Student Blog
What are OS/OT?

Older Driver Safety Awareness Week ⟩
December 3, 2012, by Paula

What are OS/OT?

December 3-7th, 2012 is AOTA’s Older Driver Safety Awareness Week! Driving rehabilitation is a common area of practice for OTs and can include identification of unique challenges and strategies to improve safety well as analysis of the role that driving plays in someone’s life. The goal of this week is to advocate for older adults who still are driving and to educate everyone of the important relationship between access to transportation and active participation in one’s community. Mobility allows one to remain active, involved, motivated and confident in their abilities. This in turn helps improve well-being and reduces the barriers which are often imposed upon this age group due to stigma. We all realize that certain changes take place as we age and it is important to keep in mind that these changes are normal and that they will eventually happen to each of us. I encourage you all to be mindful and to help educate on the importance of driving safety instead of drawing assumptions solely based on someone’s age.

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Last Session ⟩
November 30, 2012, by Ricky

Fieldwork What are OS/OT?

My last day of fieldwork was this past Wednesday. For those of you who caught my post, “First Session,” from a few weeks back, I have continued to work with the same child. Fortunately, things have become so much easier. I’m learning to adapt, on the spot, to meet the child’s unique needs and interests on the given day — always focusing on goals and functional performance, of course. Things are much less awkward, but I still get nervous and feel unprepared before each session. My fieldwork educator has been very supportive and reassures that she still feels unprepared at times. And really, things always end up going a lot better than expected. It’s only been a few weeks, but I definitely see improvement in both my client and my therapeutic self. I’m learning to appreciate that patience is a very strong/important trait for me. My client would become easily frustrated and tantrum. Keeping a cool head and providing simple cues, very calmly and soothingly, really helped me cultivate an environment of tranquility for everyone. I’m happy to report that tantrums ceased after the first few sessions and that my client has become more tolerating of certain situations. Further, now that I am more comfortable, I have become more playful — and as I become more playful, I become more comfortable (oh what a terrible vicious cycle, haha!). I’m really grateful for this experience, and especially grateful to my client and his parents for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to practice being an OT . . . and for letting me sing. 😊

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A Weekend Away ⟩
November 27, 2012, by Paula

School/Life Balance What are OS/OT?

Last weekend, I was able to take a break from the normal school and work schedule and go to one of my favorite places: San Luis Obispo. The weekend was so refreshing being able to engage in some of my most valued occupations and spend time with family and friends. I went to my favorite coffee shop and worked on letters for family and friends (this is a lost art, I encourage you each to try writing letters again — they are so much more personal than emails and texts 😉), was able to share special dinners with close friends, hiked some of the most beautiful coastal lines I have seen and was able to just relax in the presence of loved ones.

While I was there, I was also able to spend time with the family who first introduced me to Occupational Therapy. When I was in college, I took a part time job taking care of a little boy who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). SMA is a neuromuscular disease which specifically involves the individual’s motor neuron function and results in muscle weakness and atrophy. Seeing the effect that occupational therapy services had on the little guy’s physical health and overall self efficacy was incredible to me and so I started volunteering at the outpatient clinic where he had his appointments. This family has become family to me and I am inspired by the experiences and frustrations I have shared with them in the struggles to receive necessary services and equipment. The thing is, this is a family full of innovative OTs. They are constantly modifying the environment to be more comfortable, accessible and supportive of their son’s success in the world. Despite the frustrations, they continue to keep a positive attitude and use the opportunities they have to educate care providers and other families of the approaches that work for them in caring for their child and allowing him to be a kid, regardless of the label of disability which is often placed on him. Currently, this little guy’s goals are to convince Santa to bring him a dog and a Wii U gaming system for Christmas.  😊 Read more about SMA.

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Last day of fieldwork ⟩
November 27, 2012, by Alisa

Fieldwork What are OS/OT?

I had just finished my last Level I fieldwork. The last day we bought the staff donuts, and all was good. As I reflect on my fieldwork experience, some of the highlights were helping to create a gratitude tree and helping clients and staff to reflect on what they are thankful, coordinating The Price is Right trip as a fundraiser for the organization, and helping clients create resume. There is no doubt that a resume is important; we are often judged by what’s on paper even before we get a chance at an interview. I feel that I’ve empowered my clients to believe in themselves, identify their strengths and work experience, and pretty much sell themselves on paper. Some of clients that I worked with told me: “I’m going to go home and frame the resume” and “I want ten copies of the resume, and I’m gonna post them up everywhere.” I could tell that I’ve helped them achieve a certain level of satisfaction and to be able to have a physical copy of our work gave it more meaning to them. Their hard work have amounted to something tangible, my present to them.

At first I wasn’t sure where I would fit it to the setting since there are no occupational therapists at the site, but as time passed by, I learned to be helpful and take more initiative. I didn’t mind being a generalist, helping out around the office and mingling with clients in the lounge. There’s something about hearing people stories that fascinate me. I am helping them engage in occupational storytelling, reflecting on their past and current occupations, in order to better understand and help them create a new occupational identity. Specifically to this site, clients are working toward education/employment. Occupational therapists can work with this population in order to facilitate that, and I feel that I’ve learned a lot from this site. It has made me better understand the client population, who has a diagnosis of mental health disorder and substance abuse disorder, and feel more equipped to work with them. I could see myself working in mental health. What about you? Which population do you see yourself working with?

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The Diversity of Occupational Therapy ⟩
November 19, 2012, by Amber

What are OS/OT?

Today in my Health Promotion and Wellness class we had a guest lecture from Alix Sleight, a doctoral program resident at our faculty practice. She has focused her studies on the role of occupational therapists in hospice care. Hospice is care that is designed to support patients and their families at the end of life. Care can be provided in the patient’s home, at a freestanding facility, or in a hospital unit. It was very interesting to hear about this type of care, as there are not many occupational therapists currently working in this area of practice. As part of an interdisciplinary team, an occupational therapist can help the patient by affirming life (maintaining independence and comfort) and preparing for death (wrapping up affairs, mending relationships). Interventions can include coping strategies for decline, stress and anxiety management, energy conservation, adaptive equipment, environmental modifications, caregiver education, advocacy, to name a few. Alix did a wonderful job addressing spirituality and the importance of addressing this topic with our patients. The majority of hospice patients are older adults, so the lecture was of particular interest to me. The practice area I’m most interested in is geriatrics, so it was wonderful to learn about this critical period in their lives and how I can help facilitate a peaceful transition.

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