ot-studentlife-blog
ot-studentlife-blog
Life of an OT student
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ot-studentlife-blog · 7 years ago
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End of a chapter
This is my closing blog for the year after spending a block in the community. One of our aims in the community was advocating to individuals what OT Is and how they can benefit. This seems like an easy task however it proved difficult in the community as we spent many mornings speaking to people from the community without much of a response. This form of advocacy was based on educating the people through talks and pamphlets on OT intervention.
 It is important as an Occupational therapist in the community to advocate on behalf of members of the community by building networks with community members as well as finding a gap or problem in the community. One of our main advocacy projects in the community was a youth empowerment program aimed at promoting education to improve the future wellbeing of the community. This project was established after identifying the problem of an increase in the high school dropout rate as well as unemployment.  The program was implemented through collaboration with the various high schools in the community, forming relationships with key members in the schools and arranging specific days to run the youth empowerment program which included education of tertiary education options, skills based training, study techniques as well as a motivational talk. Students were left with pamphlets and a resource file to access.
What I learnt from this was that individuals are not always going to be receptive. As much as it was a success in terms of execution many of the students were misbehaved and the OT students giving the talks were constantly competing against the school children for their attention and concentration. Advocacy requires patience and determination as improvement will not be seen overnight however its vital to acknowledge that our efforts planted a seed.
while at the clinic one of the health professionals shared his opinion on how he felt bad for the community service therapists as there are not many patients they see. this is something i thought myself as i observed a lack of advocacy and experience by the new community service therapists. Going forward i strive to choose a placement that might be a challenge but at the same time allows me the opportunity to help as many people as possible and advocate for OT.
I close this chapter of my year but i have learnt many valuable lessons that i will take forward into my new chapter and my future as an OT
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ot-studentlife-blog · 7 years ago
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OT in PHC
Primary health care (PHC) is aimed at individuals or families in the community needing initial treatment to enable early diagnosis of illnesses, management and prevention as well. In the community I am based at, the clinic is the primary health care service offered to the community. There is an OT, physiotherapist, doctor, speech therapist and nurses.  
The occupational therapist working in primary health care has an important role of assisting the physician in treatment intervention preventing loss of function. The OT’s role in primary health care is to also provide group education to community members promoting health care and prevention. Pediatric groups take place once a month at the clinic, with the OT running group sessions with Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome. These groups provide knowledge and skills to the mums to better equip them to take care of their children’ needs and help them develop optimally.
The skills of an occupational therapist in health care needs to be varied and broad as the role is not specific to one domain however an OT in a primary health care will see a variety of patients. Example aside from the pediatric groups mentioned above the OT might have to advise a couple for family planning or an old lady with arthritis requiring joint protection principles, a teenager with a drug problem or a carpenter with carpel tunnel syndrome. The scope is endless and not limited to the traditional rehabilitation setting. Due to the vast role and responsibilities the OT is required to have good training in all domains and to be a lifelong learner wanted a challenge and to help people.
It is important that an OT in this setting be able to provide health promotion and prevention to the community members as PHC is the first port of departure that is take when health related problems arise. Being a member of the PHC team is a great responsibility as you are the first ones patients come into contact with and an important role is providing health promotion and prevention. There are many tools that are available in today’s world with a massive expansion in technology. Take for example the recent Listeriosis outbreak. This information was blasted on every media platform available to ensure coverage to all individuals in the country to prevent illness and death. Due to the influx of information everyone in the country knew what was going on and tried to take the necessary precautions to stay safe.
When using media as a tool for health promotion it is important to analyze the targeted audience and to choose accordingly.  Taking the community as an example not everyone has access to the internet, so even though the internet is a health rich resource not everyone has data or wifi rendering in ineffective unless the information can reach the target audience.  However radios are still popular in the community and can be used as a successful health communication tool. “Not only are they cheaper and more readily available in rural areas, their programs can also be adapted to suit local needs in terms of language, culture and values”. (Uniteforsight.org, 2018)
Print media is also another tool that can be used for health promotion in the forms of pamphlets, leaflets, newsletters, newspapers and posters. However they have their own set of barriers as well. Example a pamphlet  at the clinic on OT intervention lays on the counter. Unless someone actively comes and picks it up the knowledge remains untouched.
These are some of the tools that can be used by an OT for health promotion. In order for these tools to be effective it is also essential that the audience be receptive to the message. This is easier said than done thinking back to our attempts at awareness and advocacy at the clinics. Not many people are receptive to the information or help you have to offer. This could be attributed to the fact that OT is still a fairly new discipline however hopefully we planted the seeds that will lead to growth and success tomorrow.
References
Uniteforsight.org. (2018). Health Communication Course: Module 5 - The Role of Media in Health Promotion. [online] Available at: https://www.uniteforsight.org/health-communication-course/module5 [Accessed 16 Mar. 2018].
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ot-studentlife-blog · 7 years ago
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Way forward
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As occupational therapy students we seek out to assist our clients in the community to participate fully in all areas of their life to live a meaningful life. However, due to illness or disability individuals requiring rehabilitation experience barriers to participation that are embedded in political circumstances of the community or country in which they live in.
Prior to entering the community in this block I lived in a bubble waking up everyday at the same time, going for pracs and lectures, coming home, doing household chores, studying, cooking, sleeping and repeat. Politics has never been something I could keep up with. Sure I know the basics of whats going on. I listen to the news on my way to campus and try my best to keep abreast with the ever changing dilemmas in our country with our previous president however I could never keep up with the details of parliament and the dramas. I still have a lot to learn but spending 3 weeks in the community has opened my eyes to a whole other world.
The community is a stone throw away from the malls I visit, food outlets I eat from, campus I study at and even my cosy flat which I return to at the end of the day. Looking closely though, it is worlds apart.
 Van der Eijk (2001) decribes a political framework model which can be applied to the community I practice in. He speaks of two components: the domain approach and the aspect approach. According to his work the aspect approach includes politics that is involved in engaging in occupations and relationships with people. This is evident in our social interaction with family or peers as there is usually conflicts that occur due to individual differences and personality. “Everyone, therefore, acquires the ability to operate within their local sphere as a ‘politician’, motivated by interests that relate to their particular needs but are shaped by their particular experience” (Musculoskeletal Key, 2018)  According to him this is a healthy conflict and not viewed as positive or negative rather it motivates our actions and occupations leading to occupational engagement. This he refers to as political activities of daily living (pADL). The lower case p is used to distinguish from the domain approach which involves “Politics” with an upper case P. The domain approach therefore refers to head of state and the government of a country.
Many of the problems that exist in the community are due to mismanagement at a Political domain level as the heads of the county don’t provide adequate funding and resources for the community to utilize. Taking for example some of the schools I have visited this week. What I noticed is that the grade R learners don’t have stimulation during the breaks so they end up running around playing with planks, swinging on the roof and hitting each other. Why should this be happening when just a stone throw away are schools that are better equipped offering a better education? The lack of resources don’t only affect the community as a whole but also on an individual level or pADL. This environment of occupational deprivation does not allow children to play and socialize in a productive manner which can later affect their social and communication skills.
This could be attributed to the government officials who act and behave on a personal level as well for their own agenda. Conflicts and problems that arise between different figure heads in the community can give rise to problems leading down to the community as they don’t manage their roles and responsibilities efficiently. Therefore it can be said it is not an isolated problem but rather a relationship between occupational choices and behavior on individual pADL’s and the entire Political arena.
I feel that government needs to readdress policies that are in place to improve perceptions of occupational choices available in the community. One may argue that individuals have many opportunities so why don’t they help themselves. I am sometimes part of this way of thinking but the big question is why doesn’t the community then grab these opportunities handed to them. One instance I can think of is pediatric screening done by the OT students in the community. Students are practically begging parents for a free OT assessment however many of the parents are not interested. I found myself wondering why. “Don’t these parents realize this is a blessing”? This is a service many privileged parents pay for ! Why then do they not grab at the opportunity? What causes individuals to not seize the day?  
To answer this question for myself I asked myself what drives people to act or not act and I think it’s the way we are brought up, our home environment and culture. Parents of today had parents living in the times of apartheid and their views and perceptions on life and way of thinking is passed down and shapes the minds of their children. People’s perceptions need to change in order to move forward. In the present day too much of focus is spent on the pains of yesterday. Yes it was big, yes people suffered but in order to move forward we need to work together without the resentment and complacency of the past.
 References 
Musculoskeletal Key. (2018). A political practice of occupational therapy. [online] Available at: https://musculoskeletalkey.com/a-political-practice-of-occupational-therapy/#bib0780 [Accessed 9 Mar. 2018].
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ot-studentlife-blog · 7 years ago
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Way forward
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As occupational therapy students we seek out to assist our clients in the community to participate fully in all areas of their life to live a meaningful life. However, due to illness or disability individuals requiring rehabilitation experience barriers to participation that are embedded in political circumstances of the community or country in which they live in.
Prior to entering the community in this block I lived in a bubble waking up everyday at the same time, going for pracs and lectures, coming home, doing household chores, studying, cooking, sleeping and repeat. Politics has never been something I could keep up with. Sure I know the basics of whats going on. I listen to the news on my way to campus and try my best to keep abreast with the ever changing dilemmas in our country with our previous president however I could never keep up with the details of parliament and the dramas. I still have a lot to learn but spending 3 weeks in the community has opened my eyes to a whole other world.
The community is a stone throw away from the malls I visit, food outlets I eat from, campus I study at and even my cosy flat which I return to at the end of the day. Looking closely though, it is worlds apart.
 Van der Eijk (2001) decribes a political framework model which can be applied to the community I practice in. He speaks of two components: the domain approach and the aspect approach. According to his work the aspect approach includes politics that is involved in engaging in occupations and relationships with people. This is evident in our social interaction with family or peers as there is usually conflicts that occur due to individual differences and personality. “Everyone, therefore, acquires the ability to operate within their local sphere as a ‘politician’, motivated by interests that relate to their particular needs but are shaped by their particular experience” (Musculoskeletal Key, 2018)  According to him this is a healthy conflict and not viewed as positive or negative rather it motivates our actions and occupations leading to occupational engagement. This he refers to as political activities of daily living (pADL). The lower case p is used to distinguish from the domain approach which involves “Politics” with an upper case P. The domain approach therefore refers to head of state and the government of a country.
Many of the problems that exist in the community are due to mismanagement at a Political domain level as the heads of the county don’t provide adequate funding and resources for the community to utilize. Taking for example some of the schools I have visited this week. What I noticed is that the grade R learners don’t have stimulation during the breaks so they end up running around playing with planks, swinging on the roof and hitting each other. Why should this be happening when just a stone throw away are schools that are better equipped offering a better education? The lack of resources don’t only affect the community as a whole but also on an individual level or pADL. This environment of occupational deprivation does not allow children to play and socialize in a productive manner which can later affect their social and communication skills.
This could be attributed to the government officials who act and behave on a personal level as well for their own agenda. Conflicts and problems that arise between different figure heads in the community can give rise to problems leading down to the community as they don’t manage their roles and responsibilities efficiently. Therefore it can be said it is not an isolated problem but rather a relationship between occupational choices and behavior on individual pADL’s and the entire Political arena.
I feel that government needs to readdress policies that are in place to improve perceptions of occupational choices available in the community. One may argue that individuals have many opportunities so why don’t they help themselves. I am sometimes part of this way of thinking but the big question is why doesn’t the community then grab these opportunities handed to them. One instance I can think of is pediatric screening done by the OT students in the community. Students are practically begging parents for a free OT assessment however many of the parents are not interested. I found myself wondering why. “Don’t these parents realize this is a blessing”? This is a service many privileged parents pay for ! Why then do they not grab at the opportunity? What causes individuals to not seize the day?  
To answer this question for myself I asked myself what drives people to act or not act and I think it’s the way we are brought up, our home environment and culture. Parents of today had parents living in the times of apartheid and their views and perceptions on life and way of thinking is passed down and shapes the minds of their children. People’s perceptions need to change in order to move forward. In the present day too much of focus is spent on the pains of yesterday. Yes it was big, yes people suffered but in order to move forward we need to work together without the resentment and complacency of the past.
 References 
Musculoskeletal Key. (2018). A political practice of occupational therapy. [online] Available at: https://musculoskeletalkey.com/a-political-practice-of-occupational-therapy/#bib0780 [Accessed 9 Mar. 2018].
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ot-studentlife-blog · 7 years ago
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A work engagement ...
This week my colleagues and I took to the streets of the local community to to engage in work activities done by the locals. We got the opportunity to see many of the locals engage in vocational occupations. One of the activities was a middle aged man washing cars on the side of the road. He collects water in buckets and uses sunlight liquid to wash the cars. He charges R 40 rand a car wash. Upon hearing this I thought to myself how this is a bit pricey compared to my regular full house car wash at Total service station which is a full wash, vacuum of the interior and dry. I remember thinking why would the locals pay so much for a car wash with dish washing liquid. However thinking back I now realize that the people who use the car wash and the man who engages in the car wash business probably don’t have knowledge of the prices at Total or Shell service station. They spend their life in this community without venturing out or thinking of the opportunities outside.
During our interview with him we found that he started up the car wash as a source of income as he was unemployed for some time before that. The socio economic situation in the community and lack of vocational occupational has influenced his choice of activity. “Occupation has both a purpose and meaning. Purpose initiates the activity of occupation, and meaning is a complex, unconscious process mediated by affective and social elements”. (Morrison et al., 2017). For him the purpose of working is to earn an income for his household. His deprived socio economic status and lack of vocational occupations has forced him to start up this business. What drives him is his need to survive and put food on the table at the end of the day. Currently his future goal is to purchase a vacuum cleaner to improve his business. He washes approximately 3 cars a day making R120 a day.
Due to the history of apartheid and damaging effects many people in the community engage in similar forms of vocations that is physically and emotionally demanding without self satisfaction or self actualization. Another individual we spoke with was a young female sales assistant who works seven days a week from 7.30 to 5.30. She only gets a short break and expresses dissatisfaction in her occupational choice. She would rather be studying but needs the money more right now. during the week she has no time for socializing or leisure activities. Her occupational choices are shaped by her environment and economic deprivation. 
Due to socio historical events that occurred in South Africa the community of the past experienced occupational marginalization due to the apartheid regime imposing laws on people of color that restricts their choices of where to work, where to study and where to socialize. This created a deep dent in the psyche of the inhabitants of South Africa. Not only did it restrict their opportunities for success but left a deep feeling of inferiority and dehumanization. Years later apartheid is now abolished however individuals are conditioned to feel inferior regardless of change. This could be due to social media influences or the current government influences, which make people compliant in believing they have no opportunities. It can be applied to the current community where people are complacent in their situations regardless of the amount of education being provided.
This is where my role comes in. To ensure that this changes and that is occupational justice prevails. It is important that individuals are provided opportunities to engage in meaningful activities whether it be leisure, work or social participation and to ensure that their rights to occupations are fulfilled.
References
Morrison, R., Gómez, S., Henny, E., Tapia, M. and Rueda, L. (2017). Principal Approaches to Understanding Occupation and Occupational Science Found in the Chilean Journal of Occupational Therapy (2001–2012). Occupational Therapy International, 2017, pp.1-11.
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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State of economies
Politics, finance and the government has never been an interest of mines but the 2018 budget speech took place on Wednesday 21st of February spiking an interest in these recent events. In scouting around the local newspapers I came across an article in The Rising Sun dated 22nd February 2018 by Alan Cooper discussing the announcements of the finance minister, Malusi Gigaba.
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One of the budget proposals is how taxpayers and businesses in KZN will be affected by the VAT increase from 14% to 15% percent effective from the beginning of April 2018. According to research conducted by the Davis Tax Commission (DTC) the tax hike will be beneficial to the country as it will add R15 billion to R20 billion towards the country’s revenue.  This definitely sounds like a lot of money yet our county always seems to be stuck in deprivation with poverty, unemployment, lack of resources and crime. 
On the negative side an increase in tax reduces the saving potential for many individuals. “Since taxation rate reduces the disposable income of an individual, this means an individual saving ability will be reduced if not completely stopped” (Rubondo, Rubondo and profile, 2018). Many individuals that need to buy homes and cars might never afford to save and buy. Sometimes the only option is taking out a loan which comes at its own economic cost; interest needs to be paid on loans and as interest rates can increase over time,the overall amount of money owed back to a bank only increases. This means that even that even an average middle class citizen will need to spend his whole life working to pay back the bank. With the burden of additional additional taxes being levied will we ever live in a world where things are affordable without borrowing money from financial institutions?.
In addition to the working class that is affected by these economic factors students in South Africa find higher education an expense that is insurmountable especially for the lower income households. “South African students have taken to the streets across the country in two consecutive years protesting the high cost of university in South Africa. With each protest, more pressure is being put on government to realise its promises of free education for all” (Writer, 2018)
The budget speech has proposed a higher education fund. Last year former President Jacob Zuma announced free higher education for student that qualify. However he did not consider how this commitment will be fulfilled. The article mentions that according to Sisa Ntlango, Deloitte Risk advisory director, KZN “one innovative measure that could raise much of the funding required in the short to medium term, is a higher education fund, with collections possibly co-ordinated through the South African Revenue Service (SARS)” 
This will reduce the need for many students to take out loans. “ critics of loans suggest that administrative problems, particularly the problem of securing repayment, inadequacies in the banking system in many developing countries and the problem of the brain drain, make loans an inappropriate method of financing education in developing countries” (Woodhall, 1983)
There is no denying that individuals and companies will now need to budget and dig deeper into their pockets to compensate for the government’s implementation of free higher education and higher taxes. 
References
Rubondo, B., Rubondo, B. and profile, V. (2018). ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF TAXATION.. [online] Tanzaniataxationportal.blogspot.co.za. Available at: http://tanzaniataxationportal.blogspot.co.za/2012/09/advantage-and-disadvantage-of-taxation.html [Accessed 23 Feb. 2018].
Writer, S. (2018). University fees in 2017: how much it costs to study in South Africa. [online] Businesstech.co.za. Available at: https://businesstech.co.za/news/finance/184653/university-fees-in-2017-how-much-it-costs-to-study-in-south-africa/ [Accessed 23 Feb. 2018].
Woodhall, M. (1983). Student Loans as a Means of Financing Higher Education: Lessons from International Experience.World Bank Staff Working Papers Number 599. (ISBN-0-8213-0206-X).
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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The root of all evil
Growing up one of my role models was my grandfather Mr ismial Patel. He worked with many organizations proving resources such as water through the development of bore holes, and infra structure of schools and mosques for the disadvantaged community in the Marian ridge area. As a child I always looked up to him and admired and respected his devotion to help the underprivileged. Unfortunately he has passed years ago and does not have the pleasure of knowing that I am now close to being a qualified Ot following in his footsteps.
He was blessed with financial resources and always believed in giving back to the community and that is what I believe my role is in this community block. The difference however is that he helped through obtaining funding to develop communities whereas I will utilize my skills as an OT to uplift the community.
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(Eatbettermovemore.org, 2018)
Above is an image taken from THRIVE. Thrive is a tool developed to assess communities and identify factors that that exist within the community. According to THRIVE, within the community setting there are structural drivers that contribute to the success and growth of a community. These drivers are the people within the community, their norms, social networks are participation. The place which is the physical environment which includes housing, parks, recreational areas, transportation, health care and lastly equitable opportunities such as education and employment.
One of the major concerns of the residents in Claremont is crime. This was observed through the behavior of the local residents and interactions with the local people. These individuals included taxi drivers, taxi rank manager and vendors selling on the side of the road. When venturing out onto the streets we were warned to hide our phones and to make sure not to get mugged. This was the opinion of everyone we spoke to as crime in the area was a major concern. Most of the individuals that were spoken to attributed the high crime rate to unemployment and substance abuse that begins in school. This was seen to be where it all begins. However one needs to ask, what is the root of the problem leading to criminal behavior? 
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 Taking a look at the people that live in Claremont provides insight into their equitable opportunities, or lack thereof. Many individuals drop out of school, or lack the proper intervention required at a school level from the education system to succeed in vocational aspects, as reported by the locals. The poverty that exists can therefore be viewed as root problem leading to lack of education, job opportunities and ultimately leading to crime  “ First, people are born into a society that treats them unequally on the basis of race, class, and gender. Therefore, the trajectory starts with root factors of oppression, such as discrimination, poverty and racism. These root factors shape the overall community environment, and affect where people live, what they do, the education they receive, and their overall quality of life.” (Davis, Cohen and Mikkelsen, 2003)
Poverty being the root of factor shaping the Claremont community affects the structural drivers that help a community to flourish such as access to clean water, proper housing and sanitation, open areas for recreation, transport systems, clean air and safety. The housing in Claremont conveys great socio-economic disparity prevalent in the community, with some people living in shacks in informal settlements without proper access to sanitation. These individuals have to climb rough terrains to reach the main roads for public transport. Access to transport is an important factor as it connects individuals and helps to attain needs specifically health care needs. The people living in the informal settlement are therefore stuck in their homes unable to reach hospitals or clinics due to the physical environment.  
On the other hand some homes are well developed with paved driveways for easy access of vehicles as well as swimming pools and lawns. Clearly there exists disparity in the community with majority of the residents falling withing the low income population experiencing hardships. 
The aim of this block is to make a difference in the community. Sometimes the problems seem too big and beyond our capabilities but even improving one of the structural drivers mentioned above could have a great impact on flourishing one aspect of the community. 
References 
Davis, R., Cohen, L. and Mikkelsen, L. (2003). Strengthening Communities: A Prevention Framework for Reducing Health Disparities.
Eatbettermovemore.org. (2018). THRIVE: Community Health Approach. [online] Available at: http://www.eatbettermovemore.org/thrive/communityhealth.php# [Accessed 16 Feb. 2018].
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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The story of girl’s jar of life
The true story below was inspired by a philosophy: The jar of life
https://balancedaction.me/2012/10/17/the-jar-of-life-first-things-first/
A 31 year old girl who graduated high school in 2003 and is currently studying OT is what the university calls a “mature student”. That basically just means she’s old. Whether she is mature is debatable. Although, the origin and meaning of her name does mean wise and intelligent, so maybe deep down there is a level of maturity that exists. The fact of the matter is: she fits in well with her peers, has been blessed with good genes and most are none the wiser about her age. Even after having spent 3 years with her peers they are sometimes still shocked at her age. They often ask her “but don’t you get annoyed by our immaturity?” and her answer is always “no”. Maybe it’s a reflection of their maturity or a lack of hers. Whatever the case may be, she knows for certain that at the end of all the difficult OT days (and there are many!) they are her persons and her strength despite the age gap.
Some background on her jar of life: After graduating matric in 2003 her dream was to become an OT but unfortunately she only got accepted in Cape Town. She didn’t think it a big deal at the time and decided to pursue other avenues that would channel her energy and passion to help people. So she filled her jar with some golf balls, pebbles and sand and for some reason every path she took brought her back to that loss and desire of wanting to be an OT. The desire became a massive pebble in the jar and even though the jar was full of beautiful golf balls of family, friends and a happy marriage, she was never quite satisfied. The jar just felt empty. So she decided she would not rest until she got accepted. In 2014 she reapplied to every university across the country and in 2015 got accepted at the one university that rejected her in 2003. And nothing could have made her happier!
 This girl is me and three years after having gotten accepted I am still grateful and happy for the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to help people. However, it has come at a cost. My jar is still as strong as ever but my beautiful golf balls are not as shiny as they once were.
With each passing year in OT the important aspects in my life - the golf balls - have become neglected. With each semester being worse than the one before my perception of OT on certain days is reduced to that of sand. On these days of despair I remind myself of that girl and her perception of OT. Her strong desire and dream to fulfill it was a massive pebble. And even though the golf balls in my jar are currently not as shiny as they once were, they still exist. I might not have as much time to spend with my family and those dear to me but they still go in first because without their support I wouldn’t be where I am today accomplishing my dream.
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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Mental health in South Africa
Mental health illness is very prevalent in South Africa however the country lacks the resources to provide adequate care for these individuals. Many factors contributing to this include crime, trauma and abuse, substance abuse, stress,  urbanization and communicable diseases.  “One third of all South Africans have mental illnesses — and 75% of them will not get any kind of help.” ("SA’s Sick State Of Mental Health", 2014). This shows that many people in our country experience mental illness that can be debilitated and painful yet go on to suffer in silence. This could be linked to lack of resources in our country. According to a special Sunday times investigation “At Gauteng's Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, the female psychiatric ward houses 55 women in a dormitory-like environment. "You only have two nurses on duty and there's little or no stimulation for these women. Now, if you're struggling with depression, these conditions are not ideal," said Dr Yusuf Moosa, head of clinical psychiatry at the University of the Witwatersrand.” (“SA’s Sick State Of Mental Health", 2014)
Another problem linked to mental health in South Africa is the stigma that is attached to mental illness due to lack of education of the public. As a result people suffering are a lot more confident to express problems related to physical problems rather than conditions affecting the mind.
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It is important to take our context into consideration as well as many south Africans don’t seek western help and turn to traditional healers believing that the cause of their illness is linked to their ancestor reverence. It is important that doctors and occupational therapist work out a collaborative treatment plan incorporating both traditional healers and western medication.
Additional problems occurring include lack of specialization in regards to nurses at psychiatric hospitals as a result patients are neglected and don’t receive proper care.
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Berg, A. (2003). Ancestor Reverence and Mental Health in South Africa. Sage Journals, 40(2). Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1363461503402004
SA’s Sick State Of Mental Health (2014).THE SOUTH AFRICAN DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY GROUP. Retrieved 29 September 2017,
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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A note of substance
This blog comes after a long tiring week of consecutive tests, practicals and research deadlines. On the flip side it’s also the beginning of a mini break which will allows me a week to just relax for a bit. In the meantime I have decided to share some of my thoughts on substance abuse in particular cannabis also known as marijuana, dagga or weed. 
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For a long time I have been asking myself why many individuals i personally know commonly engage in the abuse of this particular substance. Personally I hate all forms of drugs. Maybe this stems from the fact that I am a control freak and one of the main symptoms of drugs is impaired control. I also grew up around strong male figures who were role models to me not only in character but also their values and morals. The use of drugs did not exist in my world. However as an adult in my personal capacity i see not only adolescents engaging in specifically marijuana but adults as well. When I say adults I am referring to those that are in their 30’s and 40′s in the working world. From my personal observations this does not only occur socially but daily to the point they are obviously addicted but don’t consider themselves as “addicts”.  “Although many young people do not perceive cannabis to be a drug that gives rise to problems, the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU) adolescent treatment demand, trauma, and arrestee data reflect the potential that cannabis use has to burden the health, social welfare, and criminal justice systems” (Peltzer & Ramlagan, 2007). What’s worse is that most people don’t consider this substance to be potentially harming but consider it on the same level as tobacco.  Being in the healthcare field this is quite disturbing for me. That people that I know personally engage in this substance and simply believe it is harmless. This is not the case, as neurocogntive deficits can be found after a battery of neurocognitive tests that were given to 28-day abstinent heavy marijuana abusers. Results that were found were “as joints smoked per week increased, performance decreased on tests measuring memory, executive functioning, psychomotor speed, and manual dexterity”. (Bolla & Brown etal, 2002). This indicates that even when test subjects who are heavy marijuana smokers stop for 28 days there are residual deficits in their neurocognitive functioning.  
In psych it is very common to come across substance abuse related conditions. Just this week i met a client who is a 37 year old male with intellectual disability and substance abuse induced psychosis. He started smoking marijuana at the age of 12 after repeated failing at school and the subsequent drop out of school. This began as an innocuous act with his cousin which led to his eventual substance abuse. He now lives at the chronic psychiatric hospital where I am based. Here all his needs are taken care of of he cannot manage without constant supervision. Surprisingly he is still smokes marijuana daily even though he resides within a structured facility.
Unfortunately the incidence and prevalence of marijuana among the youth is only increasing due to multiple factors including easy accessibility and legalization occurring in some parts of South Africa.
On a side note there is always hope for change and improvements ...and cannabis is not all bad. I don’t discredit the benefits of medical cannabis for health related conditions such as cancer when used under the guidance and supervision of the medical health care professional.
And on a lighter note my holiday awaits me-  in other words my bed beckons! enjoy the weekend guys!
References
Peltzer, K., & Ramlagan, S. (2007). Cannabis use trends in South Africa.vol. 13. no.4
Bolle.K,I.,Brown,K, Eldreth,D.,Tate,K,.CAdet,J.L. (2002) Dose-related neurocognitive effects of marijuana use. vol. 59 no. 9 1337-1343
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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Life long learner
At the beginning of the fieldwork block I wanted a challenge when I applied for an acute psychiatric facility. Reason being I wanted to learn and absorb all the possible knowledge out there that would help me for fourth year and my future as an O.T.
Things didn’t turn out the way we had all planned. My group had to be relocated to another venue due to constant problems being faced at the acute facility.
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There were many times this term that I regretted my choice and annoyed at myself for never taking the easy less stressful route. Anyway I got over this quickly and thought to myself that every experience can be turned into a learning experience.
There are days where I think wow I’m actually getting it and then I can be completely lost once again but I think this is part of the learning experience.
So here what I learnt about myself….
I am more of a critical thinker
One thing I am sure of is that I am a lot more of a critical thinker than I was before and it is thanks to my my supervisor who has shaped me. I find myself hearing about my friend’s sessions they have planned and I’m thinking to myself “but why? That activity doesn’t even make sense!” OMG im turning into my supervisor!!
I came into psych block not understanding how O.T intervention can really help psych clients. People would ask me over the last year about psych and how we help. Of course I had the general standard answer I have for everyone that asks and always added in how ii will let them know  when I cross that bridge. Well here I am crossing that bridge into psych intervention and I feel like I might still battle to explain it all to someone who has no knowledge of O.T as it encompasses so much but at least now I understand it better even if I can’t put it well into words.
Intervention planning
When thinking about my activities I am more scientific about them, I question every component of the activity to analyze if its treating a component of the clients problem and if not then I ask myself why is it there in the first place? I battled with certain preconceived ideas at the beginning of the psych block like how does arts and crafts really benefit? Yes there’s a place for arts and crafts but i’m glad to be exposed to different aspects. So far I have not engaged in a single crafts activity and feel like I understand the link between psychological problems and intervention better and the importance of scientific reasoning
Theoretical knowledge base
This semester has got me going to the library frequently to borrow books. I don’t always have the time to go through them all in detail but I have better understanding of the different theoretical frameworks and approaches that can be used when treating. Knowing this theory and putting it into practice consolidates what I have learnt.
So hopefully i continue to take the paths that will always challenge me and ensure i remain a life long learner in my life journey.
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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Casual  Celebrations 2017 !
Everyone looks forward to Fridays as they are synonymous with anticipation and excitement for the weekend ahead. This Friday fun and excitement began early as Casual day was celebrated today across South Africa.
Casual day occurs on the first Friday in September every year and encourages individual to dress differently on the day to raise funds and awareness of persons with disabilities. This year’s theme was to dress with a splash of green to celebrate diversity of cultures, personality and interests. This particular Casual day was extra festive for me as I also celebrated a religious holiday. As a Muslim I celebrate Eid twice a year and today was one of those days.
Due to my cultural and religious identity as a Muslim I could not attend the casual day festivities with the rest of my group but in my own way celebrated my diversity with sweet meats, biryani and lots of family and friends.
Upon waking up this morning I knew that aside from the stress of Eid I would have to somehow fill in time to write. What I ended up doing was pulling out my phone each time I had a few minutes to spare to quickly type out a few sentences on my phone. Despite the fact that I probably appeared extremely anti social, I gladly smiled to myself in these brief moments knowing I would have less work at the end of the day. Unfortunately I got home and to my utter dismay nothing saved on my phone!!
So here I am drained after a long day, starting from scratch about Casual day. As I’m typing my thoughts I realize that this blog cannot and will not be a duplicate of the blog I spent more than half the day with. Rather it’s turning out to be completely different. This is due to two things; firstly my memory is useless and is once again pathetically failing me and secondly after having experienced my festive day I have a new perspective to share.
My venue is a long term psychiatric hospital. Most of the individuals living there have no family support, no visitors and spend each and every day engaging in the same routine activities. There aren’t any celebrations and no one gets to celebrate their diversity and culture the way I did today. This is deeply saddening especially after watching some of the videos taken today. The smile on their faces and excitement was clear and I was proud of my group for doing a great job executing our plan that we had made together this week as a group.
What made today special for the patients was that they got an  opportunity to celebrate their differences, their individual cultures, religions and beliefs but all together as a family. They might have no support from the outside world but together they celebrated and united as a whole.
Patients lack leisure activities and so music was an amazing tool to bring them together and participate. From what I heard from my peers was that Nkalakatha by Mandoza was a hit! I must admit the last time I heard this song was ages ago. So I just heard it now and I must admit it is catchy. So I have added a link to the song just in case you interested..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqkVq3u4_fY
I wasn’t present for the festivities today and I really appreciated seeing the pictures so im going to post some of them to illustrate how the patients celebrated Casual Day 2017!
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A poster that got all the patients involved. Each patient placed his or her hand on the chart to create a massive collage. 
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...And lastly cake of course !!! lol and green icing in keeping with the theme. 
What better way to start the weekend!
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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Me? A blogger? No way!
When I first heard at the beginning of 2017 that we as O.T third year students were expected to post blogs weekly as part of an assessment I was utterly confused and horrified. I felt that it was unfair to expect me (an individual that is extremely private) to share my thoughts on the internet of all places for all to read. For me blogging was exclusive to those that are creative writers, and that was definitely not me!
My very first blog was spent trying to be entertaining and focusing on trying to capture the attention of the audience. I was honestly frustrated at the beginning of the year as I felt it was a platform of expression that does not suit everyone. As I continued with my blogs I felt my guard drop. Each week sharing and expressing my thoughts came with more ease and less pressure to conform to a style of blogging created by society. I began writing truthfully and from the heart. I started to slowly appreciate my thoughts on certain topics, my style of writing and found myself getting lost in the writing of the weekly blogs. It was almost therapeutic to capture my inner voice at the end of a long hard week on practicals. I realized that once I allowed myself the freedom to express myself there was a lot to share.
What I found extremely fascinating was reading some of the blogs written by friends. I have just read a few on certain topics but what really stood out for me is how each blog was so different and unique. 
I think after months of blogging I now have better insight into my strengths and my potential.It has forced me to think critically of situations that would normally just be filed at the back of my mind to be forgotten. I probably have a handful followers only but at the end of each blog there is almost a sense of accomplishment in sharing my thoughts with others. Knowing that my words could be stumbled upon and make an impact on an individual.
For me personally what once started off as a chore has turned into a meaningful weekly activity. And wow ! I can call myself a blogger!
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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Beautiful minds
I have just finished the movie “beautiful mind”. This blog is not intended to be a movie review but oh! how I wish it was. This movie was absolutely amazing and I recommend anyone reading this to watch it!
Earlier during the week I found myself on Google looking up possible movies on mental illness that I could view. The movie “Beautiful mind” with Russell Crowe caught my attention. I had always come across the title but knew nothing about the movie. Intrigued that it popped up during my search I decided to consider it an option. After skimming the synopsis all I needed to see was the word ‘schizophrenia’ and there was no doubt that this would be my movie choice of the week.
I have always been intrigued by this mental disorder as my uncle had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and due to the fact that it is the diagnosis of one of the clients i was allocated this week, it really appealed to my curiosity as to how it would be depicted in a movie.
The movie started off slow and 30 minutes in I almost regretted my choice. Thankfully I continued watching and I was later captured with themes of love, hope and the devastating effects of schizophrenia.
Just some background: pharmacological  compliance is in important factor in the prognosis of schizophrenia. it helps to manage both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
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This movie didn’t expose the audience to all the symptoms in the above image but focused mainly on one of the positive symptoms- hallucinations, which the movie inaccurately referred to as ‘delusions’. (A delusion is a fixed false belief that cannot be changed with rational argument whereas a hallucination is an experience involving the apparent perception of something that is not present)  Rather than portraying some of the other devastating symptoms the movie instead highlighted the debilitating side effects that medication can cause and how that prevented the protagonist from functioning in his daily life.
The protagonist was literally a mathematical genius yet once he developed schizophrenia he could no longer perform roles at work and home due to his hallucinations. The medication that kept his hallucinations at bay came at a cost as the side effects impacted his functioning as well. He then stopped taking his medication, had a relapse and instead of going back on to his medication fought the hallucinations off with will power and strength of his mind. This however is not always the case in reality as most people can’t tell the difference between their hallucinations and reality. The hallucinations are so embedded in the fabrics of their reality that they seem too real to be fake. Most often clients are back in hospital due to non compliance of medication and as a result they suffer a relapse
“You see, the nightmare in schizophrenia is not knowing what is true. Imagine! If you have recently learnt that the people, the places, the moments most important to you were not gone, not dead, but even worse had never been”.
This is a quote from the movie that stood out to me.  The visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations that are experienced by schizophrenic clients are perceived as being 100 percent real to them. The movie did a great job of depicting this aspect to the audience and I now see the value of not arguing with a person’s hallucination.
On the other hand learning and accepting that the people, the places, the moments most important to you were not gone, not dead, but even worse had never been requires a great deal of insight from one who suffers from schizophrenia. The protagonist was able to accept that certain events perceived by him were not real, but not all sufferers can develop this deep level of intellectual and emotional insight along with the will power to control their hallucinations and function well despite the constant burden of it.
The movie is fictional loosely based on true events and is definitely heartfelt, inspiring to the audience and has tremendous entertainment value. It shows that sufferers of schizophrenia should not be discriminated but should be appreciated for the beautiful mind that lies underneath all the chaos of their thoughts.
It has somewhat of a happy ending however not all sufferers have happy endings such as my uncle who was previously mentioned. He woke up one morning 30 years after being diagnosed and decided that day would be his last on this earth. Whether he was non compliant with his medication and had a terrible relapse no one will ever know. Happy endings do exist but not every beautiful mind gets a happy ending.
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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An acute sense of acute
I had many expectations of week one, especially since it was the very beginning of the new psychiatric treatment block, and my very first experience in an acute psych facility. I expected to be allocated my clients within the first few hours of being at the facility, and awaited this in nervous anticipation as I sat in the waiting room of the psych OT department for my colleagues and supervisors. I anxiously looked down at my white converse and cursed at the fact that I had donated my old worn out black sneakers in the holiday, irritated at myself for not realizing before the morning of the very first prac day. Since black closed shoes were mandatory I was definitely in trouble, I thought with dread. Not an ideal first impression to create with my new supervisor. (Who, btw is known to be very very strict!!)
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If one had asked me to create a picture of the facility id be spending every Tuesday and Friday, images of a fast paced, scary and intense environment were conjured. These images however did not materialize on the first week of prac. I began to ask myself why I had these pre conceived ideas of what to expect. These are some of my thoughts. The word acute stands out all the time. Due to my previous experiences in chronic facilities I was obviously picturing something completely opposite.  A place which is fast paced and induces a high level of stress. After a quick look at my thesaurus some other words that mean “acute” include severe, critical, drastic, dire, dreadful and there’s more...The list goes on. No wonder on a subconscious level I felt some dread when I heard the word “acute”. Yes, the patients that I see will be quite severe and their diagnosis very critical, but in no way will my experience in this facility be described with these synonyms of the word “acute”.
The images I had initially conjured did not materialize; instead we all spent our first week getting to know the staff in the various departments, the O.T, and the facility itself. My supposedly “strict” supervisor is strict yes, J but he also put us at ease with academic guidance, support and laying down what is expected from us.  Entering this new journey created anxiety and stress for us, but a welcoming health care team and an environment that we were well oriented to made all the difference to our state of mind and helped calm our fears. An O.T and an O.T department should be well suited to psych patients by bringing a sense of calm and tranquility and this was the case to anyone who spent time in this particular department. This is what we as O.T students experienced on this particular day and what patients should also experience as part of their therapy. The relevance and importance of creating the same opportunities for our patients is clear to me. My belief is thus; treating psychiatric patients is also about reducing their fears, anxiety and increasing a sense of well being and purpose in their life. To take these individuals, away from their “acute” state of mind, and to help them enter into a more chronic state of peace, well being and tranquility.
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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A different take on learning
The night before mock prac approached and my phone buzzed incessantly with WhatsApp group messages from my fellow classmates in a panicked state as we were suddenly expected to prepare activities in pairs for the following day. Since this message only reached most of us at night the whole activity seemed daunting and somewhat unnecessary and naturally I found myself thinking how our psych lecturers just love giving us additional stress. How does this last minute prep activity even help us, I thought?? My partner and I then haphazardly planned an activity for mock prac and that was it.
As morning approached and mock prac began I realized with relief that none of the other groups came prepared with anything. The prac turned out to be different to what I had expected and there wasn’t even any mention of pairing up to present an activity!! We had all got our lines crossed and had misinterpreted the message from the module coordinator and class rep.. (How ridiculous) ….in actual fact the pairing up for activities is meant to be done with our clients on the first day we meet them. This definitely makes more sense and I was once again hasty to jump to the conclusion that our OT lecturers just love piling on the unnecessary stress (hopefully I am forgiven ;) lol)
A side note about myself… I am generally intrinsically motivated but from time to time require some extrinsic motivation and that’s exactly what mock prac provided for me today... it came in many forms from lecturers personal experiences and their life lessons, getting us to think of our goals and even a simple yet riveting Nike advertisement. Sometimes the best learning is not about theory from test books but motivation that inspires you to leap forward, challenge yourself to be better and never settle for less. Mock prac was exactly what I needed to refuel and wake up. It reminded me why I am passionate about occupational therapy and listening to lecturers and their passion for OT made me aspire to self-improvement, to push those boundaries and to excel in the field - thereby making a difference in the lives of those I intend to help. This is a lesson I will remember to apply to my clients. Motivation is key to success.
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Additionally I always notice the care and support that we receive from our lecturers/supervisors. And this is something I always noticed in all my blocks since day one. The support that we as students receive from our mentors/supervisors/lecturers is tremendous. I’m not sure my peers always see it but since this is not my first experience in a tertiary institution, I appreciate the sense of family that OT at my institution fosters. It comes from the attributes that are embedded in a good OT: to genuinely care for people and the need to help them succeed in their areas of occupations…. In our case, education.
“ Learn to love without condition. Talk without bad intention. give without any reason.and most of all care for people without any expectation” (unknown)
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ot-studentlife-blog · 8 years ago
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Back at it!!
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Hi again…
It’s been a long time since I last blogged. But once again a new chapter begins in my life as an OT student and back to the keyboard it is. Physical block is now done and dusted and I am ready to embark on a new adventure which is now the treatment of psychological aspects affecting individuals. This does not mean that what was learnt in physical block goes out the window.. Definitely not! As I mentioned in previous blogs what makes OT special is that we treat holistically and OT is client centered (hence my love for OT).
So psych block begins in a few weeks and I won’t lie, I am anxious about the new journey. But along with the anxiety comes curiosity and the motivation to learn and build on my previous skills. I recently received my placement and was excited to find I had received my first choice of placement venue (NB psych block is different to physical block as we got to apply for our placement venues).
 So just a little background on my venue: it’s an acute hospital setting which is very different to what I was previously exposed to, both in previous physical and psych blocks. From what I’ve heard from other students and lecturers is that this venue will be tough but one of the greatest exposures to a psych facility that one can receive. I am definitely up for the challenge and excited.
So now that I know where I am placed the first step is to prepare…in order to do that I need to have knowledge on the treatment context to better understand the type of clients I will be treating during my block.
The patients that will come into the setting are people from various backgrounds and socio-economic status. These are individuals that might be experiencing psychiatric symptoms including depression, intellectual disability, schizophrenia, social withdrawal, eating disorders etc. When these symptoms become so overwhelming for these individuals that their functioning in daily activities is severely impacted they require hospitalization and this is where i will come in.
It is important that when treating psychiatric patient in an acute setting to:
“Provide the patient with normalizing, structured routine…..provide opportunities for the patient to participate in daily simulations of activities associated with his/her roles outside of the hospital…and make recommendations to the treatment team regarding the kind of services the patient will need upon discharge” (Robinson and Avallone, 1990)
Within the context of a hospital based psychiatric unit I will be exposed to a wide range of individuals including adolescents, adults and geriatrics of all functional levels however their stay in an acute setting maybe short and therefore this setting also poses many obstacles including not having sufficient time with clients for treatment. This is something i will have to learn to manage.
until next time :)
References
Robinson, A. and Avallone, J. (1990). Occupational Therapy in Acute Inpatient Psychiatry: An Activities Health Approach. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 44(9), pp.809-814.
Evans, A. (1985). Roles and Functions of Occupational Therapy in Mental Health. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 39(12), pp.799-802.
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