Do you ever sit back and envision a new life for your patients? Do you imagine how patients' lives can be after therapy is done? While fishing today, a patient I just evaluated crossed my mind and I wondered how I could improve the quality of his life. How I could make a life for this person. I developed a "vision" of how this many might live his life. BUT, this is my vision, not his. In the two meetings I've had with the patient, he's not verbalized any goals or passions.
This middle aged man experienced a stroke about 12 years earlier. It left him severely impaired. He is essentially dependent for all self-care. He is unable to unable to do almost anything for himself. The man has received countless hours of therapy since his stroke. Based on reports from caregivers, past OT's have focused on ROM for the patient's UE. At my last appointment, I asked the patient "what are your goals?", "what do you want to do with your life?" The caregiver, who has been with the patient 5x/week for 1 year, stated that no therapist had ever asked the patient what HIS goals were. If true, that's a pretty sad statement about the OT's who came before me. But that's another message. I am seeing this man 5x/week and I want to get inside his brain and help him figure out how he wants the rest of his life to play out. I'm sure he wishes that this "nightmare" would just end, but the sad reality is that he will probably spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. I told him that there was nothing "I" could do to make a substantial improvement in his physical condition. I told him that my job is teaching people how to take care of themselves and be productive. At the moment, self care is out of question, but productivity has lots of possibility. But, I want to get this thing right. I want to ensure that I am on the same page as the patient. What if the patient has no goals? What if he just doesn't care and has given up? What if he has no vision for his life? Can one person give another person a vision? Can I "show" this man that his life may never be the way it was, but that it can be better than right now? Help me find a vision for this man!! Thanks, Ron ~~~ Ron Carson MHS, OT www.OTnow.com -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com
