A Tad more on everything!

We went up to our house in Clyde for a few days, so to say the least, it was a new/old experience because that is where our dishwasher lives –the automatic version, not the manual version.  When the time came to do the dishes, our whole routine was put out.  Our individual jobs that had been tried and true were in jeopardy just because of this piece of equipment.  What has happened to me? In my previous blogs I bemoaned the whole washing up thing, now I’m faced with an appliance that will not only wash properly (with no derogatory comments on the quality of the usual dishwasher) but dry properly too.  This made me think how quickly everything I’ve written about can change.  My need to communicate with my husband has changed.  There is no longer a need for both of us to do the dishes while at this house; to load the dishwasher only takes one person – what was I going to do?  Does this piece of equipment completely change the whole affordance thing?  Has this piece of equipment made us redundant?  Will we be forever consigned to never communicating over this most basic of tasks?  Well to answer that I would have to say yes – but only for the 4 days we were at the house.  We are back now in our little house in Dunedin, with no automatic dishwasher, just my trusty manual version and I have to say I am pleased to be back, and look forward to many conversations with my husband about how each of our days went.

Reference List:

Creek, J & Lawson-Porter. (Eds). (2007) Contempory issues in occupational therapy. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Crepeau, E.B. (1991). Achieving intersubjective understanding: Examples from an occuaptional therapy treatment session. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 44, 311-317.

Green, T. F. (1968) Work, leisure and The American schools. New York: Random House.

Klein, N. (2000).No logo: Taking aim at brand bullies. Canada: Knopf.

Meredith, G.L. (1935).Adventuring in Maoriland in the Seventies. Sydney: Angus & Robertson.

Comments on other blogs
Judith Evans
Dave Armstrong
Matt Janssen
Hannah Sinclair

Needs and Labour

I think we need to change our views on washing-up as I feel it has received a bad reputation.

We seem to run a mile when there is a need to wash the dishes. Our faces take on expressions of abject pain, disgust as if to say, “Why the hell do we have to do them now”, why is this?  Has something been instilled in us from a young age? Do we have bad memories of washing up as children?  Was it one of those tasks given to you as a punishment?  I guess some of had to do the washing up as a punishment so it did leave a sour note. Isn’t  it funny how we consider washing up and many other tasks as ‘drudgery’ with little expectation of job satisfaction?  Maybe we need to think about it all differently. Honestly, if I think about the task too much before I do it, then it just makes things worse.  I have freely admitted in my previous blogs how I do not really enjoy the task but do it out of necessity and my need to catch up with my husband after a day at tech for me and a day grafting over at our other property for him.  This is where we chat about our day.  We have a need to communicate over this basic of tasks. 

I have to admit I would like to wash sometimes instead of dry, and the opportunity arose this morning.  Peter was in the shower and of course, as I have mentioned in previous blogs, the dishes were left over from the night before because of rugby.  Therefore, I set about doing the washing up my way.  I washed orderly, I set my dishes out in little groups, glasses, cups and plates, and the cutlery, ‘a bit of OCD never hurt anybody,’ I said to myself.  I had a need to clean up and create order in my house. I had a need to do the things that I do not generally get to do these days (as I am very well looked after) while I am studying.  Anyway, I was busted while at the sink.  Peter arrived in the kitchen and proceeded to hang over my shoulder as if to say, ’get away from my sink that is my job’.  I really mucked up his routine!

We have come a long way from when washing up and other household chores were considered ‘women’s work’, where gardening etc were considered to be a strictly male domain.  Now males and females work at all manner of tasks.

Meredith (1935, as cited in Leach, 1997) illustrates this when he wrote to his mother about his household experiences as a bachelor in New Zealand in the 1870’s, he said,

               " I have come to the conclusion that there are serious defects in the present system of education; all boys should have to go through a ‘practical course’ instead of being stuffed with a lot of Latin and French" (n.p).

Reference

Meredith, G.L. (1935).Adventuring in Maoriland in the Seventies. Sydney: Angus & Robertson.

Aethetics, Labour, Spirituality, Health and History

Today we discussed aesthetics, spirituality, and health in relation to our chosen activity. Ok let us see what I can talk about concerning washing-up!

Aesthetics

I guess while doing the dishes there is a certain beauty to the colours the bubbles from the dish liquid can make.  All of us at sometime have enjoyed blowing bubbles to see how big we could get them or how long they would last.  Other things that please the senses are the togetherness of the task, particularly if you are doing the task with your nearest and dearest.

Labour

If you work backwards from washing-up you are connected to food, for example the production of it and the labour involved in harvesting and cooking.  Once consumed, the next step is of clearing the scraps from the meal.  Some people may put them in the rubbish; others may put it back into the garden for compost to start the whole process over again. “Labor can be an activity that is done in order to be undone” (Green, 1968 ,np).  Whatever the process, we inevitably end up washing-up.

Spirituality

When there are large gatherings at our house, for example Christmas day, everyone is happy to help wash up.  Generally, there are far too many people in the kitchen standing around the sink, but it does not matter, as it is a wonderful time to share.  Going beyond the mundane task of washing-up can be a part of celebration, community, friends together on an occasion enjoying each other’s company.

Health

The consideration of health is very important in this activity.  Washing up is one of those jobs that have to be done.  If you do not get around to doing, it straight away can lead to an attack of the guilty conscience; it may play on your mind if you happen to be a person who likes life to be orderly. Anything related to the handling of food is important. The alternatives of ill health from unsanitary practices around food handling and washing up should be taken seriously.

My History with Washing up
I can remember getting a tea set when I was little so of course I would mimic my mother and have a tea party with her or my dolls.  I would then insist on doing the washing up.  Mum would set me up with a bowl of soapy water and a dishtowel and I would set about my task.  I enjoyed swishing my hands in the soapy water, looking at the colours and trying to blow bubbles through my fingers.  I doubt whether the tea set was washed but I was having fun.  Then while still living at home with my parents we invariably had to do the washing up after a meal.  I even had a job as a dishwasher when I lived Wanaka.  I can hear you asking why! Back in the late 70’s there was not many jobs in Wanaka so I took a job at the hotel as a matter of survival. I vowed that when I owned my own home I would buy a dishwasher – and I did.  So now, we have done the full circle because while we are living here in our holiday home we will be washing the dishes by hand.

Reference

Green, T. F. (1968) Work, leisure and The American school s. New York: Random House.

Affordances

Affordances  ask s the question ‘What is the likely outcome of this activity’?

Today the dishes were awaiting us from the night before. Of course, we were watching world cup rugby so our usual routine “went out the window” so to speak, when I went to get breakfast for us I decided to ignore them..  After breakfast we went off for a walk and when we got back to the house those dishes were still there!  The dish fairy still had not done them so alas it was up to us to tackle them ourselves.  We both know our positions at the sink.  Him in the sink and me on the “end of a dish towel”.  That used to be a well-used phrase by my mother during my formative years, “Hey while you are standing there, get on the end of a dish towel”, funny what you remember while standing at the sink. 

I think people generally complain when doing the dishes, but it can be a great communicative time.  This very ordinary activity can be very holistic and therapeutic.  A time to share secrets, talk about problems, have arguements, go through the emotions of laughter, crying, anger, and joy.  Everybody has their own way of doing this activity, love it or hate it we put our individual stamp on it.  This could be the way we go about starting the activity.  Some choose to have really hot water, others like lots of detergent.  Some like using dishcloths; others may prefer a dish brush.  Some may wash the cutlery first, others the glassware.  We are individual in our work.  I like this quote “Labour can grind you down with the never-ending cycle of tasks which have to be done over and over, there can be tremendous injustice to it” (Klein, 2000, n.p).

Communication – a time to talk, counsel, argue, make plans, sing, cry or laugh

 I remember a time at our other house, before we had a dishwasher when washing up was the children’s’ jobs.  The conversations we used to have been wonderful.  There were no arguments; they both knew who turn it was to wash or dry is.  We would hear about their day, they would ask advice; it was a true family bonding time.  The youngest child used to stand on a low stool to reach the bench.  He was very serious about his job. 

Moral Properties – good and bad aspects

I guess when taking into account the good and bad aspects of washing up; a chore that has to be done.  Once done you can then get on with the business of living, getting on with other duties necessary around the house or in my case study.  We teach our children how to wash dishes and they will teach theirs.  It is something that is necessary in the day-to-day running of a household.  If you do not wash the dishes there are consequences, you will eventually run out of plates and cutlery.

Action Properties – what’s the story?
Looking back I realise those early days of washing up with the kids was a time to bond, be a role model, teach and learn, pass on stories from our family and lay foundations for new memories for them to think about just as I have now.


image retrieved from http://www.google.co.nz

References: Klein, N. (2000). No logo: Taking aim at brand bullies. Canada: Knopf.

 

A beginners guide to washing- up

Ways of washing-up

If you are lucky you will have a dishwasher – that is the easiest of ways, in my view, or you may have to put a bit of hard work in and wash them by hand, if you do not possess a dishwasher.

Washing up is a necessary job – it has to be done!  You may need the bench space to do something else, so there is no escaping it.  We all have our ways of going about it.  Some of us like to wash and dry others like to wash and leave to air dry on a rack.  This still does not get rid of the problem of space.

What does it mean to me?

Well I cannot say I really enjoy washing up but since Peter does all the cooking, I feel that I should help do the dishes.  I feel guilty sometimes when I really do not feel like doing them, but that is my problem, as he is quite happy to wash and dry them by himself.  When I get over myself, I realise that it is a nice time to talk to him about how our day went because we do not seem to converse much while we are watching television.

How an Occupational Therapist could use this task?

Washing up can give a person as sense of achievement , as it is part of activities of daily living.  Being able to get back to managing a household task like this can have huge therapeutic benefits for a client.  Crepeau (1991)  relates that  "occupations provide meaning and purpose to a persons life".

Practical Considerations

I can easily sustain this activity for at least two hours a week.  I am only around to wash up in the evenings generally but over a week this will be not be a problem.  The only thing stopping me doing this activity is laziness.  It is a good thing that I have a catalyst to get things going – Peter.
Reference
Crepeau, E.B. (1991). Achieving intersubjective understanding: Examples from an occuaptional therapy treatment session. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 44, 311-317.

Welcome to the Ergonomics of Washing-up!

When we are considering ergonomics, we must take into account the environment, activity, and how it fits the person.  Our function as Occupational Therapist is to “constantly make slight invisible adjustments to an activity to adapt to the needs of those taking part and ensure that it continues to work for its intended purpose” (Caulton & Dickson, 2007).

Some of the factors we discussed in class were the relationships between person, activity and environment.  These are some of the factors that I took into consideration for washing-up.

Person

I am competent enough to do this task, but tend to do the drying-up unless I get to the sink first.  As this is our second home, in other words, our bach, we do not have an automatic dishwasher, just a manual one called Peter.  I am very efficient in the task and can generally get through the drying  reasonably fast while multi tasking other jobs in between, for example putting the washing on, clearing the table, watching television from the kitchen

Activity

Washing up has a flow to it, almost a rhythm, assuming that everything goes according to plan that is, and there are no broken dishes.  Time wise washing up doesn’t take long as there is just the two of us therefore not many dishes, also the speed of the task is usually influenced by what’s on television and what work I have to complete for study.  There are no restrictions to doing this task just inclination.  If the inclination is lacking then the dishes lay over until the next day.

Environment

This is a joint task.  The kitchen is nicely appointed with a view to our garden, which is always nice to look at particularly when the flowers are blooming.  There are some distractions particularly when the television or radio is on.  This activity can be done in noise or peace and quiet.  We can choose to talk or not.  Quite nice really.

References

Creek, J & Lawson-Porter. (Eds). (2007) Contempory issues in occupational therapy. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Participation in Occupation 2

Just when we thought it was over.......here we are again!

As part of Participation in Occupation 2 we are reflecting on our experience of engaging in an activity for at least 2 hours a week. To do this we are to write a blog.  I am writing about washing-up and will relate my chosen activity to ergonomics, ambience, affordance, and  practical considerations.   Washing-up comes under the classification of labour.

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