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About Study Course

Credit points / ECTS:4.67 / 7
Course supervisor:Liene Saukuma
Study type:Full time
Course level:Bachelor
Target audience:Medical Services; Rehabilitation
Language:Latvian
Study course descriptionFull description, Full time
Branch of science:Clinical Medicine; Health Care

Objective

Gain knowledge on the concept of disability and its development, types of disability, and support measures to alleviate the effects of disability, to promote students' personal understanding and attitude towards people with limited functional abilities.

Prerequisites

Medical ethics, general human rights.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge

As a result of learning the study course, the student will be able to:
• explain how society's attitude towards disability has changed from ancient times to the present day;
• explain the development of the concept of disability using the medical and social model;
• name the types of disability and describe the most frequent barriers caused by disability;
• describe the environment and how the environment affects the performance of the activity, explain the concepts characterizing the interaction between the individual and the environment - accessibility, suitability and Universal design;
• to recognize and describe the facilitating and hindering factors in the individual's environment;
• list the main standards and aspects of environmental accessibility for persons with various functional limitations;
• name the groups and types of assistive technologies according to the ISO classification, describe the general purposes of using technical aids, explain the basic principles of choosing and applying technical aids.

Skills

After completing the course students will be able to:
• discuss the problems of integration of people with disability in Latvia;
• plan necessary support measures to prevent disability and/or diminish its effect on participation for particular person with functional limitations;
• briefly describe the main disability mitigation policies in Latvia;
• to identify the barriers of the physical environment that prevent the performance of the activity, independently using the environmental assessment methods learned in the course;
• analyze the barriers of the physical environment in relation to the limitations of the person's functioning;
• recommend the necessary adaptations in the environment in accordance with functioning impairments and environmental accessibility standards;
• demonstrate aspects of the use and adaptation of commonly used self-care and mobility aids.

Competence

Students will be able to argue a personal understanding and attitude towards people with limited functional capabilities in order to establish positive therapeutic relations in occupational therapy practice.
The student will be able to practically use and apply the acquired knowledge and skills in environmental assessment and adaptation in the occupational therapy process.

Study course planning

Planning period:Year 2024, Autumn semester
Study programmeStudy semesterProgram levelStudy course categoryLecturersSchedule
Occupational Therapy, RFE1Bachelor’sRequiredLiene Saukuma, Ieva Jēkabsone
Planning period:Year 2025, Spring semester
Study programmeStudy semesterProgram levelStudy course categoryLecturersSchedule
Occupational Therapy, RFE2Bachelor’sRequiredLiene Saukuma, Diāna Čunčule, Ināra Lomonovska, Ieva Jēkabsone, Toms Bērants