A DAY’S WORK, LLC
Two new Pick Assists for use with 2 hands.
Designed for adult environments.
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Designing and Building Musical Instruments and Adaptive Aids for persons who are. . .
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physically challenged
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developmentally disabled
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manually impaired
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wheelchair bound
and for professionals in
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music education
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music therapy
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special education
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occupational therapy
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elder care
Need to. . .
A Day's Work, LLC has been designing and constructing classroom musical instruments and adaptive equipment for those instruments for over 25 years. A primary focus has been the music therapy professional with particular emphasis on music therapy for children. Our disability aids are equally important for those involved in occupational therapy.
Playing music can be an aid for inclusion for those who are physically challenged, developmentally disabled, manually impaired or wheelchair bound. For children, participating in a music program can be an educational tool that helps in developing skills that can transfer over into other subjects, improving overall learning. Of course, music has proven to be a therapeutic aid for people of all ages, so much of A Day's Work, LLC efforts are very helpful for those in elder care, special education, and music education. While the choice of available instruments is limited to the ability of the player, there are instruments or adaptive aids that can help those with disabilities to enjoy solo musical play or to join in with others.
The easiest instruments for those with special needs tend to be rhythm instruments or chimes. All that`s required for playing such instruments is mobility and control of arm movements and some sense of rhythm. Music students who are capable of holding the chimes by hand for playing will find handheld chime trees an enjoyable instrument. A chime tree is a series of bars made from brass or aluminum that sounds when strummed with a finger. If the student cannot hold the tree, there are chime tree holders or clamps that keep the tree secure and prevent movement when strummed.
Rhythm instruments are also great starter instruments for new musicians. Hollow blocks made from wood produce sounds like a rattle, knocker or shaker, when held by hand and shaken. Other rhythm instruments include a clapping rhythm stick and slap stick. As with the chimes, Velcro® grasping aids are available for use with the rhythm instruments, aiding the musician to hold the instrument securely.
With a pick assist, stringed musical instruments are more easily used by those having manual impairments. Those who have difficulty grasping the picks used for instruments such as guitars can attach a pick to a pick assist handle, providing a much larger surface to hold onto than the pick itself. It's even possible to attach a Velcro® loop to the pick assist to help stabilize the grip and give the user more control over pick movement. With the pick assist, players can concentrate more on the strings of the instruments to choose a note to play, rather than in grasping the pick. These handles come in three lengths, designed to hold differently sized picks and at different angles.
Another instrument that is possible to play with some assistance is the recorder. With a securing device, a recorder can be set into a stable position so that the musician only need worry about finger positions over the open holes of the instrument to select the note desired for play. The securing device allows the user to select the height of the instrument, its distance from the player and the angle of tilt toward the player. This places the recorder exactly where needed for the best placement of the player's fingers and mouth.
With adaptive equipment and specially designed instruments the world of music is more inclusive than ever, especially with children who are being mainstreamed into the traditional educational system as much as possible.
WOODWORKING PLANS
for
DOLL CRADLE
CHILD'S DOUBLE FACED EASEL
TOY BOX/BOOT BENCH
MADE IN usa
IN OCALA, fLORIDA
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