Future OT 2020

I think that the mock interview went well overall.  I felt that it was good preparation for interviews in the future.   Although I was nervous, I also felt that I was able to answer most questions well.  I prepared by viewing the resources provided and consolidating a list of possible questions.  I worked on thinking through answers for questions by reminding myself of experiences I have had in school and in fieldwork.  I then had family members help me practice by asking me questions so I could practice giving my responses clearly and confidently. I feel that in a real-life interview situation I will want to do a few things differently.  First, I noticed when watching my interview that I tend to use filler words like "um" often.  I feel like in the future I need to be more aware that I have a tendency to do that and try to correct that habit.  I also found through this that I still need to work on developing my s...

Amber Truhitt What were the key takeaway points from the guest lecture today?  One takeaway I have from today's lecture is the importance of remembering that many older adults do remain sexual.  With that you must also understand the changes that occur that may impact an older adults sexual responses as they age.  These can include decreased lubrication, longer refractory time, and difficulty with arousal.  I thought it was important to remember that certain physical issues, such as diabetes, arthritis, cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity may make sexual response more difficult since many of the clients that we treat will have these.   I found the considerations for specific suggestions very helpful.  OT can help in this area through activity pacing, energy conservation, pain management, task and work simplification, and joint protection techniques.  By helping to address underlying problems, you can help to impro...

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...

Overall, my glyphs did not change much over the course of the last year.  The two main differences between my glyphs were in the eyelashes and the finishing touch signature.  On the first glyph, I was able to remember each of the five themes based on my personal Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment.  However, I was only able to remember two of the themes for my second glyph.  The second difference in my two glyphs was the finishing touch.  On my original glyph, I signed my name indicating I had a plan or goal about serving in leadership roles in the future.  While that was true at the time, I feel that I do not have as much of a clear plan or goal at this time, which is why I wrote my name in print on the second glyph.  Other than those differences, all other elements remained the same.  I feel that I had an easier time making decisions about my beliefs about leadership this time compared to the first time I drew it.

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 ...

     This media project allowed me to use my creativity to create something that would be meaningful to others.  One of my major takeaways from this assignment was how you can use such simple materials to create a completely unique tool that could be helpful to someone.  When brainstorming, I wasn't sure how I could create something unique out of a laundry detergent container.  However, after thinking through what my client Joe needed, it suddenly came to me that I could use a laundry detergent box to make grooming easier for Joe.  After doubting that I would be able to create something unique, that was my "ah-ha" moment.      I learned that just because something doesn't exist that you can buy, it doesn't mean that it can't be made.  For me, I was surprised looking at my final product knowing that the main items I used were a laundry detergent box, velcro, and duct tape.  Also, I realized that my finished product can ...

                                                I recently had the opportunity to go with my class to watch the Memphis Rollin' Grizzlies at one of their practices.  Before starting occupational therapy school, I had not heard much about wheelchair basketball and had never had the opportunity to watch a team play before.  Watching the Rollin' Grizzlies practice was amazing, and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to watch this team in action.     The Memphis Rollin' Grizzlies are a Division 1 team and Memphis' first nationally ranked wheelchair basketball team.  The rules of wheelchair basketball are much like regular basketball with a few modifications.  I was in awe of all the factors that go into playing wheelchair basketball.  Not only are they playing the game, but they are also controlling their wheelchair's speed...

         I decided to watch some of the videos in a video series done by a son, Joey Daley,  whose mother, Molly,  has Lewy Body Dementia.  I remember seeing one of these videos on social media a while ago and remember feeling shocked by how much the disease affected Molly.  I was really interested in watching more videos once I found out there was a series.  Joey creates weekly videos with a mission to educate others about Dementia and the effects that it can have on people.  One thing Joey says on the website is "it's impossible to simply read about Dementia and understand the magnitude of this disease."  I find this so true and for me it always helps to watch real-life individuals and see the effects first hand.  I found this video series to be a true representation of the disease and full of raw emotion.          I watched several of the videos with the first one being when Molly forgets ho...

Retrieved from: https://www.gofundme.com/CareFundForAlex I watched a video that described Alex Coriell's journey with ALS.  Alex was diagnosed with ALS in January of 2013 at 29 years old.  As is common with ALS, the progression of the disease happened quickly.  In September of 2013, he lost the ability to eat by mouth.  His arms and hands got weaker and he eventually lost so much muscle in his arms that he could no longer use them.  Ten months after his diagnosis, walking became difficult which lead him to use a cane and then a wheelchair.  Through his journey, Alex never lost his spirit or gave up.  He never stopped trying to keep moving.  He was always sharing his story with others.  One way he facilitated this was through blogging.  Even when he lost the use of both of his hands, he used his nose to type on an iPad.  When that became difficult, he used a device where he could use his eyes to type.  When Alex cou...

Lisa Genova’s book  Inside the O’Briens  is an incredibly powerful story that gives the reader an inside look at what Huntington’s disease truly looks like.  Genova does a great job of giving an accurate representation of the disease through the story of Joe O’Brien.  When Joe O’Brien finds out he has Huntington’s disease, his entire world is turned upside down.  While he should be looking at retirement from the police force soon, he is now faced with the fact that his health is going to rapidly deteriorate in the next ten to twenty years of life he has left.  The reader gets to see how his symptoms worsen as the disease progresses.  The symptoms cause O’Brien to lose the ability to do so many things that are important to him very quickly.  Huntington’s take away so many things from the individual but unfortunately that isn’t all it does.  To make things worse, Huntington’s has a genetic component with each...