MY EXPERIENCE

I expected something totally different then what I saw going into the facility. Seeing how well they were doing on their own, inside the facility, able to express themselves, and very mobile was a surprise. I was happy though, because I was able to widen my activity list. The group is well behaved, but their attention span is short. They are a bit touchy feely, but after giving them other options to express themselves it was a great second and third experience. For example, creating a special hand shake when we see each other helped eliminate a lot of the hugging and touching and grabbing of the arms and hands. I have to admit I was expecting my group to be more dependent on others for simple things, for example turning on the TV, remembering where the bathroom is located, or how to play a board game. I felt as if I was stereotyping a group of people that was nothing like I thought they would be. Some of them were able to remember my name or my face the second or third visit to the facility. I liked that. I don't think the classroom learning really prepares you for the real thing, but it helps by giving you an idea of what it might be like when working with a person with a brain injury. I am a hands on learner anyway, so I really learned a lot by going to the facility and working with the group and seeing what they are capable of doing for themselves.