What Is Occupational Therapy (OT) Anyway?

Due to a bout of the flu, I was unable to post this entry last week. Anyway, I feel much better now! I hope you're enjoying my posts. Not only do I convey my personal experiences about my journey to becoming an OT, I wish to share useful information about OT as well. This post is perfect for you to read if you want more information about this profession. Here goes!

When I first began telling people that I wanted to become an occupational therapist, they would often ask "What is OT?" I get asked this question a lot, so I try to explain it in my own words. Basically, OT enables people (from all walks of life) to live their lives to their fullest. They work on completing everyday activities that they need and want to do (e.g., brushing teeth, going to work, dancing, etc.) to the best of their abilities... while maintaining the most of their independence.

Some commonly asked questions:

1. Do OTs help people find employment?

2. Is OT similar to PT?

3. Do OTs focus on upper extremities (upper limbs) and PTs lower extremities (lower limbs)? 

My Answers (in my own words!):

1. OTs who work in mental health settings do assist their clients in finding employment. However, OTs analyze which aspect(s) of the task that their client has difficulty with... and then they work together so the client can obtain the necessary skills to find employment.

2. OTs and PTs may do similar things during the therapy session, especially in hospital and clinical settings. The OT and PT usually work closely together with the patient to ensure that they focus on different goals... and to prevent duplication of services.

3. OTs and PTs work with both upper and lower limbs. However, treatment goals would differ. For example, the PT tends to focus more on improving a patient's ability to move (e.g., walk with a cane up and down the stairs) while the OT tends to be more focused towards improving a patient's ability to walk with a cane so he can safely travel to and from the bathroom/kitchen/bedroom at home.

Some great YouTube videos you may like to check out:

1. Occupational Therapy

2. Promoting Occupational Therapy

3. Because of Occupational Therapy

Awesome article you may want to read:

Triple Amputee and Occupational Therapist Form Bond of Brothers During Soldier's Recovery

An Uneventful Day... Or Is It?

Today, my friend and I had an interview with our OT supervisor at the VA center, where we will complete our summer fieldwork. The trip up to the Bronx was easier the second time around (I met the same supervisor once since I expected to work there last summer). The interview went well, and we're both so excited to begin in June! If all goes well, I just may want to apply for a job there (or another VA hospital) because I think I enjoy working with Geriatric patients.

School starts in less than a month for me. Yikes! I really should start cracking the books because I want to ace the course this time and prove that I know this stuff like I know the back of my hand. Anyway, I'm optimistic that things will end well this time. Maybe I'll get to make some true OT friends with this year's graduating class. I know that I already made one because we had a nice lunch after our interview. :)

Today, I Openly Declare My Love for OT!

Happy Valentine's Day! Even though I consider this day to be just like any other, I'd like to take the opportunity to share my love with everyone I care about.

I know that some of you may not have a "designated" Valentine, but that shouldn't get you down. V-Day really shouldn't be about the candy, flowers, or other material stuff. What's important is realizing that we're lucky to have people to love... and we're even luckier when we know that we're loved as well. Got no plans tonight? Perhaps, you'll have more fun getting dressed and "painting the town red" or doing whatever makes you happy with a few friends than staying home by yourself.

Anyway, I'd like to talk about why I love OT. This profession is a bit hard to define, but it looks at the whole picture, always putting the person before the disability or clinical condition s/he has. I like that I get to learn about what people find meaningful in their lives and what prevents them from carrying out the activities they do everyday, and working with them to achieve their goals.

OT enables me to work with all age groups in a wide variety of settings, to be creative during the therapeutic process, and to make a positive impact on the lives of those who I work with. A big plus is that nearly all the OTs I have spoken to, love what they do. In a nutshell, I strongly believe that I'll still be happy as an OT 30 years later.

PS: This evening, I just participated in the One Billion Rising Flash Mob in Union Square, where we danced the Macarena. It was cool getting together for a cause we believed in fighting for: ending violence against women worldwide. Check out the video of us dancing on YouTube: One Billion Rising V-Day's FlashMob Feb. 14, 2013 Union Square NYC

Lunar New Year, Culture, and OT

Happy Lunar New Year of the Snake! I celebrated with my family by eating nian gao (rice cakes) and other delicious food. Hmm, let's hope the hiss of this year's snake turns out to be worse than its bite. I'm just glad that the year of the Dragon is over because I got burned pretty badly, and it took a long time for my wounds to heal. Nevertheless, I'm expecting big things to happen soon!! :)

Speaking of the Lunar New Year... I want to talk a little about culture. Last year, I remember talking about Chinese Astrology during Cultural Diversity, my very first OT elective. We had to bring one specific item that represented our culture to class for "show-and-tell," I couldn't decide what to bring, so I ended up bringing three items: 1) chopsticks, 2) a red envelope, and 3) the little book on Chinese Astrology.

A classmate brought his red envelope and spoke about it, so the Chinese Astrology book came in handy. I explained that astrology was important in my culture because they would use this to interpret their lives. They would use the person's date of birth to determine auspicious times to marry, give birth, or make other major life decisions. Also, I spoke about Yin (dark) and Yang (light), the five elements, and the 12 Chinese Zodiac animal signs and how each had its set of attributes.

I was born in the year of the Rat, the first animal of the Chinese Zodiac. The Rat is a Yang animal, and its main element is water. Some positive attributes which apply to me are: intelligent, passionate, and practical. However, my negative attributes are: quick-tempered, nit-picky, and overly-ambitious at times.

Anyway, Cultural Diversity was one of my favorite electives. I enjoyed learning more about my other classmates' cultures, and that brought us closer together. In the OT world, it's so important to respect our colleagues and patients' cultural differences. Once we manage to get past the language barriers and understand various cultural boundaries (what is considered to be un/acceptable),  we are taking one step closer to establishing positive working relationships.

I believe that we would be happier if we learned how to truly embrace our differences and celebrate the incredibly diverse world we live in.

Fresh Start... Loading Up My Plate

Right now, I'm still tutoring but not as much as I had a month ago. I'm devoting my time to my studies. I was supposed to begin my ten-week Pediatrics Level II fieldwork during the second week of January, but my supervisor was in an accident. She will be fine, but she won't be working for awhile. I may do this after my Physical Disabilities fieldwork this summer. 

So far, this is what I have on my agenda for my Spring 2013 semester:

Electives: Integrative OT (retaking this elective), Narrative Medicine, Reach to Grasp After Stroke

Course: Physical Disabilities II (after Spring Break)

Volunteer work: HOPE Street Survey, Food pantry at Church of the Village, Bottomless Closet

Other work: Preparing for the NBCOT* exam (I want to take it immediately upon completion of my Pediatrics fieldwork), Tutoring

Personal: Hitting the gym, enjoying my free time with family and friends, Updating this blog at least once a month :)

                                        

*NBCOT: National Board for Certification in OT