Camp packing list: Sunscreen and OT goggles
Every August, for 2 weeks, a community spanning all ages and abilities comes together at a residential camp in the Berkshires, Massachusetts. We embrace the joyful chaos—and have an incredible time doing it. Whether you have a disability and require additional support for ADLs or are coming to provide support, you are valued equally as a member of the community. Everyone contributes whatever they can—time, effort, or talents—to help our camp operate smoothly.
A simple internet search led me to pack my bags and head to the East Coast to join this radically inclusive group in 2018. Little did I know it would be a life-changing experience, bringing me back every summer since. I was exposed to transfers, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems, ways to ensure safety by changing the consistency of various foods and drinks, and more. But much more importantly, I was introduced to care partnerships and the importance of collaboration, inclusion, and a community free of stigma around disability. I asked how I could remain involved with camp forever, and one of my friends regretfully informed me that I couldn’t, but I should look into this job called occupational therapy…
While the camp fosters a spirit of inclusion and collaboration, the environment itself poses unique challenges. We have been renting this property for the past three summers, but it falls short in terms of accessibility. We do our best to make it work, but I would be lying if I said it was easy. The gravel paths are difficult for my friends using wheelchairs or other mobility aids. The door frames are narrow, the entire campsite has just two spacious bathroom stalls, evening lighting is virtually nonexistent, and the list of challenges, quite frankly, feels endless. While I’ve recognized these accessibility issues in years past, I had not considered how I could personally modify the environment to improve it. However, after spending the last year as an Entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (e-OTD) student at the University of Southern California (USC), I inadvertently packed my “OT goggles” to camp this summer—and I saw potential everywhere.
Take the cabin showers, for example. They are basic single-stall units with an all-white acrylic finish and floor. My OT student brain immediately spotted hazard after hazard. We needed non-slip floor mats—not just any mats, but vibrantly colored ones to help my friends with visual impairment easily differentiate between the floor and walls. We also needed handheld showerheads, versatile shower chairs (including a tub-transfer bench), grab bars, and much more. Then, I wondered: What should I do with all these ideas? How can I, as an OT student, give back to the community that has given me so much?
With these questions in mind, I began to reflect on the tools and insights I have gained through my OT education. In my geriatric and productive aging immersion course, we learned about Project CAPABLE, an initiative where an OT, a nurse, and a handyman collaborate to support aging in place (Szanton & Bonner, 2022). Inspired by this, I called my fellow community member—an electrician by trade and carpenter by hobby—to discuss my ideas and the feasibility of these modifications. He was immediately on board. Since then, we have been meeting weekly to address different aspects of camp incrementally. We have created accessibility feedback forms, compiled extensive lists of modifications, and even drafted a letter of medical necessity to justify the professional installation of grab bars.
We recognize that our newly formed accessibility team consists of two typical individuals. While we can do our best to create modifications, we ultimately need input from experts with lived experience of disability. Our vision is to expand the team to include more community members. We have begun recruiting and actively seeking feedback to make more informed and individualized modifications across all aspects of camp life—from eating and communication to mobility, sleeping, bathing, and beyond.
This project has reinvigorated my love for the profession I have chosen and challenged myself to apply what I have learned in the classroom to real-life accessibility issues. I am deeply thankful to my community for entrusting me with this operation, as well as for my USC professors, particularly Marisa Hernandez Moore, OTD, OTR/L, PAM; and Arameh Anvarizadeh, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA, for their guidance and support. Now that I have brought my OT goggles to camp, they are permanently on my packing list every summer. They will serve me well as we continue striving to make our community and the space we share more accessible and inclusive.
The Ashmere Project:
Learn more about the Ashmere Project by visiting our website at https://www.ashmereproject.org/. If reading this article sparked your interest in experiencing transfers, AAC systems, and diet modifications in a less medicalized setting outside of OT school, we are always looking for passionate volunteers to join our community. Visit https://www.ashmereproject.org/get-involved to learn more!
Bailey Inglis is a second-year e-OTD student at the University of Southern California. While she entered OT school with the intention of working with individuals with cerebral palsy, both her camp and school experiences have taught her the joy of working with all populations. In her free time she enjoys running, hiking, skiing, and any activity that allows her to be outside.
Reference
Szanton, S. L., & Bonner, A. (2022). Public health nursing and older adults: The CAPABLE model. American Journal of Public Health, 112(S3). https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2022.306894