Why Occupational Therapy?

Over the summer and going into my senior year of high school I got the opportunity to volunteer at Sutter Rehabilitation Institution. I had such a great experience shadowing the Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapists that I got the chance to volunteer again during the spring semester of my senior. These two experiences allowed me to gain exposure to inpatient care and how therapists at SRI are able to demonstrate comprehensive care to all patients. Therapists were able to collaborate with one another in order to benefit the patient and each treatment session.

I loved the way that the therapists, Occupational Therapists in particular, used the client's hobbies and interests in order to enhance their session. For example, some patients really enjoyed gardening during their free time. OTs were able to utilize the garden outside of the therapy gym and patients were given the chance to garden during their therapy session. I appreciated how the OTs were able to incorporate the occupations that the patients were fond of into their time spent with the patient. Additionally, whenever clients needed to have their laundry cleaned OTs would help guide them to complete their laundry during their therapy session rather than having the family member bring in more clothing. Clients were given a sense of responsibility and were able to use the "living area" within SRI in order to complete a task that they would usually do at home. The "living area" at SRI is basically a room in the hospital that is set up to look like a standard apartment.

Looking back at my interactions with the patients at Sutter, I realize that it was through these experiences that I truly committed myself to becoming an Occupational Therapist-- to spend my days making positive impacts on people’s lives. It is amazing to see the way patients gain confidence throughout their rehabilitation journey and become more independent.