By Caitlin Newman
North Central College
Department of Occupational Therapy

I am an occupational therapy student at North Central College in Naperville, IL, and currently completing my level II fieldwork placement with FOX Rehabilitation in a Senior Living Community / Assisted Living Facility. 

Occupational Therapy is a career change for me, but I am loving my decision so far. I chose to pursue the field of occupational therapy to work with patients across their lifespans and utilize my love of science and creativity. I started this journey not really knowing the population I wanted to work with, and I could see myself in a variety of settings. My level I fieldwork experiences gave me an insight into different settings including pediatrics, community, and the adult neuro population. I ended up really enjoying working with the adult population, specifically older adults. 

Why I Enjoy Working with Older Adults as an Occupational Therapy Student

I am currently interested in working with the older adult population because I believe each individual should have the opportunity to remain independent for as long as possible while remaining safe. You can see the impact you have as a clinician on each person and it is a very rewarding feeling. Below are some of the top reasons I believe working with a geriatric population is great!  

1. Older Adults Appreciate the Time You Spend with Them. Your therapy session could be something your patients look forward to. A lot of people enjoy and look forward to their interactions with others and your friendly and understanding demeanor could make the difference between a rough day and a good day. A lot of the time I am listening to how a patient’s day is going or what happened in the dining room today, and I can tell they enjoy having someone to talk to who will listen to what they have to say. 
2. You Can See the Difference You’re Making in Their Lives. As an occupational therapy student, I can see the benefits of occupational therapy, especially when it comes to safety. We can see the difficulties they may not even realize they are having and sometimes we can make minor environmental changes that can make all the difference.  
3. Working with Older Adults Gives You Perspective. Most people have lived a full life and it’s always interesting to hear and learn from their experiences. Their stories and memories can allow you to see how things were when they grew up and how they have changed. This is also a great way to get to know the people you are working with. I find this is how I can gather information to tailor my sessions to include activities they enjoy while still continuing to keep it therapeutic.
4. It’s Always Interesting! From the stories to the appreciation, working with this population always keeps you on your toes! Some of the stories or comments will keep you laughing the rest of the day.

Geriatric Setting of Interest

I can definitely see myself working with the geriatric population in the future — whatever setting it may be. Within geriatrics, a setting that intrigues me is Aging in Place. Aging in Place is an emerging practice in occupational therapy and will continue to grow as individuals want to age in their own homes. 

Why Aging in Place is So Important

Personal independence tends to decrease as a person ages. While some seniors are able to adjust to living in a nursing or assisted living facility, others may never fully acclimate to their new home. This can negatively impact an individual’s mental health. According to one study, nearly 30% of nursing home residents have minor or major depression. 

This could be because individuals aren’t adjusting to their new living situations. However, if these individuals had the opportunity to make changes to their homes to ensure a safe environment, this could greatly improve the quality of life these individuals experience. I have seen this statistic to be true in my time working in an assisted living facility. Sometimes people just don’t adjust well to a new environment and I think if it were safe for them to be at home safely with family, they would be happier.

Making a career change in the healthcare field isn’t always easy, but when you find something that makes it worth it, it’s a great feeling. My fieldwork rotation with FOX Rehabilitation has been a great experience, I have a clinical instructor who answers all my questions and provides a positive learning environment. I also found that working with older individuals is sometimes a challenging, but also a rewarding experience. I love listening to stories about their lives and looking at pictures from when they were younger. It helps them see the person they were and what potential we may still be able to achieve.