In this (rather wordy) article, we’re going to look at engaging and Motivating people with a disability (the people you care for), the importance of relationship building and understanding the client’s/person you care for’s sensory processing requirements.
When working with people with disabilities there are often times when it’s challenging to motivate client’s and engage them in activities. There can be various reasons why a client doesn’t want to engage in an activity, such as tiredness, resistance, depression, dislike, lack of interest or health issues etc. When this happens it seems like no matter what you say or do, they are determined not to engage.
When working with people with complex disabilities it can be challenging to know what the reason is for them not engaging in the activity. I worked with a client with cerebral palsy who was non-verbal, had frontal lobe damage and the previous workers said he was very difficult to engage in activities. Thankfully I understood the importance of building relationships. After spending a few minutes with the client, I was able to establish rapport as I noticed he was playing with a piece of glad wrap which he was rubbing with his fingers and appeared to be calming for him. Once I saw he had an interest in playing with the glad wrap I thought I could try using glad wrap to engage with the client. I asked his parents if I could have some glad wrap and I started playing with it like the client. The client watched me do this and then smiled. This helped me make a connection with him and I was able to use the glad wrap as a way of developing a rapport with the client. It took a few weeks to build on this connection but it helped me to motivate him to go outside which was the goal of my involvement with him.
This experience was a valuable a lesson in motivating clients and the importance of laying a good foundation through rapport and relationship building and sometimes this requires creativity. You can try many strategies to help motivate clients but they aren’t likely to work if you haven’t laid a good foundation.
Here are a few more tips to help you motivate your client;
- Ask other people/professionals.
Many clients have worked with multiple professionals. Talk to other people who he knows and who have worked with the client such as family, caregivers, OT, Speech Therapist, Counsellor. They can help you to learn about the things he finds motivating or interesting and use this knowledge to encourage participation. - Read previous reports.
A thorough review of a client’s assessments and notes, can help you identify motivating tasks, cues, or approaches as well as health conditions that may impact motivation, mood, or affect. - Establish rapport.
Before you start making requests, make conversation! Too many people make jump straight into requests. Spend time building rapport and establishing a positive relationship with a client before asking them to complete activities. - Establish motivating goals.
Using person-centered activities find out what is important to him and what he would like to work on. A person is more likely to be motivated to participate in a therapy program he helped to develop. Make sure the goals are meaningful, relevant and achievable otherwise you can be wasting your time and energy. - Why is the answer NO?
Is this person refusing because they are afraid or are they in pain? Depressed? Are they confused about what you want them to do? Getting answers to these questions can give you a good idea of why the client doesn’t want to do the activity, and what you can do to encourage participation. - Where is the person at?
For some clients, leaving their room to participate in a physically demanding activity is too much. Be prepared to work with a client wherever you can get him to participate, whether it’s sitting up in bed, at the edge of the bed, or in a chair. It may take a little creative thinking and flexibility. - Ask the client.
Tell the client what you are going to do and ask what they would like to work on. It is good to have a general plan, but offer a choice between various activities to give a client a sense of control which can help to increase their motivation to participate. - Time of the day.
If you are trying to work with a client at an inconvenient time – early in the morning, after a meal or medical treatment, or during nap time, it’s likely that he will refuse. Whenever possible, ask clients what times they are not busy and/or feeling their best and try to schedule therapy at these times. - Switch settings.
If the weather is nice, offer to treat the client outside (as appropriate) or simply go to a different area. A change of background can often inspire a change of heart! - Provide positive feedback.
A lack of positive feedback is an important factor related to non-compliance. Providing positive feedback about a client’s performance encourage participation and develops positive rapport. - Compromise.
Start small or agree to limit can help you can make a task more manageable and your client may be more likely to participate. A person may not be motivated to walk a full lap around the block, but you may be able to convince them to walk outside his room and come back, which is still something! And once they are up and moving, you may be able to convince him to do more. - Get support.
Getting friends, family, or caregivers involved can be a great way to motivate clients. By saying “Let’s show your mum/wife/friend etc what we’ve been working on”. - Respect when a client says No and means NO.
It is a client’s choice about whether or not they want to participate. If after your best efforts a client continues to refuse, respect their wishes and try to reschedule for another time.
We hope you find these tips helpful, and we’d love to hear your feedback if you have any to offer.
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