1. Introduction to community and social engagement
What is community and social engagement?
Community and social engagement describe a person’s participation in the activities of a community or social group.
Some common examples include:
- recreation or leisure activities such as hiking, swimming, playing chess, dancing etc
- social participation in festivals, religious activities, community events etc
- modified sport
The diagram below provides a quick recap of the factors that may affect a person’s ability to engage in community and social activities.
Personal factors
The following examples demonstrate how an individual’s engagement in community and social activities can be influenced by a range of personal factors, including a person’s body functions, the health conditions they have, as well as their belief
in being able to participate in the activities.
- Health conditions
The following are examples of health conditions that can affect a person’s engagement in community and social activities.
- Osteoarthritis
- Stroke
- Lower limb amputation
- Fractures/Trauma related injuries
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Low Back Pain
- Heart failure
- Dementia
- Limitations in functioning associated with old age
- Body functions (eg. mobility, strength, joint movement, cognition, vision)
A person’s ability to move, muscle strength, joint movement as well as their thinking skills and ability to see play a very important role in their ability to engage in community and social activities such as recreation or leisure activities and sport. For example,
An individual requires muscle strength and mobility to hold a paint brush for painting, ride a bicycle, swim or go on a hike. Similarly, having good vision enables a person whose leisure activity is reading to do so. The ability to pay attention, sequence tasks, and recognize risks and avoid injuries is also very important during recreation, leisure activities and sport such as horseback riding, skating and tennis.
- Confidence in their abilities
A major factor influencing a person’s engagement in community and social activities is their beliefs and insight into their own strengths and limitations. For example, a person with mobility difficulties who believes that with rehabilitation, they can access the community center with a walking aid is more likely to succeed. However, if a person with impaired vision does not believe that they require rehabilitation to practice how to identify landmarks when navigating a new location, they are more likely to experience a fall or collision with objects.
How the environment affects community and social engagement
The following are examples of how a person’s physical and social environment, as well as their access to assistive products, can influence their ability to engage in community and social activities.
- Home environment
If a person’s leisure activity is meditation, they may require a quiet home environment to enable them to engage in that activity. Similarly, a person who enjoys going for a walk or riding the bicycle around the compound of their home may be at risk of falls if the compound is rocky or rough.
- Family and community
Family members, friends and community members (paid or volunteer) can assist with community and social engagement by either helping the person access a public event or attend community activities.
For example, a family, friend or community member may accompany the person when they go to a community or social event such as a wedding or festival to help them climb stairs if they are unable to, to explain the event if they have visual
impairment or to sign for the person if they have a hearing impairment.
- Assistive products
Walking aids such as canes or walking sticks can help a person go for a walk or attend a community meeting. Crutches can be used to play amputee soccer while wheelchairs can be used to play wheelchair basketball or wheelchair tennis.
Portable ramps can help a person access a building with stairs. Orthoses such as an ankle-foot orthoses as well as therapeutic foot wear can improve a person’s mobility and joint movement enabling them to easily move around in the community. Communication books and boards when carried around in the community or to social events also facilitate easy communication with other people.
Question
Remember Maria?
Maria has multiple sclerosis, a long-term health condition. Prior to her diagnosis, Maria who loves to read would go to the community library to read or borrow books. Currently, she is unable to do so because she cannot fully move her legs and does not have full control of her bladder.
Maria practices her gentle muscle pumping exercises to prevent her legs from swelling and a blood clot from forming in her legs. Maria also has been taught how to manage the fluids she takes in and also uses absorbent cloths to prevent her clothes from getting wet with urine.
Maria who experiences urinary incontinence often now has the confidence to go out with her mother. Her family has purchased a wheelchair for her which she uses with assistance from her mother. The community has also constructed a ramp for easy access to the community library.
Question:
What are the factors in Maria’s personal life and environment that have helped improve his engagement in community and social activities?
Remember Sai?
Sai has cerebral palsy which affects his movement and speech. Growing up,
Sai lacked confidence and usually felt lonely because he was unable to play
with his friends or attend school.
Sai has been receiving muscle strengthening
and gait training exercises. He has also been taught how to use gestures,
writing and a communication board to communicate while receiving speech
training.
Sai who believed he could be mobile and fully participated in his rehabilitation can now walk with the help of elbow crutches and ankle foot orthoses. He is able to attend and participate in school.
Question:
What are the factors in Sai’s personal life and environment that have helped improve his engagement in community and social activities?
Remember Hugo?
Hugo had an accident and has had a surgery on his left knee in a specialized health facility.
Due to financial constraints, Hugo continued his rehabilitation at the local health clinic which has a primary care doctor and a nurse.
At his first appointment at the local health clinic, the doctor noticed that Hugo was unsteady with poor balance and was being supported to walk by two family members. Hugo explained that he was finding it hard to walk and had difficulty moving to the toilet and the bathroom. He also mentioned that there was an upcoming musical concert which he would love to attend with his friends. Hugo was confident that with rehabilitation, he would be able to attend the concert.
The doctor began by showing Hugo simple exercises he could practice at home. He also provided Hugo with assistive products to help him move about, including crutches and a splint for his knee. The doctor also collaborated with the nurse for Hugo’s follow up care and worked with Hugo on how to attend the musical concert with his friends.
During a follow up appointment at the clinic, Hugo met the nurse who worked at the local health clinic. She taught Hugo exercises to improve his functioning. He was excited that he had been able to attend the musical concert.
Hugo can now move about on his own and does not need family members to carry him.
Question:
What are the factors in Hugo’s personal life and environment that have helped improve his engagement in community and social activities?
You have completed Lesson one!
If you have any questions or comments, post them on the discussion forum.
