For my last neuro note, I decided to watch a movie that, by the title, seemed like I could learn something about care giving and I hoped to find application to my future career in occupational therapy. The movie, "The Fundamentals of Caring," made me laugh and cry. I also learned several valuable lessons from this movie.
In this movie, there is a man, Ben, who is the hired care giver for a boy named Trevor. Trevor is a teenager living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) who lives his life with a very exact schedule with very little variation. Ben, who is frustrated by his lack of adventure, convinces Trevor to go on a road trip to see the odd road side attractions that Trevor is interested in. Trevor is extremely anxious about the trip and along the way he is pushed outside of his comfort zone but ultimately finds adventure, happiness, and a higher quality of life.
From this movie, I learned several things that I can apply to my career in occupational therapy. I learned about the importance of pursuing the interests of the client and how sometimes providing that will require me to go above and beyond basic care. Trevor had a wish to pee standing up and that taught me that sometimes it's something simple that can provide a feeling of independence for my clients. I learned a lot about the relationship formed between client and care giver and the platform of trust it is built upon. These are few lessons that I can work to apply to the care I give to others within occupational therapy.
I would highly recommend watching this movie. There are so many underlying lessons that you can gain from by watching Ben and Trevor interact with each other and the world they encounter. You can find "The Fundamentals of Caring" on Netflix!
Burnett, R. (Producer & Director), & Gigliotti, D. (Producer). (2016). The fundamentals of caring [Motion picture]. United States of America: Levantine Films, Worldwide Pants.
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