Fabulous article. I'm about to (9 DAYS) finish my Occupational Therapy graduate degree
A lot of people say OT? is that like PT? Neeeyaahish- Yes and no.
Pt looks at your body and assumes if they can fix the biomechanical deficit function will follow and function will lead to a rich and rewarding life.
OT takes the opposite approach- what makes a life rich and rewarding then work down to environment activities and then anatomy,
I can't tell you how much value there is, especially for people living with a disability - to take sole responsibility for another dependent life form- Even- especially if an injury makes it so you can't dress yourself or you become frail or society isolates you in your old age-
life begets life
renewal is contagious
growth is catchy
struggle is shared
Noticing that new root in a vase, that new bud struggling toward the light
Its very impactful - for me as a fully able avid gardener- and also for people who struggle with mental, physical or environmental hurdles. Its admirable and meaningful and a shared experience.
So if anyone has cuttings laying around- take them to your local senior center or community group or after school program- even the hardest inner city teen delinquents can benefit from that connection- delivering care and reaping the rewards in a very simple way- its hugely symbolic and it allows for an experience that may be new- fostering life, generating measurable productivity- Its very powerful