I job shadowed an occupational therapist. Occupation therapists help people carry out daily tasks that they can no longer do. They have either been in accidents or have had a stroke that made some parts of their bodies not function correctly. All of the patients I saw yesterday were trying to heal from a stroke. One man's whole left side could not move. They used electrical pulses to try and stimulate the nerves in his arms to help him move them. Not only could he not move his arm but he was unable to speak. He knew what he wanted to say and had the sentences formed in his head he was just unable to spit them out and have others understand what he was trying to say. I thought the way people communicated with him was very interesting. Different hand motions stood for different things and the therapists could tell what he was trying to say. They were able to hold a steady conversation with him which I thought was amazing. They were doing more than just helping him move again. They were there for him to talk to, when I bet most people would not be able to hold a conversation with someone who could not speak well.
The therapists used different, weird, toy like items to help the people build up their muscles. It was sad to know they were once able to do all these things and now they can't even though they know how. But, the sadness was disguised through everything else that was going on. The career seems so rewarding and they really do help people to be able to carry out their old daily tasks they've been doing their whole life. Knowing how rewarding this job could be I would definitely consider this as a career. I want to have a job that helps people and could possibly change their life. I know this job could do just that. The therapists said how much all of their patients have improved since their first visit. I would really like to do this.
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