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    © All Rights Reserved
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    10 views6 pages

    Crafting Occupational Life

    Uploaded by

    Dini

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 6
    ing Occupational Life elton, Roberta P. Holzmueller, Riitta Keponen, Louise Kelly Munger, and Gary Kielhofner (posthumous) CHAPTER 9 ED LEARNING OUTCOMES mpletion of this chapter, readers will be able to: fe meaning of their personal occupational life narrative within a po! le by defining the “plot” of the narrative and using metaphor to in their story. ibe the occupational narrative of others whose unique circum- es have been compromised through iliness, disability, or other chal- Bing circumstances. the model of human occupation (MOHO) concepts, explain how an idual is challenged to craft or shape their occupational lives in order Berticipate in occupations that are important and satisfying to them. line how occupational narratives evolve over time to craft an in 's occupational life fein how an individual's self-awareness of their occupational life nat= je can enable meaningful and sustainable occupational solutions for with clients. her own unique life. These elements are always in the background, shaping how people craft their ongoing occupational lives in the stream of time and within their social and physical environment, Moreover they tional identity represents a composite sense _ “integrated into each persons unique occupational elf and one’ future generated from ongoing aoe a = ace vin S performance capacity, nt in itional participation. It further noted that oc over time to influence what a client aaa or her life. This process forms a plot with a central metaphor that reflects a client's understanding of his: or her own experience of disability. craft their occupational lives through a fic system and ongoing process of generat B maintaining their occupational identity ;petence. In Chapter 8 it was noted that pnal competence involves sustaining a pattern cipation that reflects one’ identity. purpose of this chapter is to consider further rsons are challenged to organize, shape, or heir occupational lives in order to participate Bupations whicl nn individual holds as important : . : Support a person's unique sense of pleasure and Cecil, a 70-year-old retired busi tisfaction in doing things former amateur boxer, and widower Reinforce knowledge of one’s own capacities, patiently to be seen by an occup imitations, and relative effectiveness therapist in an outpatient clinic, lign with one’s awareness of who one is in in his youth he was a high-achieving st ference to the social world and top athlete, he also carried a dia Have familiarity with the rhythms and routines | of attention-deficit hyperactivity MOHO Problem-Solver: Geriatrics of life He has always struggled with issues of manate lived experience asan embodied being _ impulsivity, organization, and focus. ‘Acknowledge apprehension of the world however, Cecil's difficulties with. Occupational identity and competence encompass | functioning have been: e aspects of volition, habituation, and perfor- | to lose things and forget to p e capacity collectively orient each person to his/ Chapter 9 Crafting Occupational life 125 a variety of ways (Gergen & Gergen, 1988; Jonsson, Kielhofner, & Borell, 1997). ‘A narrative’ plot reveals its overall meaning be- cause it sums up where life has been and is going. For example, the tragic plot is found in a life when some event results in a steep downward turn in a previously jer, 1999; Geertz, 1986; Gergen & Gergen, 1988; 800d or improving life. It signifies a life ruined. The ich, Kielhofner, & Mattingly, 1994; Mattingly, _ Melodramatic plot involves a series of upward and ; Schafer, 1981; Spence, 1982; Taylor, 1989) downward turns. It reveals a life of struggle. In this y considering each individual’ volition, habitua- Ws plotting life events links them together in a way performance capacity, and unique set ofenviron- __ that makes sense of the life as a whole. Consequently, al constructs, occupational therapy can facilitate the variouslife episodes derive their meaning from the ing meaning of occupational life in changed or _°VeTall shape ofthe plot. One way of understanding Jenging circumstances. This leads to health- and _atTative plots that have been used in occupational being-promoting benefits as well as encourag- therapy research and practice isto characterize them .ccupational participation (Fossey & Scanlan, _& Fegressive, progressive, or stability narratives ), an improved experience of occupational life Jonsson et al., 1997; Kielhofner et al., 2004). As tert & Fossey, 2010), and a negotiated sense of shown in Figure 9-1 a progressive narrative is one ging personal occupational identity (Alasker & it which the story is headed upward, a regressive hsson, 2013; Lal et al., 2013; Price, Stephenson, _@¥Fative heads downward, and a stability narrative tz, & Ward, 2011). continues life in a constant direction. ‘o important features of narratives—plot and People seek to evaluate life events in terms of their phor—synthesize and impart meaningon many Significance or impact on the unfolding life story. ents and episodes of life. The following sections Most events represent a continuation of the basic ine these two features of narrative. direction of life. Others positively change or threaten where life is headed. In evaluating ongoing events of life, the underlying plot (the direction for better or for worse that life will take) is always at stake. For en and Gergen (1988) refer to plotas the founda- example, Cheah and Presnell (2011) demonsti of the narrative that determines how people think that older people’s experience of acute hospit talk when they use stories. The plot of a story tion, while important for health, was, at a esents the intersection between the progression _ time, disruptive to their “normal” oce ime and the direction (for better or for worse) People evaluate each new unfolding, life takes. Consequently, the narrative plot is of life in terms of how such things h way in which an individual characterizes the _ and in terms of where it might lead. y of events that they are experiencing over time. _ Jonsson et al. (1997) studied how tapes events over time as they experience life in _ anticipated their retirement. What ead Good Bad RE 9-1 The Slopes of, essive, Regressive, and le Narratives. 126 Part Explaining Human Occupation expected in retirement was always intimately tied to how past and present occupational life, especially ‘work, had been experienced. If work was negative, then retirement could be seen as an escape. In this ‘case, life after retirement could be expected to get ppetter. If work was positive, then retirement could continue a good life by providing opportunities to do other valued things or it could be a loss that would make life worse. How past and future are linked depends on and reveals the plot. If, for example, ones living a tragiy parative, past successes do not mean that things wil hecessarily go well in the future. On the other hand, if Snes in a story where things are getting betten past failures will be lessons that provided the person with fnew strengths or obstacles that were overcome, The significance ofthe past forthe present and the future depends on and reflects the narratives plot This is fllustrated in Smiths (2008) account of powerful personal stories and the circumstances that influence Per narrative plot. In a similar fashion, inevitable O° likely events in the future take on theis significance with reference to the past and present. How they are voor to relate to pastor present also depends on and reflects the underlying plot METAP stories are also given meaning by metaphors (Gan” 1993). Metaphor is the use of a familiar object or phenomenon to standin the pace ot the less under stood event or situation (Ortonys 1979). Metaphors succinctly characterize complex or emotionally dif ficult circumstances by evoking sometli 98 familiar Peveadily understood to stand in the place f that or niehis difficult to grasp and/or face, Metaphor®* provide a way of dea dif rcumstanc serious, jet 3 illness, peop! a b metaphor casts the diseas , that must be fought an: People also evoke 1 disabilities. For ex Mattingly (1996) ident and entrapment i ‘mental iliness. People \ illness often referred inertia, impetus, acceleratior ; related images such as getting lif f slowing down, life passing one aan halt, or life going nowhere when t ai up or evaluating the events of their lives. They wad the metaphor of momentum to characterize their struggles, motives life junctures, and life events by evaluating them in terms ofthe progression and direc- tion of their lives. Importantly, the way in which they lived their lives also embodied such slowieg dawnt heading off in wrong directions, and comingto aha Ra math mental ness deserted their lives as. being severely restricted or confined by Mee reurgsances Tek oa imbued with the wish for escape OF fOF finding a way out of the maze, They saw their Situations as both intolerable and in- exorable. Importantly, they also acted as individuals ‘cho were trapped: TREY Jould not make decisions, They sometimes ‘exhibited symptoms of agoraphobia and were literally ‘onfined in their ‘eae on hone They stayed in dissatis'7i08 relationships jobs, and life Tey Enterestingl: sat ‘broad themes emerged cl 112011) studied older peoples e of acute hospitalization, “The participants expres ool pension enorme in relation to their own Sccupational roles, routines, Choices, and environment and the incapacitating and timpleacant effect ofthis 28 evident. pe Narrative Meaning phors Shi How Meta gchdn (1979) noted that metaphors are a primary Schiele through which persone comprehend thin “rat have gone wrong in life Consequently, Tivesare troubled and when people are st comprehend dificult, painful and incomprel things that have happened of assigning meaning tO gum up “what needs fixi ‘Metaphors have also been learning experience of indivi groups. For example, Gefined their developing MOHO theory in pra heir participation practice to another ( netaphors of m na new direction, wn. Metaphors 6 stescape or be fi meaning as present them openness in of whatever 1990a, 1990b do continues g things along, and sometimes acquiescing at seems inevitable (Jonsson, Josephson, & jofner, 2000; Jonsson et al., 1997). Occupation femanates from and influences where one’ story ig (Clark, 1993; Helfrich et al., 1994). this reason, narratives can either impede or action. For example, if someone already sees his life as a tragedy, there is little reason to work rd goals because the tragic plot pronounces that s are ruined. On the other hand, if someone sees her life as getting better, he or she will likely tivated to work hard toward that outcome. For iple, in a study of 129 participants with AIDS, jofner et al. (2004) found that clients’ narratives significant predictors of whether people would iin in or drop out of a program of vocational ices and of whether those who successfully par- ated in the program would achieve employment ther productive outcomes. MARY, coherence and meaning people achieve in their is facilitated through narratives. The following res of narratives give them this integrating and .g-making potential: Narratives tie together past, present, and future as well as integrate multiple themes of self and the world. Narratives integrate and impart meaning through the use of plot and metaphor. Narratives are open-ended and thus allow us to comprehend emergent events and circumstances of life, tying them to what has gone before and what might come next. Narratives are not only told but are also done. What one does continues the unfolding of one's narrative. rn these considerations, an occupational nar- is defined as a story (both told and enacted) integrates across time one’s unfolding volition, jituation, performance capacity, and environments ugh plots and metaphors that sum up and assign ning to these elements, Both occupational iden- and our competence are reflected and enacted in upational narratives. low occupational narratives figure in ongoing life n best be appreciated by detailed examination f such stories. The following sections present ur occupational narratives. Each narrative tells bout living with an impairment. Aaron’s story is Chapter 9. Crafting Occupational Life 127 told by his mother, Roberta Paikoff, with liberal perspectives from Aaron. It illustrates the extent to which crafting an occupational narrative can involve the collective efforts of parents and child. Kelly's story is in the first person because she au- | thored it. Leena’s and Lisa’s stories are rendered in the third person, because the text was shaped by someone other than the story's character. Pediatrics Narrative Aaron is currently planning his sixth birthday party, to which he plans to invite all the children in his mainstream kindergarten class, as well asa few friends from last year’s preschool class. He has a clearly ar- ticulated theme (jungle animals) and place (home) where he'd like to have his party, as well as some ideas for things the guests will do (crafts and games where we make or pretend we are jungle animals). ‘Aaron practices using his muscles by playing sports Good Bad, Past |GURE 9-5 Leena’s Narrative Slope tines of everyday life. Each experiences a body ith physical or mental impairments. These narratives make comprehensible the ings each person does (or does not) do. For sample, they reveal why Aaron uses and enjoys ; swift imagination, how Leena manages to orward through life, why Lisa gave up her {taking the bus into the city, and why Kelly uing a PhD in disability studies. These s and actions all take meaning from and the fundamental plot of the narrative to they belong. nately, how these persons go about life— ccupational competence—is tied to the ng plots and metaphors of their stories. persons all clearly conduct their lives in { their narratives. /uences on the Occupational rrative ratives are ultimately shaped by many things. netheless, three factors appear to have an important, act, These are the unfolding events of life, social ces, and the presence or absence of an engaging pation. The following sections examine each of se factors. FOLDING EVENTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES FE ch of the four narratives shared in this chapter so indicates that ongoing events and circumstances life insert themselves into narratives, having ignificant influence on how they unfold. In a igitudinal study, Jonsson et al. (2000) examined 135 Chapter 9 Crafting Occupational Life Present tt on how narratives shape and are shaped by what happens as lives unfold. The study began when a ‘group of older persons was anticipating retirement and continued as they progressed into retirement. Over time, the actual direction that retirees’ lives took was reflective of an interaction between their original narrative and unfolding events and cir- cumstances, Subjects’ narratives readied them to respond in particular ways to ongoing life events and circumstances. Nonetheless, differences in those external circumstances and events could also nudge the narrative in one direction or another. ae stories tended to be resilient, that is, to mi their own plot. However, whereas life circumstances were usually integrated i existing plot, they sometimes case, the narrative had to come to te events and circumstances. SOCIOCULTURAL INFLUENCES ON NARRATIVE A dynamic tension always exists b narrate our lives and what is around While each person constructs his or her: narrative, there are also important influences by the sociocultural context, person derives a sense of narrative pk metaphors from surrounding cultures. and images that populate our narrati derived from the kinds of discourse we er our everyday worlds. Prevailing plots that are part of the language and b culture serve as templates for how person sense of and enact their lives. Moreover, of socialization and throughout life, s to members what kinds of stories can b 136 Part! Explaining Human Occupation ieee ory hes borrowed heavily from dominant | themes. To the extent that societies provide prevailing narrative themes, they may have an im pact on the kinds of narratives persons within them construct for themselves. For example, Kielhofner and Barrett (1997) document how a woman living in poverty is located in a narrative of seeking escape and refuge from the ongoing circumstances of her life in the inner city. Such a narrative arises out of ‘social conditions and appears common among those who share such conditions, "Because our occupational lives unfold in inter tion with others, our narratives are also invariably tied to how others act toward us and how we act toward them, Those who enter and find a place in urlives, and their characteristics and actions, affect ‘our occupational narratives. This feature of narratives pias illusyrated in the study of retirees when family members were mobilized to do things that av sided the negative turn of events anticipated by their rela- tives (Jonsson etal, 2000). Itis an important feat of social life that we note and seek to influence the ‘occupational narratives of those whose lives intersect with our own. In the end, our stories are tied to theirs. Tnsum, social influences on narrative are two! id. First, the content and shape of our narratives aré PP vided by the social context. We invariably constt narratives that draw on so ially a metaphors. Second, since we live 0 narratives in interaction with othe ir affect our stories. vailable plots and ‘The third phase of t previously suggests th story requires a perso engaging occupatio' hofner, 2001). Engagu of passion or feel narrative. They are done wit perseverance and stand person does. They are infused B connected to interest +P nf njor ment), personal causation (i.e. one’s sense of ability to do something lief that something is worth doing, important, and makes a contribution to family or society). Thus, the engaging occupation resonates with all aspects of volition. It is typically done with regularity over a long period of involvement and includes several occupational forms that cohere or constitute an interrelated whole. Involvement in an engaging occupation also Jue ommitment or sense of duty t remain and a connection t0 = come oe cupatirea common interest in that occupation who py. an engaging occupation isa coherent a sgl se of occupational forms that cohereang mean ep feeling a sense of duty, commitment cv erseverance leading 1 regular involvement a time in elation toa community of people who share the engaging occupation, ene Marratives shared in this chapter appear y suppor the concept of engaging occupations and

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