Sensation

 

Activity answer 1

To assist Mrs Smith be independent with PADL:

• Put all wash items on the left side where possible to encourage left side attention

• Encourage Mrs Smith with verbal prompts to attend to her left arm (during undressing, dressing, washing and drying)

• Encourage her to wash her arm with cool and warm water to supply different sensory input

• Suggest that Mrs. Smith spends extra time washing her left arm, and drying with towel to encourage sensory input, especially at fingers and hand

• Tell her to weight-bear through her left arm when washing (e.g. hand against a surface- edge of sink, up against a wall) her left arm with her right for sensory and proprioceptive awareness

• Encourage bimanual tasks (e.g. ringing our flannel, buttons, oral hygiene)

• Encourage reach, grasp and release (normal patterns of movement through left upper limb)

• Complete task in standing position where possible to encourage even weight baring through lower limbs

• For safety it is important to consider water temperature to prevent burns