During my fieldwork experience, I have noticed that one of the major psychosocial factors that impedes many geriatric patients' ability to recover from physical illness/injury is depression associated with social isolation. My fieldwork is in a skilled nursing facility, primarily dealing with short-term rehab of elderly patients. I have been able to tell a considerable difference in patients who have alot of family and friend support and interaction. Those patients generally seem to have a greater ability to deal with their current physical disabilities. This week, the COTA that I was working with and I held a group treatment session for 2 patients that had both had back surgeries. They were 2 men, roughly the same age, whom we had do upper body exercises with bands, then stand to play each other in checkers. The men chatted the whole time and their energy level at the end of the session was much higher than when we started. In a very short period of time, they bonded and fed off of each other's energy, as well as ours, and it ended up being the best session out of roughly 30 that I've experienced since I've been there. The COTA said neither of them had tolerated standing for that length of time and I think they would have kept going if we hadn't stopped them. It was a very good example of how social interaction has a very positive and powerful impact on physical recovery.