stimulation.  Going to dinner allowed us a high degree of sociality, while spending time at her home allowed a high degree of privacy.  At the restaurant, we experienced more crowding and less control, since our table was our only space over which we had a territorial claim.  However, at her home, crowding was not an issue and she had complete control, which made her more comfortable.  Her parents’ home has a high degree of adaptability.  While her bedroom there is on the second floor, they were able to make a new room for her in the den on the first floor so there would be less activity associated with her recovery at home.

Physical Environment Assignment - Devon Grisham

For this assignment, I pretended that I had a physical disability that prevented my ability to walk.  I did not actually use a wheelchair or crutches because I did not have access, but I observed the surrounding environment of the places I visited.  A friend and I went out to dinner, went to see a movie, and then went back home to relax and casually watch television.  As I ventured out, I kept the concepts for understand physical environment-behavior relationships in mind.

            For dinner, my friend and I went to Chili’s.  I noticed that sidewalk surrounding the building had a slope for wheelchair access, but only right in front of the door.  The front door did not have a button to open the door for people with wheelchairs.  These are issues with accessibility because access to the building is limited for people with walking disabilities.  People in wheelchairs have to wait for other people to open the door, and sometimes both doors, to enter the restaurant.  This was a similar situation at the movie theater.  In the restaurant, there was a lot of activity with waiters, waitresses, and customers walking around.  This didn’t seem to be an issue except in spots where there was limited space.  There wasn’t a lot of space between tables, and a person in a wheelchair may feel uncomfortably crowded when dining in the restaurant.  Waiters are more likely to bump into these people, causing an unpleasant experience.  However, the atmosphere of the restaurant allows for high social interaction.  The restaurant encourages social interactions between different people.

            After leaving the restaurant, we went to the movie theater to see Nonstop.  As I said before, the accessibility issues were present.  The movie theatre did provide a comfortable experience for both people with disabilities and people without disabilities.  At the bottom row, there were two sections so that people in wheelchairs could watch the movie comfortably without interfering with other peoples’ movie going experience.  It is this that makes the actual theatre part of the movie theatre adaptable.  The theatre makes accommodations for all different types of people, which in turn creates an enjoyable movie-going experience.  One negative about the movie theatre is that it doesn’t allow a person to interact with others, which doesn’t give people a chance to converse and meet new people. This means that the theatre doesn’t incorporate the idea of sociality in its’ environment.

            After the movie, my friend and I went back to my house and had dessert, watched television, and talked about the movie we just watched.  Looking at my house through the eyes of a physically disabled person, I realized that such a person could not live in my house without extremely expensive accommodations.  The house is split-level and two-stories, and the driveway doesn’t have wheelchair accessibility when it connects with the road.  A disabled person could access the bottom level through the garage, but he or she would not be able to access the top floor without outside assistance.  Therefore, my house is not very accessible.  However, my house is a prime example of a person having control over his or her environment and a person having privacy in their environment.  At my house, I am able to do just about any activity that I feel like doing, and I can do it without being crowded by people I do not know in public.  The best thing about being at home is that it is a place that anyone can feel comfortable.  A physically disabled person may not be able to live in a house such as mine without accommodations, but most homes provide environments that utilize comfort, control, and privacy.

           

            

My Day With Low Vision - Brandon N.

For my assignment I decided to simulate a day in the life of someone with low vision. I am in a unique position for this assignment as I have a rare condition that causes me to have profound vision impairment (20/900) in only one of my eyes. Due to the fact that it is only in one of my eyes I have never truly experienced this impairment, even if I remove my glasses there is hardly any difference in my sight due to my better eye. I decided that in order to get a firsthand experience I completed the outing all while wearing an eye patch over my good eye. For my outing I simply went out to a restaurant with my girlfriend and then we watched a movie at home, yet even these simple tasks proved very challenging.

 

 There were many challenges with regards to accessibility right from the beginning. For starters, there is no way I would be able to drive myself anywhere, furthermore it was extremely difficult to give any sort of directions. I was unable to read any road signs during the day, and at night the lights of the other cars and signs blurred together, practically blinding me. This would also impact my privacy as I would be reliant one someone else at all times if I needed to travel anywhere and I would also have no way of knowing how I got there or how I could get back. Once we arrived at the restaurant, it was very busy and introduced the aspect of crowding. Normally, a restaurant being busy isn’t too much of a problem for me other than having to wait longer, but with vision impairment it was much more difficult. I found myself constantly having to get out of the way as we waited for a seat and bumping into things that I hadn’t noticed. Once we got a seat, I also experienced issues with sociality. Due to the fact that the restaurant was so busy, it was hard to hear during our conversation and without being able to accurately see the speaker’s lip movements, it made it all the more difficult to correctly determine what they were saying. While there I had anticipated that I would have issues with comfort in reading the menu. However, this restaurant also had a digital screen menu in addition to their regular menu. This screen was much easier for me to read, as it had larger font and was very brightly lit. While I do not believe that this was designed for those with low vision in mind, it certainly helped me complete my order.

 
        After the dinner we tried to watch a movie at home, however this proved to be very difficult

 

 as well. The movie provided very low sensory stimulation for someone with low vision; it was difficult for me most of the time to even know who was in the frame at a given time. While in this case I was still able to make out what was happening through my hearing, much of the meaning of the film that was not auditory such as facial cues and much of the action sequences were all but completely lost on me. While I was able to adapt the room by moving seating closer to the screen, it still was never quite clear enough to get the full experience of watching a movie. After changing the seating, I realized that I would have to adapt much more of my space to accommodate this disability. Clocks were too high up for me to read and I would be forced to make larger labels for much my food stuffs and other belongings. Overall, this assignment helped me understand some of the challenges that those with low vision face and I hope that through new technologies we can help mitigate this problem and accommodate for those in need.

Dealing With Misophonia

Jessica L. Lawson

HS 3300

March 13, 2014

Prof. Westbrooks

Dealing with Misophonia

For this assignment I went on an outing with one of my very good friends named Kelsy Burke. Kelsy has been suffering from a newly diagnosed disability called Misophonia. Before diving into how this disability has affected Kelsy in general and during our outing it is important to first understand what it actually is.  Misophonia is a rare sensitivity to sound that triggers a reaction in the brain that can result in anger, aggravation, and sometimes violence. It is caused by a hypersensitivity to specific sounds or visual stimulation of those sounds being made. Basically this translates into hatred of sound.  I have known Kelsy for a long time but because I had not seen her and so long I forgot just how much her disability affects her life even though she has found some help with the use of hearing aids that act as buffers for “trigger sounds.”

For our outing I drove back to my hometown of Warner Robins. They were having a small carnival while we were down and I thought it would be the perfect place to go and have fun but also gain a good grasp at just how much my friend’s disability impacts her every day life. When we first arrived we were both starving so we went ahead and decided to sit down at one of the old picnic tables to eat our oversized turkey legs and corn on the cob.  Mealtime proved to be very affective as far as sensory stimulation goes. Smacking is one of those “trigger” sounds discussed earlier and there’s nothing Kelsy hates more than smacking. I watched her as she clenched her fists and grabbed her hearing aids to put in so that she could try to finish her meal.

The hardest thing about having Misophonia for Kelsy is control. She has no problem telling me to stop smacking or making noises but she would never cross the line by walking up to a stranger and ask them to stop doing whatever there doing, even if that’s what she really wanted to do.  Instead of confronting the situation because she knows she is the only one there who is bothered she leaves the situation.  For example crowding is a big issue with Misophonia. Remember when I said there is nothing Kelsy hates more than smacking, well correction, there’s nothing Kelsy hates more than chewing gum. We were in big line to pet some of the animals in the petting zoo and a little girl right behind us was popping her chewing gum continuously. Kelsy looked at me and said, “I cant,” so we decided to move to the back of the line and try again. I’m happy to say that the next time around we were able to see the animals.

Misophonia is more of a hearing disability that affects Kelsy’s inner ear and neurological functioning when certain sounds are presented so fortunately accessibility is just as available to her as everyone else. She decides not to partake in certain activity because she knows the likelihood or intensity of trigger sounds may be ongoing. After the carnival we decided to go back to Kelsy’s house and watch some TV while we painted our nails. In the privacy of her own home, Kelsy was finally trying to relax. Not that she did not have a good time she just was comfortable knowing she could take out her hearing aids and relax, with the exception of her having to stop me from biting my nails a few times. Misophonia has brought a lot of new meaning in Kelsy’s life that has proved to be very challenging and has created many obstacles for her to go through.

While doing our nails we got to talk about the things she has had to change in her life in order to accommodate her disability. One example we discussed that has affected her sociality was school. Kelsy has not stepped foot into a classroom in over two years and is getting her college degree entirely online. Another, challenge has been road trips with multiple people. Even though I have found myself frustrated when she wont let me sing to some of my favorite songs in the car, I am very happy to say Kelsy is one of my very best friends and I love her, Misophonia, or no Misophonia.