Just wanted to say hello, and to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you all!
we've had to condense our whole practicum into less than half the time, and we've been running off our feet!
On a positive note though: I've learned that I actually really enjoy working with older adults in long-term care!
I haven't had the chance to really read TRs or put together any updates in at least a month. (My sincere apologies that I haven't been responding to comments or keeping up with your stories!)
In the meantime, I'm sending love and pixie dust to all my Disfriends.
Wait.... Meghan... something. I think I remember you...
Hi stranger! Nice to see you again.
Holy smokes! You must be wiped out!
Good!
Glad to see you've found this out.
We get it. And we'll be here when you have the time to entertain us once more.
I've missed you, @pkondz!
Sure am!! It's been a brutal semester, and we're all hanging by a thread, and most of the rest of the class is only spending half as much time in practicum as my partner and I have been, so we're feeling it even worse. But it's wiped out in a good way...mostly. The course material is interesting, and occasionally we're even doing things that feel like they matter.
Yes! I'd be lying if I didn't admit that prior to this placement...the elderly made me feel kinda nervous and uncomfortable.
Long-term care facilities felt like places out of creepy movies, and medical instability makes me anxious.
I thought I'd have to just to try to get through it as best I could and get it over with. But it's turned out to be one of my favourite things I've done in my degree so far! The residents we're working with keep surprising me with what they're capable of when they're given the right supports
We worked with a gentleman with Parkinson's who could barely be understood by his wife or the staff most of the time because his speech had become so quiet and unintelligible, and by the end of our first session with him he was speaking clearly at a normal volume with a few reminders here and there. Pretty sure his wife's jaw hit the floor when we showed her.
Wow! That's... Meghan, that's verging on down-right miraculous!
I'm sure he will!It's been very special—a privilege to be able to work with him and his family! I think he'll be one of the ones that sticks with me my whole career.
Heeeeelllllllllooooooooooooo! No worries - I totally get it! Good luck with everything and we'll look forward to a reappearance (hopefully) soon!HEELLLLLOOOOOOO HUUUMMMAAANNS!
while I've been completely immersed in my school term.
See ya real soon!