Sunday, August 21, 2011
Patience
I want to talk about patience for a minute since it has come up a few times regarding the work I do. Several people lately have told me, surprisingly, how much patience I have to work with people with special needs- whether they are physical or cognitive deficits. First, I want to say that patience is a skill I learned over time. As a young person in my 20s I don't think anyone that spent any time with me could say I was patient. Quite the opposite really. However, over time starting with my work in massage therapy, I started to become more compassionate towards people in pain. I know what real pain feels like having scoliosis and feel I could relate to other people in pain. Secondly, by going to school and learning about different diagnoses I came to understand various predicaments of the human condition. I first noticed this aspect of learned patience when I was studying mental health and was in line at the grocery store. Someone was taking an extra long time to get their stuff together. Normally, I would have started to stamper becoming impatient with each passing minute. This time I found myself thinking to myself, what if this person has a mental illness or a brain injury (a condition that is not outwardly visible) and struggles with organization. Thirdly, as I've worked with people I have learned that it really doesn't help any situation to be impatient; it can have the reverse effect by making people stressed out and flustered. Lastly, I will work with someone for 30-75 minutes an then am done. When it comes to a family member or a close friend requiring patience you are with them a lot longer and patience can be a lot more challenging and emotional. When I have a family or friend of a patient say, "you have so much patience!" I remind them not to feel inadequate because it is a very different experience being the therapist.
The end of SNF (for now) and new beginnings
I start back at the schools in about a week. However, I'll be going back to work in the SNF environment per diem (on an as needed basis). The great thing about per diem is that I get to determine how often I want to work there.
My last day at the facility was great. I got to see most of my favorite patients and I ran a successful ice cream group. I did this particular therapeutic activity in my clinic at school with success. Everyone was surprised at how easy and fun it is to make ice cream. I think food tastes that much sweeter when you put a little effort into it. I received a thoughtful gift from one of my patient's daughters. It's a wall hanging about being compassionate and giving, along with a heartfelt card and scented candle. I feel I made a difference in her (the daughter's) life. This work really feels rewarding to me when someone acknowledges the impact that I've had on their life.
It's interesting to work so closely with people. Having worked with adults this summer I have gained better people skills. I can see people's attributes in a more clear way, and quicker than I used to. I used to think that my OT mentor (the person who introduced OT to me, Andrei) had x-ray specs on when it came to reading people. For example, if I felt any certain way he would comment on it. I thought, can he hear my thoughts? What I have come to realize is that people have common facial expressions and body language that indicate various emotions. This, combined with careful questioning and vocal tone can give a lot of important information. As a therapist, I have learned to read all of this information quicker and in more subtle ways. I use this to my advantage when I want someone to do something; by finding what does and does not motivates them and by being considerate of what they may feeling.
New opportunities await in my career that I am looking forward to. I got the schools that I was hoping for and hence am very excited to be working with my favorite population of people thus far, preschool age children with special needs. Examples of this are, speech and language impairment, autism, downs syndrome, hard of hearing and deaf, blind, drug-exposed, and genetic impairments. I know that a lot of these have a stigma attached to the diagnosis, so let me state that regardless of the impairment the quality of the person is very much present regardless of the stigmatizing diagnosis.
The other exciting career venture is that I have an opportunity to work in home health. I haven't agreed to anything yet, but a have a job possibility that would involve me going to people's houses and assessing what their OT needs are. It is an area of OT that is often reserved for very skilled and experienced OTs. I am honored that someone I worked with would refer me. It is a setting that feels very real, since the therapist works in the home.
My last day at the facility was great. I got to see most of my favorite patients and I ran a successful ice cream group. I did this particular therapeutic activity in my clinic at school with success. Everyone was surprised at how easy and fun it is to make ice cream. I think food tastes that much sweeter when you put a little effort into it. I received a thoughtful gift from one of my patient's daughters. It's a wall hanging about being compassionate and giving, along with a heartfelt card and scented candle. I feel I made a difference in her (the daughter's) life. This work really feels rewarding to me when someone acknowledges the impact that I've had on their life.
It's interesting to work so closely with people. Having worked with adults this summer I have gained better people skills. I can see people's attributes in a more clear way, and quicker than I used to. I used to think that my OT mentor (the person who introduced OT to me, Andrei) had x-ray specs on when it came to reading people. For example, if I felt any certain way he would comment on it. I thought, can he hear my thoughts? What I have come to realize is that people have common facial expressions and body language that indicate various emotions. This, combined with careful questioning and vocal tone can give a lot of important information. As a therapist, I have learned to read all of this information quicker and in more subtle ways. I use this to my advantage when I want someone to do something; by finding what does and does not motivates them and by being considerate of what they may feeling.
New opportunities await in my career that I am looking forward to. I got the schools that I was hoping for and hence am very excited to be working with my favorite population of people thus far, preschool age children with special needs. Examples of this are, speech and language impairment, autism, downs syndrome, hard of hearing and deaf, blind, drug-exposed, and genetic impairments. I know that a lot of these have a stigma attached to the diagnosis, so let me state that regardless of the impairment the quality of the person is very much present regardless of the stigmatizing diagnosis.
The other exciting career venture is that I have an opportunity to work in home health. I haven't agreed to anything yet, but a have a job possibility that would involve me going to people's houses and assessing what their OT needs are. It is an area of OT that is often reserved for very skilled and experienced OTs. I am honored that someone I worked with would refer me. It is a setting that feels very real, since the therapist works in the home.
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