If the Shoe (Box) Fits!
As occupational therapists, a large part of our job is creativity. We get to think of individualized plans and adaptations for our clients daily. Recently, we were assigned the task of creating an assistive device or intervention for a client using common house-hold items. My client is a 51-year-old female diagnosed with secondary-progressive Multiple Sclerosis. She lives in a two-story home with the master suite on the second floor. Due to the progression of her disease, this client has several safety concerns. She experiences extreme fatigue and has recently had several falls. To help my client conserve energy and reduce her fall risk, I created a shoe box organizer. The organizer was divided into several compartments and can store the client's frequently used items. Examples of items included in my model are a remote, scissors, pens/pencils, medication, snacks, water, glasses, and a notebook/sticky notes. Keeping these items organized and...