For this post I decided to discuss just what a therapeutic relationship is and what it entails. A therapeutic relationship is defined as the interaction between an occupational therapist practitioner and their client. Therapeutic relationships differ from everyday relationships, in that they are key in facilitating the healing and rehabilitation process. They also differ from the typical relationship in that it's not about both people but strictly about the client and meeting their needs. Developing and sustaining therapeutic relationships involves the ability to develop trust, demonstrate empathy, understand verbal and nonverbal communication, and the use of active listening. Trust is one of the most important aspects in any type of relationship to me. Once trust is obtained the client feels more comfortable with sharing personal information which in turn greatly benefits the intervention process. Developing empathy is another huge part of this process, the client must believe that you at least are trying to understand their situation and that you have their best interest at heart. Developing a therapeutic relationship is key to the OT process.
Caroline did her presentation over her grandmother who had Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Caroline talked about specifically how her grandmother stopped doing almost everything she loved to do during the middle stages. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Originally they weren't sure if she was just getting older or actually had an underlying issue. Caroline stated that slight symptoms began developing as early as 6 years before the diagnosis. The most common early symptom of Alzheimer's is difficulty remembering newly learned information because Alzheimer's changes typically begin in the part of the brain that affects learning. As Alzheimer's advances through the brain it leads to increasingl...
Very well said, Cameron!
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