Thursday 17 May 2012

Online communities


Let the post begin!

Stroke patients were a common site in my first placement. I have looked into three communities for those with stroke.

Stroke survivor blog
The introduction to this blog sums up its purpose. “The purpose of this blog is to share how a stroke affected our lives, and how through our stroke recovery experience, stroke survivors, stroke victims, caregivers and others might find peace, hope and encouragement ”. Looking through this site, I have found it a great source of information’s around strokes. IT shows a individuals experience of stroke and how it impacted on the person and the family. There are over 350 comments on this blog with people sharing their stories and offering their support to one another. This blog give good insight into how stroke impact on your life and all other relevant information around strokes.

Why would people choose to contribute to this community?
Stroke survivor blog allows people to come together over the topic of stroke and share their experiences and advice. It is not directed at just the stroke patients themselves but is also directed to the family and what they go through too. People would contribute to this community as it is directed at both the stroke individual and the family. It offers ways of dealing with problems through others experiences.

How is information shared?
It is shared much the same as I am sharing with you now. The information is sent out in posts and people comment on it showing their support, understanding and experience with each other.

Stroke Foundation New Zealand Inc.
This online community is the organization known as the stroke foundation; it aims at reducing the incidence of stroke and improving the outcome of individuals with stroke by providing information and advice around services available. It is also a non profit organization. Looking on the site, it promotes the awareness of stroke and research into health outcomes! The webiste allows individual interaction with the site through the access to support groups, linking to other websites related to stroke and even gives you an option of making a donation or if you are really keen becoming a sponsor.

Why would people to choose to contribute to this community?
It is a very well known community and often people are referred to this website to gain a better understanding of all aspects of stroke. Being apart of this community allows individuals to keep up to date with what is being done in the stroke community- such as different approaches to rehabilitation and the promotion of better heatlh outcomes.

How is information shared?
The website offers a latest news feed for those who are within this community to see what is new on the site. Individuals in the community cannot make direct comments on the page like the pervious mentioned community could. But, there are numbers to call and people to email to receive more information. In a sense it is quite a closed community.

Stroke recovery blog
Here is another blogging community. It is aimed to help those who have had a stroke and provide some support. It offers advice on equipment that enhances peoples abilities in everyday occupations. It has links to other blogs and communities around strokes.

Why would people to choose to contribute to this community?
This community allows people to share their experiences with stroke much like the first community. It provides a basis for looking into similar communities. It provides information around the technology and research around stroke. Those who participate in the blog can share their experiences and knowledge both as a patient and affected family members. People will come to this community to seek information and education. It can be used to edcucate and inform oneself on issues around stroke.

How is information shared?
Information is shared through blog form. The community can contribute to the blog through comments and asking/answering questions.

INTERMISSION
Please feel free to take a 2 minute break to watch this video about a tetraplegic woman who used thought to control a robotic arm!! or do whatever else you do in intermissions!
INTERMISSION END.
Part Two.

How do these webiste relate to occupational transition and deprivation?
In my video post, I covered occupational deprivation.  To refresh your memories, Occupatoinal deprivation refers to a state of exclusion from engaging in certain occupationsl due to external factors that are out of control of the individual (Christiansen and Townsend, 2010)
Occupation transition is a new term on my blog. A quote from Christiansen and Townsend (2010) states that is is “ Circumstances creating a change in the nature or type of occupational engagement pursued by or available to an individual. Such transitions may be the result of choice, changes in physical or mental status, life transitions, geographical change, geopolitical strife, or other factors” (pg 421)

The two blogs Stroke recovery blog and the Stroke survivor blog relate to occupational deprivation in the sense that they share stories around their experience around it to eachother on the blogs. It allows them a chance to express themselves in a like minded community and can open up opportunities for others in the community to express their similar experiences or their knowledge around it.
In a different view, members of these communities may be older and lack the specific knowledge to use a computer/search engine resulting in occupational deprivation for them in the sense of these online communities being inaccessible to them.

Both the stroke recover and stroke survivor blogs have aspects of occupational transition. They have information on the transition of pre stroke to post stroke in individuals. They inform individuals of the changes that occur and how this can impact them. It give individuals a place to go to converse with others about their experiences of their transitions, which can make transitioning an easier process due to support.

Ethical issues
With writing on blogs, that information becomes useable to anyone who has access to the blog. There is also a chance that others can copy what you publish on blogs without your permission and used in ways you did not intend it to be.
Also with blogging and websites, it is important to understand that not all the information posted is correct. It can be very much up to the subjective sway of the writer. It is always important to consult doctors and professionals before taking on treatment ideas that can sometimes be suggested in online communities, as the doctor is the expert.

Benefits and limitations compared to traditional geographical communities.
Benefits:
An obvious benefit of being connected through online communities is the access to information an knowledge via a very easy portal; the computer. In some places geographical support may not be easy to access.
It provides the means to express yourself and connect with others through written form. This allows those who have difficulty getting on with people or communicating an equal opportunity to participate. Also with the the lack of face to face it can lead to the online community being more free of judgement that can occur in geographical communities.
Those who cannot leave their home will still have access to support through online communities.
Limitations:
The information on the blogs is open to the subjectivity of the writers, in a geographical community support group there is more likely to be a deeper justification around the services they offer. On the websites people can suggest ideas but it does not mean they will work or are recommended.
Meeting with people and being able to share a conversation in real time with someone can be very beneficial. The use of just online communities can reduce this as no human interaction is required.
As previously mentioned another limitation is around access to and knowledge around using an online community. In a geographical support group you can show up and become part of a community relatively easier.

Fin.

Woopsies not fin..

References:
Christiansen, C. H., & Townsend, E. A. (2010). Introduction to Occupation (2 ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.

FIN.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing the video on neuroscience and robotics Hannah. Absolutely fascinating! I can understand how this technology might work for people who have lost limbs, but for the lady in the video would the robotic arm be fitted to her wheelchair do you think?

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  2. I am not sure if the technology is at the point where it can be mobile (due to the box attached to the chip sticking out her head). They think that this breakthrough may lead to the use of multiple chips in the body communicating with each other to initiate muscle movement, so that goes beyond just creating robotic limbs. But early days yet!

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  3. What a fantastic video on the tetraplegic woman who used thought to control a robotic arm. It is amazing to think that this kind of technology has been developed. Do you have any more information on this?

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