The History of Disabilities
Foundations of Occupation-Centered Practice is one of the classes I am enrolled in on my journey to becoming an OT. During the past few classes we have been discussing the history of how and when OT began, some important legislature dates that have affected how OT's work, and some defining qualities of a great OT. This past class period we had the privilege of listening to Dr. Bruce Keisling speak about the history of disabilities. The presentation he gave was eye-opening to me because we caught only a glimpse of how people with disabilities have been treated in the not-so-distant past. To learn that the states' governments told parents with children who had disabilities to hand them over to the state and go about their lives is startling. Society did not see, what they called at the time, "the feeble-minded," as people or humans. After hearing some of these stories and seeing pictures, it made me wonder why people were so hateful toward...