Session 22 (April 3, 2018) Knowledge Check 19

     From today's lecture by Professor Flick, I learned a lot about health promotion, health literacy, and promotion and the roles of occupational therapy.  One thing I was aware of, but never thought too much about was health literacy whether that be understanding what the doctor was saying or understanding what is healthy verse what isn't.  I knew that older adults have been known to be confused by the doctor but never thought of it in a way that someone may not be able to read the paperwork.  Health literacy is something falls under the role of occupational therapy because it could be a matter or being able to discharge a client or not allowing them to go home because they don't understand a part of their limitations or rehabilitation needs.  Professor Flick as discussed how part of the occupational profile is getting to know your patients and their diagnosis/needs, during this time you need to address their literacy level so you are able to cater the way you present medical information to them.  This isn't something you flat out ask, but you are able to address it by asking similar questions to the paperwork they need to fill out, or simply observing them fill out the paperwork as you talk to them.  Another major take away I had from today's class is how much a person's education can tie into their health, not only by allowing them to understand what the medical staff is telling them but also for their resources.  When thinking about one's education its easy to think about how far you have come and the people around you.  Well, that is not the case for everyone, some may have grown up in schools that didn't prioritize their education causing the student to not be able to go onto higher education or get well-paying jobs.  Without well-paying jobs, people cannot afford to buy healthier food, let alone afford a gym membership.  Some of the same people may be without insurance causing them to not get regular check-ups and be more susceptible to sickness. There are many other ways that one's education can impact their health like not learning about it in school due to the fact their schooling didn't emphasize it while they were growing up.