Skip to main content

Nutrition and Aging Reflection


Amber Truhitt 

 What were the key takeaway points from the guest lecture today? 

 I found today's lecture very informative with lots of great information that will be helpful to me in the future.  I was very surprised by how fast older adults lose lean body mass in comparison to younger adults. I think this fact will be very important to take into consideration, especially when in the acute care setting where it is likely for older adults to be in the hospital for 3 days.  I have a greater appreciation for how important nutrition is for all individuals and the impact it has on our health.  I think I will be more aware of things such as the signs of malnutrition in the future when working with clients.  I feel encouraged to work with dietitians in the future since I have a better understanding of their role and the ways in which we can work together to provide the best care to clients.    

 Describe two occupational therapy interventions based on the topic. Each intervention should address a different type of client: individual (1:1), group, or population. 

 One intervention that could be done individually with clients would be providing adaptive equipment to promote independence in self-feeding.  Built up handles, rocker knifes, plate guards, etc. could help the individual with feeding in some instances.  If the environment is preventing the individual from being able to prepare healthy meals, modifications and strategies could be implemented in the kitchen to promote independence.  

 Another intervention that could be done in a group setting would be a healthy cooking class.  This could be a process where the members could make a grocery list that follows a budget, go to the grocery store to buy groceries, and then prepare the meal.  This would help give exposure to ways to prepare food in a healthy way while socializing with others as well.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

OTPF

The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) is a guide used by occupational therapists and others to help describe the components of occupational therapy practice.  The purpose of the OTPF is to give an overview of an occupational therapist's scope of practice.  It helps improve communication between health professionals by establishing a common language.  It can also be used as a guide to evaluation, intervention, and outcomes.  The OTPF defines the goal of occupational therapy as "achieving health, well-being, and participation in life through engagement in occupation."  It also defines the clients of occupational therapy as well as the domains that interact to affect the client's overall wellness.
Post a Comment
Read more

Driving and Community Mobility Reflection

Amber Truhitt  What were the key takeaway points from the guest lecture today?  I had little experience with driving assessments and interventions prior to today's lecture and lab.  It was very beneficial to go through the common diagnoses that will have functional needs that you must take into consideration when considering their ability to drive.  I got to learn more about and practice using different driving assessment tools including the Trail Making Tests A & B, MoCA, and SIMARD-MD.  I learned about different adaptations that can be made to help clients have the ability to drive.  These can range from something as simple as an enlarged rear view mirror to adaptation to vehicles, such as hand controls and lifts.  I believe all of the information that was presented will be useful in the future, regardless of the setting that I choose to work in.     Describe two occupational therapy interventions based on the topic. Each interve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Occupational Therapy in the Mainstream Media

I came across an article that explored occupational therapy from the eyes of an occupational therapist.  The unique part of this story is that the occupational therapist, Veronica Brooks, was born without arms.  One reason Brooks was drawn to the field was her relationship with her occupational therapist when she was younger.  Brooks was drawn to helping people accomplish their goals.  One very important aspect Brooks emphasized was adaptability.  For her, it made sense to help someone "work with what they have" and adapt and modify.  In occupational therapy, adaptability plays a huge role.  It is very important to help a client adapt to their own unique characteristics.  While everyone may not complete a task in the same way, the important thing is that a person does what they enjoy in their own way.  For Brooks, she chooses to adapt without the aid of a prosthesis.  Brooks has a unique position to understand her clients.  She ...
Post a Comment
Read more