Nutrition and Aging Reflection

One key take away is that nutrition has an effect on every aspect of your body. Things such as decubitus ulcers can be due to malnutrition during a hospital stay. This is something I never considered before. Nutrition also has a lot to do with muscle strength and organ function. Protein has such an important role in preventing muscle atrophy in older adults specifically. Another key takeaway is to include the facilities RD in a patient's POC and talk to them about any muscle weakness and signs of potential malnutrition. 

One intervention idea would be to do a group cooking class for older adults. Within this class, we would teach important nutrition concepts and stress the importance of eating a balanced diet throughout the day. This could be done at an independent living facility where they are expected to make 2/3 of their meals per day. 

Another intervention could be working with a client that is transitioning from one environment to a more independent environment. We would discuss the importance of proper nutrition, come up with a weekly meal plan, and make some simple meals in the clinic before their d/c home. 

Mr. and Mrs. Glyph

Over this past year and a half, much of my idea of what a leader is has remained the same while some minor things have changed. Starting OT school, I really didn't see myself as a leader. I remember drawing the first image with the idea of a leader in my head. When I drew this last glyph, I answered the questions with myself as the leader. Through this program, I've had the opportunity to grow my leadership skills mainly through running journal club each month. That has really pushed me into a leadership role suited for me, while also giving me an opportunity to work on my public speaking skills. It has even sparked the interest of potentially getting into academia further into my OT career. I have a love for learning and would love to share that love with future OTs down the road. 

The most interesting change between my glyphs for me was the eyebrows. I initially saw leadership as a "out-in-front" type of way, and I now appreciate the behind the scenes work that makes a true leader. A leader is an essential part of a organization or group and in order for them to completely fill the roll, I now know a lot of behind the scenes work goes into it. It's not just speaking in front of people that makes someone a leader, it's all the preparation that goes into making a class or journal club successful that makes someone a great leader. Being a leader is more than just a personality trait. For me, it's doing something, even if it goes unnoticed, for the betterment of a group of people. That's a true leader. I'm so glad to have gained this new perspective through my OT education. I can't thank my professors and classmates enough for bringing out a side of me I didn't know existed.