April is Occupational Therapy Month and a time I contemplate and reflect on my career choice. People frequently ask me why I became an occupational therapist. My convictions and desire to provide assistance to others is what drew me to this rewarding lifelong career.

My journey started over 20 years ago with an associate degree in occupational therapy assisting. However, my perpetual thirst for knowledge led me to return to school for a bachelor’s of science, master’s of science, and recently a doctor of health science degree in occupational therapy as well as a graduate certificate in gerontology. I also pursued an occupational therapy board certification in gerontology. As an occupational therapist, I help individuals achieve their personal goals and live their life as independently as possible by restoring function, compensating for lost skills, preventing injuries, and promoting health.

The greatest enjoyment can emerge from assisting others to acquire a glimmer of hope in their eyes as they perform tasks they thought were impossible to accomplish due to their injury or illness. I was overjoyed when a female client brilliantly smiled as she learned strategies to put her earrings in, despite the tremors in her arm. I was humbled by the ecstatic cries of joy of an adolescent boy with a spinal cord injury who learned how to feed himself, even though he had no finger movement. I was thrilled teaching a man how to play billiards and hit the balls into the pocket using one hand, because his other arm was paralyzed due to a stoke. I enjoyed receiving a hug from a woman who now has warm feet since she learned how to put on her own socks, despite being unable to bend over or lift her feet up. I enjoyed helping a woman who had difficulty concentrating and attending to tasks learn strategies to improve these skills, thus enabling her to return to college. I delighted in teaching a man how to write with his non-dominant hand since his dominant arm was paralyzed. I loved instructing a woman how to type on the computer and play her favorite musical instrument while wearing finger splints and using techniques to protect her joints. These are just a mere glimpse of a few moments in time that help clarify my life’s purpose and why I love my career choice.

Occupational therapy professionals can specialize or work in a variety of areas with mine being gerontology, arthritis, vision impairments, neurological illness or diseases (stroke, multiple sclerosis), memory impairments, wellness and prevention, balance impairments, and fall prevention. I love to educate and speak to senior, church, and civic groups, health care professionals, and students about occupational therapy and a variety of health related topics.

One area I have spoken widely about is reducing the risk of falls. A primary reason why I was motivated to work in this area stems from my experience as an occupational therapist. I often received numerous referrals for individuals who had preventable falls. For example, I had three individuals who tripped over their pets and broke a bone, at least two individuals who tripped over the bed covers while making the bed, and several people who pulled a towel bar out of the wall while trying to maintain their balance while stepping into or out of the tub. This is what prompted me to focus some of my energy, time, and career to preventing falls. I thought there must be strategies we can implement to help some individuals prevent falls and their devastating consequences.

One way I help prevent falls is through my work with the SPICE for Life fall prevention program, a collaborative program run by Therapeutic Life Center and the Pitt County Council on Aging for individuals 55 and over. I also try to educate the community about falls by helping to coordinate an annual community-wide SPICE for Life Fall Prevention Screening and Education Fair with the local council on aging, in collaboration with the Eastern NC Falls
Prevention Coalition, in which I am a member. Exhibitor and sponsorship money helps provide safety equipment (e.g. grab bars) for low income seniors, and also helps fund the following year’s event. Additionally, I perform fall prevention home safety evaluations and provide treatment to improve balance and other skills to reduce fall risk.

Working at Therapeutic Life Center has enabled me to abide by my belief to view people holistically and has facilitated my ability to assist them to reach their highest possible potential. I am humbled and honored to have worked with and aided so many wonderful individuals through my work as an occupational therapist and have loved being a small part of their life and their joy.

This is truly what inspires me to continue to learn as much as I can so that I can assist every individual to reach for the stars and have the highest quality of life possible. To all my occupational therapy students, friends, and colleagues locally and around the nation,

Happy Occupational Therapy Month!