Introduction
The care for a disabled person is a challenge, especially when this person is a teenager. Due to emotional and psychological instability, this category of disabled people requires special attention from the caregiver. Such a case is explicitly demonstrated in the movie The Fundamentals of Caring, and it provides the practical implementation of the existing theories in terms of dealing with the condition of a young person.
Description of the Case
The main character, Trevor, is suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy and requires special care provided by a specialist. This condition affects his muscles, making them weaker over time, and is mostly inherited (Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 2020). Moreover, muscular dystrophy is a typically male disease as women can only be its carriers (Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 2020). Due to his condition, Trevor has to use a wheelchair and lead a completely inactive way of life.
This disease does not impose any social restrictions, and, in the case of the character, the lack of social participation is conditioned by his attitude. Therefore, for such a patient as Trevor with limited body functions, it would be necessary to find a method to involve him in some social activities (Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 2020). As for essential environmental factors that have an impact on the patient, his attitude to his physical condition defines the low quality of life.
Overview of the Movie
In the movie, a retired writer named Ben becomes Trevor’s caregiver. Due to the negative perception of his disease by Trevor, it was not easy for the two people to find a way to communicate. However, Ben overcomes this challenge and comes up with a brilliant idea to introduce his patient to the world in order to make him live his life to the fullest (The Fundamentals of Caring, 2016). Trevor’s mother allows them to take the journey, and they start off by visiting numerous attractions as well as Ben’s family.
Despite the tragic nature of the situation, Ben and Trevor manage to cooperate in order to find solutions to their communication issues. In the process, they find new friends who join them in their travel. The main idea of the movie is the necessity to be able to heal oneself and help others in order to make life exciting and active (The Fundamentals of Caring, 2016). For this, Trevor, as well as the other characters, needs to develop various skills such as patience, empathy, and the ability to understand people.
Theories Covered in the Movie
The main theory covered in the movie The Fundamentals of Caring is the inclusion practice for all disabled people, regardless of their age. Even though this theory is most useful in terms of children, its practical implementation can be expanded to all categories of patients. It can be of help for those disabled teenagers, who, like Trevor, do not have a desire to communicate at all and thereby worsen their condition by adding depression to the list of issues (Berghs et al., 2016). Encouraging patients with a disability to interact with other people is a good option in terms of finding their place in society.
The objective of inclusion is to show the patient that he can perform the same everyday activities as his peers. However, the successful implementation of such a policy is more efficient in combination with the model of human rights and a social model approach promoting independent living (Berghs et al., 2016). In the movie, Ben became a person who managed to make Trevor a more active participant in society by encouraging him to travel and see new places. His actions represent an example of creating a specific policy for a patient to accept his condition and learn to live with it. Hence, the principles and models mentioned above are the best possible options for the treatment of patients like Trevor.
Leisure Interventions
The implementation of the theory is directly connected to the organization of leisure time for becoming more active in life. Therefore, Ben and Trevor benefit from the visits to tourist attractions and meeting new people on the way. In the beginning, it was a challenge for Ben as a caregiver, but he managed to find a way to instill the new rules for his patient. The therapeutic benefit of such actions for Trevor is evident. In fact, he begins to live his life instead of sitting at home on his own and refusing to enjoy the experiences available to him.
However, in the case of Trevor, who cannot move without a wheelchair, specific adaptations are required. They included the persuasion skills of Ben, whose task was to demonstrate the obvious benefits of his plan to Trevor’s mother as well as convince Trevor to join him on the journey. Another adaptation was in the choice of places the patient can visit without receiving the feeling of being unable to perform necessary actions. All in all, the implementation of the plan was a success for both the main characters in the movie.
Conclusion
The movie Fundamentals of Care provides an excellent example of treatment for such a condition as muscular dystrophy. Its essential lesson lies in the necessity to take measures in order to maintain the ordinary life course for disabled people. The activities, which such a person can perform, are the best possible way to demonstrate the available degree of independence and inspire the belief in his or her abilities allowing to have an exciting life.
Reference List
Berghs, M.J., Atkin, K.M., Graham, H.M., Hatton, C. and Thomas, C. (2016) ‘Scoping models and theories of disability’, in Implications for public health research of models and theories of disability: a scoping study and evidence synthesis. Southampton (UK): NIHR Journals Library. Web.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (2020). Web.
The Fundamentals of Caring (2016) Directed by Rob Burnett [Film]. Atlanta, Georgia, USA: Levantine Films, Worldwide Pants.