WEEK 5 - coming to the end

10.11.08

whoops, missed a week back there...shows how much time i don't have!

Well last week was good, we were able to do a few more initial assessments and a home visit and our regular patients and classes. Overall a good week.

Twice a week we take turns in running a general fitness and strengthening class they call "Lodge group" which is in the psych/geri ward of the hospital. All the pts are self admitted to the ward with generally minor psych issues.

Usually we start with the "how are we all today?" "anything changed since last week" etc. and then straight into the exercises.

This week i thought i would try to make it more personal, i mean im not taking the class for my benefit, im doing it for their benefit so it should be more about them. so we began by going around the class and telling everyone our names and our favorite food. then throughout the class i was able to use their names and point out how good they were doing, some individualized positive encouragement which opened them up and got them smiling and laughing. It was good and i felt more confident rather than demonstrating an exercise and then counting them through it i was able to chat to them each one on one and fill the session with general chit chat and socialising.

I think it was a good session and will try this again next time. maybe get them all the suggest what exercise to do next as most of them are regulars.

I enjoy the class situation. It also transfers to the ward where we are now able to clinically select pts that are at approximately the same level, bring a couple to the physio area at the one time and conduct a mini class setting then while one rests we do another's individual exercises and rotate. This saves time, which is precious, and gets the pts interacting with eachother and they are able to compare with eachother...i think the slight sense of subconscious 'competition' between the pts also motivates them to get well.