Since I’m on my GP clinical I’ve had the pleasure of being exposed to a variety of different patients, ailments and personalities. Because of this treatment is always changing, this in my opinion is part of what makes PT so great (at least at times and if you get a good PT). You get to do different treatments, take different approaches, and change communication approaches.
From the obvious differences in talking with a 4 year old with Down Syndrome to an older patient post stroke you obviously communicate differently. But a few transcendent forms of communication are: smiling and touch.
It’s not short of amazing when you stop and think how much a smile impacts people. No matter if it’s a darling 2 year old with the spunkiest attitude Hibbing has ever seen to a grumpy old man who can’t stop fixating on what he used to be. Smiling can begin to melt the toughest exterior or encourage an already accepting encouraging one.
I’ve also realized how powerful touch is. Society and culture has a weird view of touch—as positive and healing as touch can be it can also do inordinate amounts of hurt and culture holds onto that. But it still connects, it lets others know you’re present, and it guides. I’m learning to grow in my confidence when I’m working hands on with my patients, which is virtually always, and to be confident in what I’m instructing; to not feel weird about helping a patient with a pelvic tilt through hand guidance because I know I’m for their best. There’s something that verbal communication just can’t reach.
Each patient is different (duh!). Considering, respecting and honoring differences informs and directs our treatment, but I have been trying to increase the therapeutic alliance through a healing, compassionate and understanding touch. We live in a beautiful diverse world. Even in a fairly homogeneous population that is Hibbing there remains diversity. It just takes a little more thought and examination and can be benefited by my loving confident hands on PT skills.
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