While in a US rehabilitation center, one has to be able to basically accept and get along with an assortment of people from many different cultures, ethnic groups and countries. Indeed, lots of staff members in a rehab place originated from various lands around the world rather than just the U.S. All the while, most of the residents were born in America.
Accordingly, many languages are used when they talk to others from their own former regions. It actually makes listening exciting as many of the native tongues sound gorgeous, although it is impossible to understand whatever is being said. More remarkable, though, are certainly the distinct mannerisms, customs and traditions of such a large variety of people.
At the same time, the workers have to be able to get along with diversely different people. They include both other employees and the patients, themselves, while the latter group has a wide combination of problems that brought them to a rehab clinic in the first place. These difficulties can in fact involve dementia, inability to walk, brain damage and mobility issues due to a car accident or a stroke, as well as any other major ailment that severely impacts somebody’s ability to function well.
In the rehabilitation center in which I currently reside, the majority of people working there have different religions from each other. For me, it makes for a rich and interesting benefit as do their different backgrounds. In fact, I sit spellbound listening to their stories about themselves and bits of their personal histories. Some tales seem simply amazing, especially in relation to hardships that some of the staff have endured in the past.
In addition, many want to be helpful and kind to each other and their patients. Yet a minority, as can be expected, act rude, dysfunctional and unpleasant. Yet that is the way that everything goes in an institution — any sort of institution with an assortment of people in it — since the group will include all sorts of individuals. In any case, most staff members are average while some are either somewhat bad acting or truly excellent in many ways.
Surely, the same range holds true for residents. Put another way, some step up to be helpful to other residents and staff. Many are cheerful and hard working to improve themselves and assist others. At the same time, some others are, through no fault of their own, senile, mean, lazy, self-centered, depressed, apathetic, angry, prone to poor behaviors such as biting others and so on.
Along with the constructive residents trying to improve life in the center, numerous workers strive to bring their best understandings and capabilities while on the job. Moreover, the finest certified nurse assistants (CPA’s) can be happiest at work when a cherished patient is well enough to go home and are deeply sorrowful when one dies. As far as seasoned nurses go, the most competent ones want to have good, functional help from reliable CPA’s and find upsetting when nurses on other shifts don’t do their jobs well.
Further, the quality of occupational and physical therapy can vary from rehab center to rehab center. The related programs generally can run the gamut from being truly terrible and inadequate to superb and highly appropriate. Simultaneously, the food can sometimes be inedible in some rehabs, which spend around $2.00 USD per meal and tend to have burned, poor quality food. Certainly, it can be horrid, so-so or delicious and nutritious depending on the food budget and the skills of the cooks in the kitchen. So it goes.
While there are activities offered in a rehab like coloring pictures or playing bingo, none of these amusements appeal to me. So I have lots of free time to physically exercise on my own, make enquiries on the internet about topics of interest, write emails to family members and friends, read emails, take care of routine needs and provide help to others.
I especially like benefiting others. After all, everyone needs to feel cherished and important. Each person also needs companionship.
This in mind, I look out for my ninety-five year old, frail roommate and show her videos for an hour or more each day. I make sure that she has mental stimulation in the morning and in the afternoon such as through talking about current events or exploring earth’s tallest trees.
This sort of personal attention has made her less moody and sad. Accordingly, she doesn’t sleep, cry or complain most of the day, which she routinely use to do when I first knew her.
In the end, much can go right or wrong in any rehabilitation facility. For example, medicines or needed supplies might not be ordered on time; some food might be of such a low standard or so poorly cooked that it has to be avoided. Moreover and due to a shortage of medical personnel, too many duties are often assigned to the ones who are present, which can be very stressful. All the same, the adept and caring people in a rehab setting can truly make the recovery experience a positive one. Besides, why get vexed or remorseful over the lacks? Either directly or indirectly address them to try to find a remedy or try to focus on that which is constructive and uplifting in such a scene.
Sally Dugman lives in MA, USA.
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