Initially when I thought about occupational therapy and disasters my first thoughts were about we could help after a disaster had happened, I guess you could say I was response focused. I also thought a big part of it would be to do with physical rehabilitation to those that received injuries from being in a disaster. Writing this blog has opened my eyes to the vast ways in which occupational therapists can help. As I said in one of my earlier postings occupational therapists can play an important part in helping individuals and communities prepare for a disaster. We have unique skills in analysis of environments and understanding individuals’ capabilities which put us in a good position to enable them to prepare for disaster situations. Even though I know I have these skills it had not occurred to me how useful they could be in enhancing disaster preparedness in people. It is certainly something I will consider to do in my future practice.
In one of the other papers I have studied this semester I learnt about the role of occupational therapy in community practice and health promotion. This area of practice is becoming a huge growth area for occupational therapists helping communities to meet their needs. With the increase of disasters happening in the world should we as occupational therapists be getting involved more?
I know after speaking to family and friends, who were in Christchurch when the earthquake struck that they were not suitably prepared. I’m sure they won’t mind me saying this but my parents who live in Christchurch didn’t have a supply of bottled water. Speaking to friends who were without power meant they didn’t have access to a phone, as mobile phone networks were down and everyone seems to have cordless phones these days and not the old school plug in ones. Could occupational therapists have helped people to prepare better?
I have been reading the “Best practice guideline for Civil Defence Emergency Management Sector: Community engagement”, and the forward written by John Hamilton the director of Civil Defence Emergency Management, mentions that they have had significant challenges in getting communities to participate in actions that would enable them to be better prepared. Could occupational therapists be suitable professional to help get this message out? Could we help offer activities and programmes that enhance learning and preparedness for disaster situations?
Noakes (2010) wrote his Masters’ thesis on “Emergency preparedness and personal evacuation planning: Involvement of Occupational Therapists” and carried out research on US home health occupational therapists. Noakes discusses how the ability to respond to an emergency is considered an IADL, and should be something that occupational therapists consider discussing with clients. He surveyed occupational therapists about their understanding and questioned them whether they addressed this issue with clients. One respondent in his research mentioned that addressing emergency planning enabled them to also look at clients’ cognition and problem solving (Noakes). Should occupational therapists address emergency planning with clients on home visits? I personally think it is a good idea and maybe something I will consider when I am out in practice.
As to all the people still recovering from yesterday’s earthquake in Christchurch, I’m sure many of them are still in shock and could do with some support. Occupational therapists could be working with some of them to help them develop their coping skills and bring some structure and routine back into their lives.
References
Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (2010) Community Engagement in the CDEM context: Best Practice Guideline for Civil Defence Emergency Management Sector [BPG 4/10] (Electronic version). Wellington: Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management.
Noakes, P. (2010). Emergency preparedness and personal evacuation planning: Involvement of occupational therapists. Retrieved August 18, 2010, from http://dspace.nitle.org/bitstream/handle/10090/15557/pnoakes_msot_may_2010_thesis.pdf?sequence=1
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Photos from Christchurch earthquake
Pictures taken by friends and family, used with permission.
3.Shop on Colombo St (Jen)
5. Colombo St (Merv)
1. Ascot TV Colombo St (Merv)
2.Printers Colombo St (Merv)
3.Shop on Colombo St (Jen)
4. Repertory Theatre (Jen)
5. Colombo St (Merv)
6. House missing Chimney (Jen)
7.Office (Michael)
8. Cafe cnr Madras and Sailsbury St (Jen)
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Closer to home
So this morning I awoke at 4.35am to an earthquake. The epicentre was close to my home town of Christchurch, which is over 350km from where I live at the moment in Dunedin. Yet I felt it here.
I managed to get hold of my family, who live in Christchurch, to check that everyone was ok.
The earthquake measured a massive 7.1 on the ricter scale. Christchurch as been declared in a state of local emergency by Civil Defence, check out their website for updates. Click here to read a news report and see the photo gallery, or here for Television NZ's updates.
My 86 year old nan managed to get under the dining table, and my family are all safe and well with no reports of damage. I'm sure not everyone was as lucky and my thoughts are with those affected.
I managed to get hold of my family, who live in Christchurch, to check that everyone was ok.
The earthquake measured a massive 7.1 on the ricter scale. Christchurch as been declared in a state of local emergency by Civil Defence, check out their website for updates. Click here to read a news report and see the photo gallery, or here for Television NZ's updates.
My 86 year old nan managed to get under the dining table, and my family are all safe and well with no reports of damage. I'm sure not everyone was as lucky and my thoughts are with those affected.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Something fun
Try your hand at this disaster simulation game from the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. You can pick a scenario from tsunami, flood, wild fire, hurricane and earthquake. Its a little like the old SimCity game from the 1990's.
Important dates
Just to let you all know that the 10-16 October 2010 is 'Get ready week'
The purpose is to increase awareness and encourage people to get ready for disaster.
You can go on the Civil Defence website for more information. This week also coincides International Disaster Reduction Day, organised by the United Nations.
Another important week to note is the 25-29 October 2010 as is Occupational Therapy Week.
This week coincides with World Occupational Therapy Day 27 October.
The purpose is to increase awareness and encourage people to get ready for disaster.
You can go on the Civil Defence website for more information. This week also coincides International Disaster Reduction Day, organised by the United Nations.
Another important week to note is the 25-29 October 2010 as is Occupational Therapy Week.
This week coincides with World Occupational Therapy Day 27 October.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
A bit of history about me
I have always had a love of travelling, and a passion for working with those less fortunate than myself. My first real experience of seeing homeless people was when I was a student on an exchange trip in Germany at the age of 17. It really opened my eyes as I had not really seen it before in Christchurch, New Zealand where I grew up. After I left high school I moved to London and did plenty of backpacking in Europe. Seeing homeless people begging on the street became a frequent and everyday experience. I often wondered what had lead the person to be in this situation. Well in London I worked with two Albanian refugees who had fled their country for a better life. One of these men had been smuggled into England in a secret compartment in a truck! The lengths some people go to are amazing.
In January 2005 I was lucky enough to travel to India to visit a friend and see part of the country. India however had one month early experienced “the boxing day tsunami”. I enquired before leaving if any volunteers were required, however I did not have any experience or previous connections with any agencies.
While in India I did talk to some locals who told me stories about how high up the beaches and streets the tsunami came. Considering I was on the west coast of India and not in the southern states it was incredible to hear how far the destruction of the tsunami stretched.
Back in London I have a friend who works for an NGO (mapaction)that goes to disaster zones to do geographical information systems (GIS). This involves her travelling to the disaster zone and remapping the territory to provide up to date maps for emergency and relief organisations.
I also have travelled to South East Asia and seen some the effects of the landmines on Cambodian people. Victims of war who have experienced having limbs blown off. I came home to New Zealand to study occupational therapy but have always had in the back of my mind the idea that I will go back overseas.
Then earlier this year while looking the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT). I saw a job advert on there looking for occupational therapists to work in Haiti after the earthquake that destroyed much of the capital Port-au-Prince (city). I looked at the job advert then also saw on the WFOT website information about their “Disaster Preparedness & Response” Information and Resource Package. The WFOT website onlineshop says that this package “combines resources and material developed within WFOT regional and national workshops in regions affected by the 2004 tsunami with other material to inform occupational therapists internationally about the OT response possible to assist people and communities following these incidents.”
It was after this that I started reading about occupational therapy and disaster management. At this point it was not something I had learnt about in any of my classes. Then last week we had a lecture on disasters and the occupational consequences of them. Writing this blog has enabled me to research and learn more about the role of occupational therapy in this area.
In January 2005 I was lucky enough to travel to India to visit a friend and see part of the country. India however had one month early experienced “the boxing day tsunami”. I enquired before leaving if any volunteers were required, however I did not have any experience or previous connections with any agencies.
While in India I did talk to some locals who told me stories about how high up the beaches and streets the tsunami came. Considering I was on the west coast of India and not in the southern states it was incredible to hear how far the destruction of the tsunami stretched.
Back in London I have a friend who works for an NGO (mapaction)that goes to disaster zones to do geographical information systems (GIS). This involves her travelling to the disaster zone and remapping the territory to provide up to date maps for emergency and relief organisations.
I also have travelled to South East Asia and seen some the effects of the landmines on Cambodian people. Victims of war who have experienced having limbs blown off. I came home to New Zealand to study occupational therapy but have always had in the back of my mind the idea that I will go back overseas.
Then earlier this year while looking the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT). I saw a job advert on there looking for occupational therapists to work in Haiti after the earthquake that destroyed much of the capital Port-au-Prince (city). I looked at the job advert then also saw on the WFOT website information about their “Disaster Preparedness & Response” Information and Resource Package. The WFOT website onlineshop says that this package “combines resources and material developed within WFOT regional and national workshops in regions affected by the 2004 tsunami with other material to inform occupational therapists internationally about the OT response possible to assist people and communities following these incidents.”
It was after this that I started reading about occupational therapy and disaster management. At this point it was not something I had learnt about in any of my classes. Then last week we had a lecture on disasters and the occupational consequences of them. Writing this blog has enabled me to research and learn more about the role of occupational therapy in this area.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)