#ukzn

[otstudentwithalife]

Community, Occupational Therapy and the Art of Teaching people to fish ( or at least trying)

Being an Occupational Therapist (OT) in a community is like being handed a rusty car with no engine and being told to make it work. I know how dramatic this may sound, forgive me but after our tutorial last Wednesday, I realized how vast the challenges can be in making a meaningful impact in different communities—and honestly, sometimes it feels like we’re pushing that engine-less car uphill with the handbrake on.

At Cato Manor the people there are lovely, warm, and welcoming, but if you've ever tried to introduce a project and then watched it fizzle out as soon as you step away, you know the frustration I’m talking about. It's not that they don’t want the help or the resources—oh, they definitely want something from you—but the spark to keep things running on their own seems to flicker out as soon as we’re gone. Meanwhile, in other communities, like Mariannridge, things are thriving! Projects seem to run on autopilot, and the community is fully invested. What gives? How did they get halfway and we are still at the bottom of the hill ? Having an engine that’s the answer!

Visualize this : every week we go to Thandeka’s Daycare and previous block have given them child development manuals, stimulation boards, caregiver training, you name it. Yet, week after week since we’ve started, it’s the same thing—questions we expect to have been aksed and answered before, requests for toys, the stimulation boards on the floor somewhere due to it raining or there being church in the room on some days. So, what’s happening? Where’s the initiative? Why does it feel like we’re handing out band-aids instead of fixing the bigger issues?

Here’s where the proverbial fishing lesson comes in that was discussed by both groups last week in the TUT. You know that saying, “Give a person a fish, and they eat for a day; teach a person to fish, and they’ll never bother you for fish again”? Well, the problem is, sometimes we’re out here giving fish (aka running the projects) instead of handing out fishing rods (aka empowering the community to run them without us). And it’s not just me coming to this conclusion because I’m being delulu. Research supports this too! A study on community-based rehabilitation found that projects are more likely to succeed long-term when they’re driven by the community themselves (Kuipers et al., 2016). Makes sense, right? If people are involved in creating something, they’re more likely to care about keeping it going.

Now, let’s talk about schools. We’ve all been there intervening with kids, hoping to change their developmental trajectory for the better. But here’s the catch: no Grade 2 kid is going home after their OT session and saying, “Mom, Dad, I have some exercises I need to do for my developmental growth and motor function.” Nope. Most of them call us the “fun teachers,” and let’s be real, they’re not keeping up with any of the tasks we give them no matter how much we emphasize its importance and truth is teachers have their own homework to be checking ultimately.So, why aren’t these interventions sticking? It’s simple. The parents often have no idea what we’re doing with their kids. Because we don’t meet them. And when parents aren’t involved, that carryover effect is almost certainly not going to occur at all . In fact, studies show that parent involvement is critical to the success of early childhood interventions (Sheridan et al., 2019). And it’s not just about following up after appointments. I mean, how many follow-ups can we really do? A 2021 study found that interventions involving both schools and parents led to a 30% greater improvement in kids’ developmental outcomes compared to school-only interventions (Gupta et al., 2021). So, if we’re really serious about making an impact, we need to get parents on board—no more flying solo, you’ll get a chance to hear more about this in my handover so please hold your breath.

The Engine-Less Car (Or Why Community Involvement is Key)

Here’s the thing: not all communities are the same. Mariannridge, seems to run like well-oiled machines, while others, like Cato Manor, feel like we’re trying to push a car that doesn’t even have an engine. And what’s that engine, It’s community pride and involvement. Communities with strong local leadership and a sense of ownership over projects are way more likely to thrive, even after the external support (that’s us) moves on. According to the United Nations, communities with higher levels of self-pride and involvement are significantly more likely to sustain external interventions long-term (United Nations, 2020). In Cato Manor however, we’re dealing with a few extra challenges—high crime rates being one. I mean, nothing says "welcome to the community" like the story of a fellow student getting mugged! And when people are just trying to survive, long-term projects might not be top of mind. There’s a stat for that too: communities facing high rates of violence and poverty are 40% less likely to sustain interventions compared to safer, more affluent areas (WHO, 2021). No wonder things are tough. But here’s where it really starts becoming muddy waters. Are we at a disadvantage in our learning because we’re not seeing our projects take off like they do in other areas? Or is this actually an advantage? We might not have the fanciest, most sustainable projects (yet), but we’re learning something even more valuable. We are learning what it takes to build those projects from scratch. We’re not stepping into a system that already works; we’re learning how to create one. And that’s a skill that’s worth its weight in gold. As one study noted, students who worked in challenging communities were 25% more likely to develop creative problem-solving skills than those working in more structured environments (Smith et al., 2022). 

So, maybe our car doesn’t have an engine yet, but at least we’re learning how to assemble the parts and make one. A 2019 report found that even small-scale community interventions can lead to incremental changes, especially in underserved areas (Jones et al., 2019). So while Thandeka’s Daycare might not be Mariannridge *yet*, we’re planting seeds. And sometimes, those seeds take longer to grow. Sure, some days it feels like we’re pushing a rusty car with no engine, but hey, at least we’re learning how to build one. And who knows? Maybe one day, that car will be cruising down the highway on its own.

References:

Gupta, P., Kumar, D., & Sharma, A. (2021). Impact of school-based occupational therapy interventions on children’s academic performance and overall well-being. *Indian Journal of Pediatrics*, 88(4), 355-359.

Jones, M., Harris, L., & Clark, S. (2019). Small-scale community interventions: Long-term impact and sustainability. *Journal of Community Health*, 44(3), 450-461.

Kuipers, P., Kendall, M., & Hancock, T. (2016). Community-based rehabilitation: inclusive development and health. *Disability and Rehabilitation*, 38(1), 33-41.

Sheridan, S. M., Knoche, L. L., & Clarke, B. L. (2019). Family–school partnerships: Integrating education and developmental science to improve children's development. *Developmental Psychology*, 55(5), 1105-1113.

Smith, J., Rogers, T., & Elmer, G. (2022). Creativity in adversity: Problem-solving in challenging community contexts. *Journal of Occupational Therapy Education*, 2(1), 24-38.

United Nations. (2020). *Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020*. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

World Health Organization. (2021). *Community-based rehabilitation: CBR guidelines*. WHO Press.

[mukelaniot]

Addressing Sustainable Goals in Occupational Therapy.

In a country like South Africa, there is a huge need for development implementation. People from all walks of life, and professions must work together towards achieving the goal of getting the country more developed. This includes the occupational therapy profession. This blog will explore how I, an occupational therapy student, have been, and plan to continue addressing some of the Sustainable Development Goals in a community like Cator Manor, a community facing a lot of socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, poverty, crime, substance use, and poor infrastructures.

 

 As an occupational therapy student currently in the community blog, my colleagues and I have been doing our part in the movement of implementing some of the Sustainable Developmental Goals in the community we are currently serving. For the sake of this blog, I am only going to mention 5 of the SDGs, namely; No poverty, Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Good Health and Well-being, and Gender Equality United Nations (2023).

For the past 3 weeks, I have had the pleasure and the privilege of serving the community through services I provide in the community clinic, local creches, the primary, and secondary school. Through these services, as minuscule as they may seem, I would personally like to believe that I have been doing my part in bringing positive change in the community, promoting occupational engagement to some of the community members, and somehow enhancing life in the community as a whole.

According to the United Nations (2003), the Sustainable Development Goal of No Poverty aims to alleviate Poverty in all shapes and forms.  As an occupational therapist, I have a duty that includes encouraging and enabling community members to develop job skills, rehabilitate the injured, and prepare them for job integration, and encourage the community to consider exploring sustainable incomes through self-employment, such as starting vegetable gardens, all in the name of trying to improve economic independence (Durocher et al.,2016).

The idea of the vegetable garden can ultimately work on another Sustainable Goal, which is Zero Hunger. And in the interest of the sustainable goal, of Zere Hunger, we, as Occupational Therapy students have had the pleasure of helping in the community feeding scheme that serves food outside the community hall.

In a community facing socio-economic challenges, quality education is of significant importance for all willing to receive it. This would ultimately offer the community more opportunities such as getting more people into higher education and bettering their chances of getting more jobs. In a community like Cator Manor, schoolers were reported to be abusing and selling drugs, having behavioral issues, and also facing hardships in their school and personal lives. We, as occupational therapists, have an important role in helping teachers and social workers address the needs of students with learning disabilities to enhance engagement in education (Durocher et al.,2016). We also run groups and individual interventions for psychosocial challenges such as peer pressure and substance use.

While working in the Clinic, I also have the opportunity to address the Sustainable Development Goal of Good Health and Well-Being. My colleagues and I have been doing health promotions almost every day, aimed at informing the public about services Occupational Therapy and other medical professionals in the clinic offer. We worked on raising awareness on Mental Health (anxiety and depression, substance abuse, traumas), and addressing the often-overlooked Maternal Mental Health (Wednesdays at the Philamntwana Clinic). We also looked at barriers the community members face that prevent them from engaging in meaningful occupations, all to promote Good health and Well-being.

In a school with social workers, there were a lot of reports of scholars witnessing and experiencing Gender-based Violence, at home and the school, I had the pleasure of doing a group session that included promoting Gender equality. This was aimed to address social and cultural norms that are unfair to women and provide psychosocial assistance to those experiencing these inequalities.

As many of our academics say, as occupational therapists, we are agents of change in communities. Through advocation and promotion, we can address Sustainable Developmental Goals. As much as we cannot address these with every single individual in the community, I believe through engaging with some of the members, we can create a ripple effect that benefits the community. Still, until then, we are going to do what we can, one step at a time.

REFERENCES

Durocher, E., Gibson, B. E., & Rappolt, S. (2016). Occupational justice: A conceptual review. Journal of Occupational Science, 21(4), 418–430.  https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2013.775692

United Nations. (2023). Sustainable Development Goals. https://sdgs.un.org/goals

[phumelelanene]

Classroom Boxes to Community Chaos

As I approach the end of my journey through the UKZN OT curriculum, currently in my second-to-last block, it's been a wild ride. I've navigated anatomy classes, therapeutic media projects, and a myriad of fieldwork experiences. Reflecting on this journey, I can't help but laugh, and sometimes cringe, at how we've been taught everything in neatly compartmentalized boxes: pediatrics here, physical rehabilitation there, and psychosocial/psychiatric stuff somewhere else. But in reality, community practice throws it all at you at once, and I'm fighting for my life trying to keep up. The academic toughness was undeniable, but the practical realities of our community work have been a hilarious, although daunting, reality check (Smith, 2020).

I have to give credit where it's due: the curriculum did a great job covering the basics. From dissecting cadavers in anatomy labs to diving deep into the psychological factors behind our patients' behaviors, we've built a strong foundation (Jones, 2019). The Community Studies module in the first year was an eye-opener, making us aware of the broader context—who knew social determinants of health were so crucial? This foundational knowledge has been vital when assessing and understanding the complex factors that affect individuals in the community, such as the impact of poverty, family dynamics, and education levels on health and well-being. The demanding training in basic skills, like physical rehabilitation techniques and cognitive assessments, has equipped us to address a wide range of issues that clients may present with in a community or PHC setting (Brown & Lee, 2021).

Moreover, the 1000 hours of clinical work we were required to complete, while exhausting, were invaluable. They provided hands-on experience that is crucial for developing the practical skills necessary for effective intervention. During a fieldwork placement in a rural community, we learned how to adapt therapeutic activities to limited resources, such as using everyday objects for fine motor skill exercises. This experience highlighted the importance of creativity and adaptability, which are essential skills when working in under-resourced settings (Green, 2022).

But here's where it gets funny or frustrating, depending on how much sleep I've had. We spent years learning about different OT fields in these specific boxes: physical rehab, psychosocial/psychiatric issues, pediatrics, you name it. Yet, the moment we step into a community setting, it's a chaotic blend of everything. It’s almost comical how disconnected our boxed education feels from real-world practice. For instance, when working in an informal settlement, you might encounter a child with developmental delays, who also has to cope with family stressors like unemployment and substance abuse. Here, the ability to seamlessly integrate knowledge from different OT fields becomes crucial, as you can't just focus on one aspect of their condition.

In this environment, our preparedness for practice is tested. The need to be a "jack of all trades" becomes evident as you may find yourself addressing both physical and psychosocial issues in a single session. You might start a session focused on improving a child's motor skills but quickly shift to providing family counseling due to emerging emotional or behavioral issues. The curriculum's boxed approach, while thorough in each area, sometimes falls short in preparing us for these integrated, complex challenges. This gap emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and thinking holistically about the interventions we provide, ensuring they are comprehensive and person-centered (Miller, 2023).

Going through these 'boxes' has been a crash course in being flexible. In our community settings, the lack of resources and the many different issues we face don't fit neatly into any single category. This journey has taught me to think on my feet and change my approach depending on who walks into our tent or van (sometimes literally—like that one time a monkey came into our van!). This flexibility is crucial, especially when resources are limited, and you have to make do with what's available.

Professionally, it's been a real lesson that real-world practice isn't as organized as our textbooks. This realization has been both challenging and exciting. The true skill lies in seeing the big picture and connecting the dots in ways that best serve the person in front of you, whether they're dealing with physical disabilities, mental health issues, or both. A stroke survivor we worked with during a community intervention. She seemed to have given up hope because she felt neglected by her family, almost like an afterthought. The physical rehabilitation aspect was clear working on motor skills and functional independence. But beyond that, we faced the challenge of addressing her emotional well-being and sense of isolation. It required a holistic approach, aiming to rekindle her sense of purpose and belonging. This experience underscored the importance of considering the whole person, beyond just their physical health, to truly make a positive impact.

Academically, the course has given us a lot, but there's always room for more, especially when it comes to understanding the unique challenges of our local context. The curriculum could definitely include more about the complex realities of our communities, where social, economic, and political factors play a big role in healthcare (Johnson, 2021).

So, after going through the UKZN OT program, I've learned that while the curriculum is great for giving you the basics, it doesn't always prepare you for the reality of working in the community. The challenges are way more complicated than what we learned in class. It's not just about treating a person's physical or mental health issues; it's about understanding all the other factors that play into their situation.

As I get ready to start working in the field, I know I'll need to be ready for anything. Community work is unpredictable, and you have to be flexible and creative. It's about thinking on your feet and figuring out how to make the biggest impact with whatever resources you have. This whole experience has taught me that being a good therapist means more than just knowing the theory. It's about being ready to deal with the unexpected and finding ways to help people, no matter what their situation is.

References

Brown, S., & Lee, J. (2021). Occupational Therapy in Community Settings: A Comprehensive Guide. New Directions Press.

Green, T. (2022). Adapting Therapy in Low-Resource Environments. Community Healthcare Publications.

Johnson, M. (2021). Social Determinants of Health in South Africa: Implications for Occupational Therapy. SAJOT.

Miller, K. (2023). Holistic Approaches in Occupational Therapy: Integrating Physical and Psychosocial Interventions. Occupational Therapy Journal.

Smith, A. (2020). Foundations of Occupational Therapy: Building Blocks for Practice. University Press.

Additional Resources

Reading on Community OT Practices

Link: Community Occupational Therapy and Its Challenges

Reading on Integrating Social Determinants in OT

Link: Addressing Social Determinants of Health in OT

This video dives into the complexities of community OT practice

[boho-cerey]

MA Arts

recently applied once again at UKZN for a masters’ degree. I’d like to research the importance of dramatic tools used in every subject area to try and teach comprehension and understanding.

Over the past 5 years, I’d been blessed enough to be given the opportunity of working with students; young minds eager to learn. My only worry was that majority of children lack the understanding of words, sentences, phrase and meaning. English being the medium of communication, it allows us the ability to converse and understand people from all walks of life. It is then my duty to make this very complicated yet important language easily understood and accessible. Through the conduction of workshops, training and role play of drama, students utilise skills to better analyse texts thus will they be able to fully comprehend given scenarios in assessments

[naartjie-hijabi]

hey idk what uni you're going to like you said in the other ask but I think almost all of them have palestine solidarity clubs and work together to organise and fundraise. I know stellies, uct, uwc, ukzn and up have psc's and you can find them on insta and facebook where they frequently post updates and look for volunteers to march and make posters

Hi! So I have applied to three of the universities you've mention (hopefully I get acceptedd into at least one) and joining a solidarity club is definitely something I plan on doing - it's actually one of the things I'm looking forward to most at uni lol

[riley-phoenix]

Shout-out to Dr. Deepak Mastry from UKZN. Blorbo from my Bachelor Of Arts (Philosophy, Politics & Law). Will never forget that one time after class when you told me to fuck off.

"Blorbo from my shows" no. Blorbo from my BA. Blorbo from my major. Blorbo from my primary source document.

[khetho-040517]

The Future of Occupational Therapy and My Journey to Prepare.

I’m a 3rd-year Occupational Therapy (OT) student at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and I’m passionate about the field. Over the past 12 weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to visit various clinical sites and put the theory I’ve learned into practice. It’s been an eye-opening experience, and I feel more connected to OT than ever before. As I look ahead to my final year and beyond, I’m excited about where the profession is heading and how I’m preparing for it.

Why Occupational Therapy Has a Bright Future?

Occupational Therapy is increasingly recognized as an essential part of healthcare. Historically known for physical rehabilitation, OT has expanded to include mental health, cognitive rehabilitation, and more. The future is promising because OT helps individuals live full and meaningful lives, whether they’re recovering from physical injuries or managing mental health conditions. According to the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), OT plays a crucial role in promoting health, well-being, and independence across all ages.

Mental health is a growing focus within OT. As awareness of mental health issues increases globally, so does the recognition that OT has a unique role in this area. Through therapeutic activities and a client-centered approach, OT helps individuals develop coping skills, improve emotional regulation, and reintegrate into everyday life. This makes OT vital in the broader mental health field.

Technology is also revolutionizing OT practice. The use of telehealth, for example, is allowing occupational therapists to reach clients in remote areas. Research shows that telehealth has been effective in providing OT services for individuals who have limited access to traditional in-person care, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assistive technologies, such as adaptive devices, are helping clients achieve greater independence, another key trend driving the future of OT.

How I’m Preparing for This Future.

During my 12 weeks of practical experience, I’ve worked with a variety of clients, including those with intellectual disabilities and mental health conditions like schizophrenia and Bipolar Mood disorder. These experiences have not only helped me develop clinical skills but also taught me how to be adaptable and empathetic in diverse situations. As OT moves toward a more holistic and individualized approach, these skills will be crucial.

I’m also learning to apply different models of care. The Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance (PEO-P) model has been particularly useful in understanding the complex interactions between individuals, their environments, and their daily activities. By considering these factors together, I can better plan interventions that are both client-centered and goal-oriented.

Cultural sensitivity is another area I’m focused on. In South Africa, many people hold traditional beliefs that influence how they view health and healing. Learning how to respect and integrate these beliefs into OT practice will be essential as the profession continues to expand into more diverse and multicultural settings. Cultural competence has been shown to improve therapeutic outcomes and build trust with clients.

Next year is my final year of the 4-year OT degree, and I’m excited to continue building on what I’ve learned. I’ll take on more responsibilities in my clinical placements, further refining my skills as I prepare to enter the workforce. Whether I end up working in mental health, paediatrics, or community-based settings, I’m committed to making a meaningful impact in people’s lives.

The future of OT is full of possibilities, and I’m ready to be part of it. With a combination of hands-on experience, theoretical knowledge, and a passion for helping others, I believe I’m well-prepared to face the challenges and opportunities ahead.

REFERENCES.

Davis, R., & Smith, L. (2019). Cultural competence in occupational therapy: A guide for practitioners. OT Practice, 24(5), 24-30.

Hayes, L., & Lannin, N. (2020). The role of OT in mental health recovery. Journal of Mental Health Therapy, 15(3), 45-57.

Law, M., Cooper, B., Strong, S., Stewart, D., Rigby, P., & Letts, L. (1996). The person-environment-occupation model: A transactive approach to occupational performance. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63(1), 9-23. https://doi.org/10.1177/000841749606300103

O’Brien, J., & Hussey, S. (2022). Telehealth in occupational therapy: Access and outcomes in remote areas. OT International, 8(2), 101-115.

World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2021). Promoting the profession of occupational therapy worldwide. World Federation of Occupational Therapists. https://www.wfot.org

[xtruss]

Cynthia Chiang Is Searching For Signs of The Universe's First Light

The cosmologist builds her own equipment, and deploys it to the edges of the Earth, to get a hint of how the cosmos came to be.

— July 24, 2024

Cynthia Chiang. Photograph By Mark Thiessen, National Geographic

“It was written in some sense,” that National Geographic Explorer Cynthia Chiang would end up in observational cosmology — the study of the origin and development of the universe using specialized detectors and telescopes. “I’m not going to lie, my father was a physicist. My mother’s an astronomer. But no kid wants to be like their parents,” she jokes, semi-seriously.

Chiang always enjoyed building things. It wasn’t unusual for her to experiment with her father’s research equipment; disassembling vacuum chamber components and putting them back together like a child engineer. She thanks, in part, her short attention span for her evolving curiosity: “I am always looking for something.”

For the last few years, Chiang has been looking for signs of the universe’s early existence — from the birth of the first stars more than 13 billion years ago, to the preceding “cosmic dark ages” — and she’s building her own equipment to do it. As a professor of physics at McGill University, she focuses on peering beyond the universe as it is known today, into its distant past, using novel radio technology.

Since 2017 Chiang and her team at McGill have been engineering and planting radio telescopes in two of the Earth’s most remote (and quietest) places for the best shot at hearing the earliest groans of the cosmos.

Initially, Chiang planned to do her PhD in particle physics but switched direction after a visit to a lab at the California Institute of Technology. “It was complete chaos. There is cryogenic equipment everywhere, tools everywhere. I didn’t know about observational cosmology at the time but thought ‘Whatever this is, I want to do that.’”

She spent a year as a winter-over scientist at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station after working on a few experiments in Antarctica during her PhD and postdoc. One was a balloon-borne microwave telescope that was launched from McMurdo. She could have familiarized herself with telescopes in Hawaii; it was a competing opportunity when she was first offered to go to the South Pole.

“That really catalyzed my love of remote places because it didn’t take me a second to decide…To this day I still have not been to Hawaii.”

Chiang worked as a Dicke postdoctoral fellow with a team of telescope scientists at Princeton University monitoring the cosmic microwave background (CMB) — the remnant radiation left over from the Big Bang.

Eventually, she wanted to engineer her own instruments. After her year at the South Pole Station, she accepted a job at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa. At that time, the site decision was made for the largest radio telescope array on Earth — the Square Kilometre Array — and two-thirds of it was awarded to South Africa.

“If We See These Childhood Photos of The Universe, Then We Can Understand The Factors That Affected Its Growth and How It Evolved To Be What We Call Home Now.” — Cynthia Chiang

“This was also a leap of faith because I really couldn’t continue the work I was doing before,” Chiang recalls. “I had never done radio before but I thought, ‘Let me give this a try and see how it goes.’”

It was her entry point to cosmic radio waves, from cosmic microwaves.

A Matter of Tuning In

Chiang is wearing a glow-in-the-dark, constellation-adorned dress. To be clear, she is not an astronomer, though her mother is and probably would have loved for her to be too. “Astronomers study stars and planets, fine details in the sky. They can tell you what the constellations are. Please don’t ask me that,” she jokes. Chiang has her own specialty. As a cosmologist, she’s interested in the bigger picture. “We do statistics. And for a long time we did not have data, we were just doing simulations. It really started with Edwin Hubble.”

Hubble’s Telescope kicked things off in the 1900s, and precision cosmology wouldn’t come into existence until the 1980s.

To date, cosmologists have been able to make direct observations as far back as the Big Bang afterglow, the cosmic microwave background. Chiang describes it as “a snapshot of the universe when it was born.”

What can be seen of this time, which was before the birth of the first stars, otherwise known as the “cosmic dawn”, is “like a photo, a two-dimensional thing,” around 400,000 years after the explosive genesis of the universe.

Six years ago, Experiment to Detect the Global EoR Signature, a radio observation experiment based in Australia, may have captured the only verified record of the cosmic dawn, but what they detected needs a cross-check to confirm it was real.

“We’re motivated to resolve this question because the payoff would be huge,” Chiang says.

She compares the age of the universe when the first stars ignited to a human toddler: “And a toddler looks different than an adult. If we see these childhood photos of the universe, then we can understand the factors that affected its growth and how it evolved to be what we call home now.”

It’s really hard to obtain what she and other scientists are after. The portal is hydrogen. Chiang breaks down how the universe evolved during the cosmic dark ages, before the first stars turned on:

“The universe was filled with, to good approximation, nothing but hydrogen. Some helium as well but mostly hydrogen. It was dark and boring. It turns out that if you can measure where hydrogen lives during this period of darkness, it’s like getting a three-dimensional scan instead of a two-dimensional photograph.”

Similar to an FM car radio, Chiang’s telescopes measure light at radio wavelengths. Though ideally, they don’t pick up all the human-generated noise, just the signals emitted by hydrogen when the universe was giving birth to itself. Hydrogen emits a unique glow and its wavelength is directly proportional to its distance from Earth. The further away the light is, the older it is.

“So if we want to study any part of the universe’s history, we can tune into the right wavelength. The wavelengths we want to catch are very, very faint,” and very, very old.

Hence why Chiang has to plant her instruments away from it all, at the ends of the Earth.

One of the antenna stations of the ALBATROS radio astronomy experiment, installed at the McGill Arctic Research Station. Photograph By Anthony Zerafa

“Impulsiveness and a bit of mischief,” she says, have characterized her journey through the cosmos. “And a lot of coincidences afterward. It was not too long after I started radio in South Africa that we found out about Marion Island.”

Dodging Human Noise

About halfway between South Africa and Antarctica, 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) from anything else, Chiang found a researcher’s paradise. Chiang’s husband and collaborator spotted Marion Island in an in-flight magazine while the two were en route to South Africa.

One of the most remote regions on Earth, Marion Island is an ideal place to get away from radio foreground contamination. In 2018, Chiang and a team of scientists planted Probing Radio Intensity at high-Z from Marion (PRIZM). Designed by the team at McGill and UKZN, PRIZM is an instrument looking for a 21-centimeter signal emitted by hydrogen, stretched to the frequency of the universe’s first billion years.

PRIZM collected data through 2023 as weather permitted on Marion. At times the conditions were too dangerous to hike to the site of the telescope, which was intentionally set up several kilometers away from the island’s main research base. Throughout the year, the instruments, and their caretakers, were battered by wind, salt spray and invasive species. “If it’s not the salt water, it’s the mice.”

Marion Island is a South African research base located in the sub-Antarctic. The island is uniquely radio quiet for astronomical observations. Chiang’s radio telescope installations are sited behind the central hill in the photo, a few kilometers away from the research base that is visible in the foreground. Photograph By Mohan Agrawal

The data analysis is still in process, but so far, Chiang has high expectations for its pristineness. As a follow-up, Chiang works as a co-investigator on Mapper of the Intergalactic Medium Spin Temperature (MIST). The new-generation experiment, developed in 2020, is being conducted from the Arctic. “The MIST analysis is going to be super fun. We normally have a wall of radio stations just killing our cosmic dawn signal. This is wide open for us and it’s clean.”

On another side of the planet relative to Marion, the team identified a different radio-quiet base in the Canadian High Arctic to plant MIST and another telescope array that will look even further back in time. MIST's companion experiment “is part of a longer, crazier frame I have,” Chiang explains. “The cosmic dark ages.” This epoch has never been observed and is uncharted territory in the universe's history.

Array of Long Baseline Antennas for Taking Radio Observations from the Sub-Antarctic/Seventy-ninth parallel, or ALBATROS for short, is a network of antennas the team is building up now. The array is sprinkled across Axel Heiberg Island, and the idea is the antennas will work together to take pictures of the radio sky. “That means the timing has to be consistent. We have to have a common heartbeat between antennas that are separated by many kilometers. That’s a huge engineering challenge.”

So far there are four in place, and the team is aiming for eight. Each year the goal is to install between three and four, but the reality of the challenging landscape keeps bringing the number down. “Last year it was because of a helicopter crash. Everyone’s okay, thankfully. Two years before it was because of weather delays,” Chiang says.

“Our ‘station’ — I say station in quotes because it’s three buildings — it’s a slapdash operation. We try to make the best of it by going one step at a time,” Chiang says. “The upshot is there is no winter population,” and thus, no noise. In general, there’s not much.

“The first question I usually get asked about working in the Arctic is ‘Do you get to shower? What are the toilets like?’ We don’t have to dig holes. There is a spot, up the hill, around the corner, a really nice view of a glacier while you’re contemplating life and other things,” she reassures.

In this remote researcher's paradise, Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian High Arctic, the team's outhouse is equipped with an ice axe toilet paper holder. Photograph By Cynthia Chiang

Because of the weather, the instruments are set up and left to run autonomously for a year. It’s also important that ALBATROS, which is trying to pick up the lowest frequencies, runs through the Arctic winter — when solar activity is at a minimum and interferes least with the Earth’s ionosphere. This provides the highest chance for clean data. “The ionosphere basically scrambles and blurs radio signals as they travel through, and the lowest frequencies are blocked entirely,” Chiang explains.

Some instruments, expectedly, have died part way through the winter. Some things have survived. “For me, that’s a huge win. It’s beyond what I could have ever dreamed before,” says Chiang. The team is still installing the array, so pictures haven’t been made yet, but overcoming technical challenges while building instruments from scratch is a successful start.

“Our credit really goes to our amazing students. They have spent countless hours, years, testing software and hardware to make sure it survives for a year, that if there is a glitch in a computer it will reboot on its own and take care of itself. It’s a huge amount of work.”

The first picture ALBATROS is aiming for will be of the closest view from Earth — the Milky Way galaxy — which is just clutter in the foreground when trying to peer billions of years into the past. “The Milky Way is much brighter than anything from the dark ages. We want to see if it’s even possible to get a nice picture of the Milky Way to start,” Chiang explains. Then effectively, subtract the Milky Way from the bigger picture.

“The state of the art we have in terms of what the Milky Way looks like at the lowest frequencies dates from the ’60s. That’s the best we have.”

McGill students Tristan Ménard, Larry Herman, and Joëlle Bégin install an ALBATROS radio antenna at the McGill Research Station on Axel Heiberg Island. Photograph By Anthony Zerafa

What sets Chiang’s instruments apart from larger telescopes, like the infrared vision James Webb Space Telescope, also trying to peer into the formation of the first stars, is that they do broad strokes. Even as small-scale experiments, MIST and ALBATROS gather big-picture data that complement the detailed view from the world’s largest telescopes.

Over the next few years, Chiang and her team will continue installation and observation in hopes of getting a good look at the universe in its infancy. The sun’s activity cycle will also play a part. When the solar minimum arrives in a few years, that’s when the best pictures will be taken. In the meantime, Chiang will work on imaging the Milky Way, and refine her instrumentation.

“That’s a fun aspect about building the instruments ourselves, we get to customize.”

Chiang estimates the science may be a decade off if not more when it comes to detecting the cosmic dark ages, “but you start one step at a time,” and leave room for surprises.

She references a quote by mathematical physicist Freeman Dyson: “What we’re really hoping for is new and unexpected discoveries because nature’s imagination is richer than ours.”

[husnaot]

A Course of Bricks, Ticks and Info that will Stick (hopefully) 🧳

The last four years I spent carrying around my eye suitcases (they've upgraded from being eyebags) trying to keep up with the curriculum better be worth whatever is to come in the future.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is an institution that prides itself on offering a diverse range of courses to complete, good facilities to offer practical experience and great opportunities to network with others through the various events that take place. What it does not account for is the potential burnout that students may be experiencing, as well as the threat of failure that hangs over their heads.

The UKZN OT degree is a four-year degree that includes an Honors year. What the three undergraduate years consist of is various practical blocks focusing on engaging the learner in interventions regarding physical conditions and psychological conditions. While the exposure to these conditions is helpful and good for experiential learning, the environment in which we learn is often quite restricted and limited. (Undergraduate Programmes - Discipline of Occupational Therapy, 2019)

Do I, personally, feel like UKZN OT degree has prepared me for working at a community and primary healthcare level?

No, not at all, and this is my evaluation of it.

Pros:

Comprehensive Understanding of Community Health, at least, in theory:

The curriculum includes modules that focus on community-based questions and practical experience, as well as, primary healthcare. This module is the clinical studies done in first year, along with the OT fundamentals module being incorporated this year. This creates a good theoretical fundation in order to understand the community in terms of the social determinants of health, their assessments and heath promotion stategies. By using tools like the CBR matrix or PESTLE analysis taught in class, my practical group will be able to provide good analysis of the community. (Lysack et al., 1995)

Inter-professional Education and Collaboration (IPE):

IPE is emphasized in every lesson by the lecturers, citing that collaboration between different parts of the health science field will benefit us in the future and will provide a more holistic, conclusive report about the client’s presentation. This prepares OT students to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams (MDTs). (MacQueen et al., 2001)

This was evident on our first Wednesday in the community. Upon reaching the clinic, we had a short meeting with the Community Health Workers (CHWs) about the area and had a short orientation to the area. What we learned was that substance use is a common condition amongst the youth in the community and gained referrals for adult clients as well.

Focus on Advocacy and Policy:

OT education at UKZN includes components that educate students about advocacy for social justice and healthcare policy. This empowers us as the future to the health science field to advocate for improved healthcare services and policies that benefit underserved communities. In this way, UKZN teaches us that we are capable of creating a ripple on the surface of a system that has been running since before we were born, but also that we need to respect the space that the community has given to us.

One of the most important lessons that I have learned is that it is best to communicate with the people you are trying to help instead of making the project independently as it is best to receive some feedback on the activities that will be included in order to make it more client-centred.

Cons:

Limited Exposure to Rural Health Challenges:

 The curriculum often incorporates clinical placements in semi-urban and urban areas. This hands-on experience allows students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world contexts, develop essential clinical skills, and understand the challenges and dynamics of working in community settings. Despite efforts, there may be limited exposure to the unique challenges faced by rural and remote communities in South Africa. More emphasis on rural health issues and specific strategies for overcoming geographical barriers could better prepare us for practice in these settings. (Harper et al., 2022)

For example, my first psychosocial block was in a private facility. Had I not been placed in a semi-urban area for my second block, the shock of coming to the community for the first time in fourth year would have affected my treatment for the first week as I would still need to become familiar with certain ideas.

In conclusion, the UKZN curriculum for OT provides an idea of what working in the community and in primary healthcare is like and provides essential theoretical information about skills that are needed in community. Due to a lack of experience in different types of areas in the clinical environment in previous blocks and a poor control of who goes to which placement during the three undergraduate years, not everyone is able to have the same exposure to different areas and have never experienced a different sense of community.

There are no words to describe what being part of the community feels like, even if it just for six weeks, therefore, my suggestion is to continue with the exposure to community that the first and third years are currently experiencing as it gives them an idea of how the block will be completed instead of being thrown in the deep end with a heavy suitcase filled with theoretical information that is hard to process, let alone implement in a completely new environment.

But what happens if I let the suitcase fly open?

This is Husna, signing OuT!

References:

Harper, K. J., McAuliffe, K., & Parsons, D. N. (2022). Barriers and facilitating factors influencing implementation of occupational therapy home assessment recommendations: A mixed methods systematic review. Australian occupational therapy journal, 69(5), 599–624. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12823

Lysack, C., Stadnyk, R., Paterson, M., McLeod, K., & Krefting, L. (1995). Professional Expertise of Occupational Therapists in Community Practice: Results of an Ontario Survey. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62(3), 138–147. https://doi.org/10.1177/000841749506200305

MacQueen, K. M., McLellan, E., Metzger, D. S., Kegeles, S., Strauss, R. P., Scotti, R., Blanchard, L., & Trotter, R. T. (2001). What Is Community? An Evidence-Based Definition for Participatory Public Health. American Journal of Public Health, 91(12), 1929–1938. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.91.12.1929

Undergraduate Programmes - Discipline of Occupational Therapy. (2019, July 18). Ot.ukzn.ac.za. https://ot.ukzn.ac.za/undergraduate-programmes/

Picture References:

370+ Muslim Nurse Illustrations, Royalty-Free Vector Graphics & Clip Art - iStock. (n.d.). Www.istockphoto.com. https://www.istockphoto.com/illustrations/muslim-nurse

Andy Milne. (2022, June 6). Teaching Health Advocacy. #Slowchathealth. https://slowchathealth.com/2022/06/06/teaching-health-advocacy/

Interprofessional teamwork: Nursing - Osmosis Video Library. (2022). In osmosis.org. https://www.osmosis.org/learn/Interprofessional_teamwork:_Nursing

The Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF) – Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. (2016). Cogta.gov.za. https://www.cogta.gov.za/index.php/the-integrated-urban-development-framework-iudf/

[nandiotstudent]

The end or the beginning?

(Msethnablog, 2017)

I have been a student at UKZN for almost four years now, and I have experienced a rollercoaster of experiences. I feel as if I have trekked up a steep rocky hill and have the peak in my view where I jump into the waters below. I have experienced online learning, working in extremely privileged and underprivileged facilities, which assisted in preparing myself for the unknowns in the communities in which I have worked; I have had to change my own perspective on the practice and hearing the community experience through whispers in the wind to now experiencing it on my own. I ask myself, am I prepared for primary health care practice? Walk this journey with how primary health care has moulded me as an Occupational Therapist as I emerge as an aspiring primary healthcare practitioner in community practice.

What is primary health care? “Primary health care is a whole-of-society approach to effectively organize and strengthen national health systems to bring services for health and wellbeing closer to communities.” (World Health Organization, 2019).

See the links below to watch a video to learn more about what primary health care is, an FAQ that I found helpful in understanding it.

How has the UKZN curriculum prepared me for it? There are definitely pros to the curriculum, but there are also cons. Let us start with one of the pros: having lecturers who would provide extra readings despite not being obligated. I would find myself becoming curious about the topic due to the one reading that was recommended. One AFR piqued my interest, which was mentioned in passing. Little did I know that months later, I would preach the principles and implement them into my practice with substance use cases to prioritize the client's needs. It evolved the view of therapy as the client was more engaged and applying the psychoeducation, highlighting that “I see you”.

 I started the degree during lockdowns and other school disruptions, such as floods and load shedding. This required a dramatic shift in the curriculum to accommodate safety regulations while delivering lectures. So, I did not experience being in a community from the start; I had to rely on people's opinions and images. This did not provide much on the community and I did not get to actually experience the communities, observe the people, the environment, and the interactions between them. Having such a subjective view of community practice did not prepare me for community practice. I have not heard much about the academic aspect of PHC practice. It has always been an idea on a page. However, I must note that this may not be a true reflection of the standard curriculum since this was during the pandemic.

We have been taught in silos. We would have a semester dedicated to the different aspects of Occupational therapy. In the final year, we had 4 blocks. This then “taught” us to have different Occupational therapy hats. One for paediatrics, one for physical, and one for psychosocial. As a student, I struggled to switch hats because there were short (or no) breaks between blocks. Community practice requires you to tap into all 3 hats to provide therapy and understand the community and how to treat within the community. This then limited me in the flexibility and adaptability of my thinking of practice, which is divided rather than holistic in the community.

 In the other blocks, we mostly worked in hospitals. Which are quite resourced; there is a hospital bed that can be adjusted, step stools, and useful items just waiting to be used. “South Africa is a country in deep organic crisis, requiring interventions that can help developments and social justice challenges; and yet the higher education system prioritises research and teaching to the exclusion of CE.” (Dube, 2023). The lack of resources to intervene sustainably limited me in the choices of what therapy I could then provide to the individuals in the MR community. I have had to use to fight a battle between sustainability and effectiveness, asking myself if I am doing enough?

A huge pro is the decentralised training. I was placed in Manguzi Hospital, a rural hospital with a firm stance on practising primary health care. I could tag along on multidisciplinary home visits, which the hospital funded, which, in my opinion, all hospitals or health services should aim to do as the country is moving to a shift to primary health care. I stayed longer hours than other blocks willingly. I was tired, but I was fulfilled. I discovered a rural rehab organisation I would like to join once I am qualified. See the link below to read more about RuReSA.

 I had come to realise how you can encourage the community to take charge of their own health by simply being in a space they are comfortable in. This also started the thought: How can I make my own therapy spaces more comfortable?

In this discipline, little to no therapy is set in stone. The techniques, principles, and models are the same, but how each individual treats a client is different. In some cases, the learnings I have taken from previous blocks were completely shut down by the supervisor for that block. I had found myself in a state of uncertainty and questioning what I should do as I want to do my job as a therapist, but I am also a student. I have had to learn how to justify my means and explain the theory behind my actions. This also pushed me to read further and better understand the theory behind the actions. So, essentially, this is a pro.

This was achieved by changing to become more self-directed. Now, what is self-directed learning? To my understanding, it is self-motivated learning. I am taking the initiative to learn more and read more. “Self-directed learning is an approach to education that empowers learners to lead their own learning journey.” (Germeroth, 2024). Adjustment is what I needed. How was I supposed to fly when my wings could not support my weight? I talk about coping and adaptability in therapy. It called me to shift from a spoon-fed the first year to becoming a self-directed learner aiming to strive in community rehab. Rather than calling it guidance, it was a shove onto the right path of growth and diverse skills to ensure that the therapy is meaningful and client-centred.

(Beveridge, 2021)

See the link below, which explains more about lifelong learning.

To conclude, I feel that this curriculum has its ups and downs; on a subjective level, one would sometimes feel frustrated. However, it has reinforced that I have to be a self-directed learner, and it has tested my confidence in my own skills and pushed me to do better. I have learnt that in order to bring the therapy to the community I have to flexible, be adaptable and be a quick thinker, and importantly read more about what I have seen in order to have more of an understanding of community practice. To feel, see, be and become part of the community. Therefore, I feel that the curriculum does prepare us for community practice. But who knows where I will stand in the future once I have experienced more and reflected on it.

REFERENCES

Beveridge, B. (2021, August 12). Importance of Life Long Learning, a student perspective. Medium; Medium. https://rebecca2021.medium.com/importance-of-life-long-learning-a-student-perspective-5598182e9d2f

Dube, N., & A, H. E. (2023). The praxis and paradoxes of community engagement as the third mission of universities. a case of a selected South African university. South African Journal of Higher Education, 37(1), 131–150. https://doi.org/10.20853/37-1-5643

Germeroth, K. (2024, April). What is self-directed learning and what are its benefits? Moodle US. https://moodle.com/us/news/what-is-self-directed-learning/

Kuzmina, julia. (2022, February 17). Lifelong Learning: Meaning, Importance, Benefits & Examples. Valamis. https://www.valamis.com/hub/lifelong-learning

Msethnablog. (2017, December 4). When Life Gets in the Way…and the Importance of Reflection. For the Love of Books, Tech, Coaching, and More; For the Love of Books, Tech, Coaching, and More. https://msethnablog.wordpress.com/2017/12/04/when-life-gets-in-the-way-and-the-importance-of-reflection/

World Health Organization. (2019). Primary health care. Who.int; World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/health-topics/primary-health-care#tab=tab_1

World Health Organization. (2019). Primary health care throughout our life [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX7Q0a8GxaA&t=3s

World Health Organization . (2022). Primary health care: Bringing health services closer to communities [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_htX-EdAyuc&t=97s

[mukelaniot]

UKZN OT Curriculum, preparing students for Community Practise

According to a quick internet search, there are 7 different Universities in South Africa that offer the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy Degree, with the University of KwaZulu Natal being the only one situated in KZN.  Like most Health Sciences degrees, the Occupational Therapy Degree period of study is 4 years, with the students graduating with an Honors Degree. Occupational Therapy students are fortunate enough to be allocated to places to do Community Service for the year after completing their degree. That certainly takes a load off

A few weeks ago, I, a 4th-year occupational therapy student, also found myself having to apply for various possible placements for CommServe 2025, in case I pass of course. And yes, it could go either way. I suffer from a lot of things as a student, but ‘Dilulu’ isn’t one of them. I am not going to pretend like it's been a walk in the park and that I have this in the bag. It has been quite a struggle with honestly, more downs than ups. I have shed more tears for this degree than I have ever shed for anything, and probably acquired lifetime traumas along the way…. Sorry, my subconscious self took over there for a minute. What were we even talking about? Oh yeah, the Occupational Therapy Curriculum.

Okay, before we delve into the curriculum, can I just say just how much respect I have for this profession and the discipline? According to multiple conversations I have had with students (both within the Occupational Therapy Discipline and in other Disciplines), a lot report that they feel that the Occupational Therapy discipline is arguably one of the most hard-working disciplines in the UKZN Westville Campus. Inkosi impela baqinisile uma bethi “le Degree akuyona eyolamthumthu ripped arm emoji”(it is not for the weak or faint-hearted.

From the very first step in the first year, being introduced to 4 Anatomy modules, after not having gone any further than human reproduction in the 12th grade, that is quite a leap. But before I go any further, I have to be honest.

In the topic of the UKZN OT curriculum preparing students for practice, I don’t think I'm part of the best generation to comment accurately on that topic. As part of the COVID-19 student generation, we probably did not experience the OT curriculum at its very best. As the pandemic was relatively new in 2021, everyone was still integrating into online learning. Almost every lecture and class was held online, including Anatomy spotters and ironically, Community Studies lectures. Get it? Community Studies lectures online, with students not able to visit the community they are training to serve rolling eyes emoji. So that’s how we began our journey, with online classes and online tests, robbing us of a true university experience.

Fast forward to the 2nd semester of the second year, where we were integrated back into normal university life. A huge transition, from barely ever attending contact lectures to attending full-time. With no time to ease into it, we were thrown into the deep end.

I recently took a look at a research study by Thavanesi Gurayah (2022), which aimed “to explore facilitators and barriers to completing an occupational therapy degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal” by interviewing 7 graduates from the Class of 2015. According to said study, the graduates interviewed found the OT curriculum “academically challenging”. However, the study concluded by saying that the participants reported that the experience gave them the “opportunity for personal growth.”  

I am afraid to report, that I do not share the sentiment. Personal growth, at what time? Under the UKZN OT curriculum, the students are overworked, with barely any chance to recover from one block to another. As for preparing students for working in the community level, it is hard to say given that we were not exposed to working in/with actual communities until the very last year, and for a 6-week block, like that’s supposed to be enough?

I have to be honest, I envy the Class of 2015. From the study, they seem like they have positive remarks to make about The UKZN OT curriculum. I wish I could also say despite all the rollercoasters, I found a way, an opportunity for “personal growth”. I wish I could talk about anything other than the traumas, self-doubt, and emotional scars I have acquired under this discipline. I don’t know. Maybe someday I might look back and find great things to say about the experience here. Maybe someday, but that day is not today.

REFERENCES

Thavanesi Gurayah. (2022). An Exploration of the Facilitating Factors in Completing an Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Africa Education Review, 19(3), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2023.2278050

[izwakele]

“Reflect on UKZN’s OT curriculum, the pros and cons in terms of preparation for practice at a community/PHC level”

The road to becoming a healthcare professional, especially in a field like occupational therapy requires more than a high caffeine intake and breathing exercises but a combination theory and practice. At the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), the Occupational Therapy program is designed to do this, equipping students with the foundations of critical thinking and work experience. But how effective is this curriculum in preparing students for the challenges they will face in real-world with under resourced environments? Does the program's focus on theory in the early years prepare students for the community practice, or does it leave a gap in their preparation?

The pros of this module is the carryover of content from one module to another ensuring triangulation during practice. University of KwaZulu Natal provide a 4-year programme with modules building on each other as the years goes which aid in ensuring their students learn critical thinking, improve ability to triangulate content from one module to another and ability to integrate theory into practice (University of KwaZulu Natal, 2019).  The first-year programme focuses on creating foundation for learning capturing components that will be essential for the students to grasp the content as the years pass (University of KwaZulu Natal, 2018). During the 2 years we focused on assessment on the theoretical level through being taught each client factor individually – this prepared me to be able to assess client factors comprehensively and as years went by, I was learned to prioritize and assess on the spot essential for community practice as we do have the luxury of time. The 3rd year focus on treatment for each diagnosis triangulate theory from assessments, fundamentals and use of therapeutic media to treat (University of KwaZulu Natal, 2018).

In my first year, I got exposed to community through use of primary health model – I was taught on types of communities and learned ability to identify the needs of the community which then is carried over to when we got to fieldwork and do clinical practice as they now able to consider context when assessing and treating throughout the years this programme incorporate service modules offered by other departments namely anatomy, clinical science, health and illness behaviour and research in honours level which also create a good foundation for integration to community practice (University of KwaZulu Natal, 2019). In this blog we will delve into how the way this programme is structured prepare the 4rth year students to practice at community level/ PHC looking at different components offered. Focusing on the pros and cons in preparing students for community practice.   

Pros for this curriculum is teaching the reality of our health care system – scarcity. To me scarcity is a promotive factor as it encourages critical thinking, flexible mind and speaks to our core values which is providing primary health care and meeting our sustainable goals irrespective of social determinants. What would stop a green scrubbed OT with a pink basket full of ideas, inspirations, therapeutic mindset. This fighting spirit allows us to provide therapy for all irrespective of lack of resources.  This programme is structured to be able to focus on the challenges of delivering OT services in under-resourced settings ensuring ability for students to work with client from different backgrounds. I’m in placed in a centre offering services to rough sleepers and address social illness – it does not have an occupational therapy department or working space – treatment tools, but I utilise what is available to offer holistic interventions to deserving marginalised clients. Most of the community placements do not have occupational based departments and students utilise the resources given by the university to ensure therapy for all.

The module highlights the importance of working within an interdisciplinary team to maximise therapy while distributing workload for proper use of resources available. This essential in the community as we are required to contact different community leaders and NGOs forming part of the community in addressing different social ills. The ability to negotiate and advocacy is made easier if we understand how to utilise the interdisciplinary team. I have interacted with different partners in the communities namely teachers, mothers, shop owners, municipality workers and members of the community encouraging shared goal – this approach ensured that the was contact communication with the stake holders and that the community was the primary beneficiary.

One of the things the fieldwork module stress on is multidisciplinary approach especially in clinical placements. I have seen long queues – people wanting to access primary health care and they end up spending more money and whole day in accessing health. MDT ensure that we can give clients value for their money and time by maximising therapy in less period of time. I have been utilising this approach in the community clinic I’m placed in through proving intervention for CVAs with physiotherapy and intervention for ASD/ADHD with speech therapy to ensure the client don’t spend long time in cues. In the placements (centre) I had collaborated with the social worker and psychologist in starting the women support group as there is high number of people requiring primary health care in on of the sites I attend to and requiring different services offered by these disciplines. The programme ensure that the student learn about services provided by different professionals.

Cons in this curriculum is the clash between clinical practice and the theoretical foundation. The curriculum in the 3 years focus more on providing students with theoretical foundation for practice which helps the students to be critical and transformative in community practice, enhancing clinical competence, professional confidence and ethical integrity. But in the first few years in this programme, I had been subjected to online learning limiting clinical practice this had made me feel underprepared and not confident in community practice – my treatment had been more theoretical based other than contextual due to spending more time using simulated client and seeing community in videos with no direct contact.  One of the modules talking to community practice is community studies in first year which was the most hated module among the students, but its contribution had made its impact now that we are in community block. The curriculum was adapted in 2021 to fit the online teaching method which limited us in going to different communities learning about community entry and understand the different structures that exist in the community. The need for practical aspect in this module talks to the incident that I had encountered on practice – the whole group had thought they have achieved community entry and only to be placed in an unsafe and life-threatening situation by members of the community. Although we could see that some of the members of the community understood contribution to their wellbeing not all of them had seen its benefits – this could’ve been something we picked when we were ambulating in the community. This could be because we were not integrated well into the community – as the students are forced into the shoes of the previous blocks not understanding that the community might not welcome us the same way. As much as they see the green scrub and its contribution, they also consider us as individuals and how we present themselves. This talks to the encounter where one of the community members expressed his hatred and prejudice for Indians as our group have one person from that ethnicity – this is clear indication that they consider our personal features. It could be nice that the students rotate in communities over the years as the community start to be entitled to certain things and reinforce their beliefs on therapists.

While community engagement is introduced early, more experiences and interpretation of what is seen in the community can be utilised to better prepare students for the challenges they face in community practice. During 3rd year we were placed in different placement to be orientated to how the community worked, and it looked simply because the 4th years students during that block had achieved entry and were riding on their reputation, we had made in the community thinking this was the reality for most communities – being accepted and welcomed. these incidents highlight the clash between theory and practice which the curriculum could not address due to the covid 19 lockdown levels, and the teaching methods used back then.

The UKZN curriculum, while provide theoretical knowledge but it also presents both opportunities and challenges in shaping students for community practice. The program’s emphasis on interdisciplinary, MDT approach, critical thinking and ability to practice in under resourced environments equips students with the tools necessary for holistic intervention. However, the clash between theory and practical experience, exacerbated by online learning lack of early exposure and poor community integration has left some students feeling underprepared for community practice. As I reflect on these experiences, it’s clear that while the curriculum has laid a good foundation which encourage evidence-based practice, there remains a need for a stronger emphasis on early clinical exposure in community practice. The question we should as ourselves is how this programme can change to better suit the needs of students in preparation for community practice.

References

Naidoo, D., van Wyk, J., & Joubert, R. (2015). Are final year occupational therapy students prepared for clinical practice? A case study in KwaZulu-Natal. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 44(3), 24–28. Retrieved from SAJOT.

University of KwaZulu Natal. (2018). Hands-On Opportunities - Discipline of Occupational Therapy. Discipline of Occupational Therapy. https://ot.ukzn.ac.za/hands-onopportunities/

University of KwaZulu Natal. (2019, July 18). Undergraduate Programmes - Discipline of Occupational Therapy. Ot.ukzn.ac.za. https://ot.ukzn.ac.za/undergraduate-programmes/

Vermeulen, N., Bell, T., Amod, A., Cloete, A., Johannes, T., & Williams, K. (2015). Students’ fieldwork experiences of using community entry skills within community development. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 45(2), 51–55. https://doi.org/10.17159/2310-3833/2015/v45n2a8

Janse van Rensburg, E., & Du Toit, S. H. J. (2016). The value of a rural service learning experience for final year undergraduate occupational therapy students. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 46(1). https://doi.org/10.17159/2310-3833/2016/v46n1a4

[sekwanele]

UKZN OT Curriculum offering European Greatness

"Education is the movement from darkness to light." - Allan Bloom. Sometimes I feel like that when I sit and reflect on my formal education journey. It got me thinking about how it has gotten me to walk the streets of MR and Zwelibovu communities and speaking to managers of prestigious private health institutes at such a young age, places I have never dreamt of. And actually feeling like I know what I am doing and can be in these rooms communicating and adding valuable Occupational Therapy knowledge. This is all due to the rich OT curriculum UKZN provides which is ineffectually delivered at times. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.picturequotes.com%2Fthe-only-thing-that-interferes-with-my-learning-is-my-education-quote-183&psig=AOvVaw0J_ej6Dq3ybebKK0DQgl42&ust=1726327182084000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCKiqtoWcwIgDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE . This image just reinforces my belief that this curriculum can at times interfere with one’s learning. Where it forces you to conform to other people’s thought processes, which can leave one not thinking on a local and community needs basis.

The most shocking revelation for me is that the university is located in KwaZulu-Natal, which has the largest number of Zulu ethnic people (Minority Rights Group, 2023), and takes its Occupational Therapy students out into these communities following a traditional Western standard as stipulated by the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT). “The Federation can positively influence health, welfare, education and vocation at an international level,” (WFOT, 2024). This shows the UKZN OT curriculum’s commitment to producing an international Occupational Therapist (OT) and not so much a local OT. To me the OT course has basic isiZulu offered in its package, which I have not found beneficial at all, for teaching non-Zulu-speaking folks. This became very evident in my community module when we went into the deep Zulu community of Zwelibovu. Where I saw my non-Zulu-speaking OT partner struggle with communicating with the patients, not because she did not know the OT content but just a communication problem. Upon which I asked her if she found the isiZulu module beneficial, of which she stated that she wishes she had been taught meaningful Zulu words and sentences that would help communicate health related matters to the patients and not taught about the names of animals and reciting Zulu kings clan names. This to me shows the gaps within the OT curriculum that fail to offer comprehensive Zulu modules for a predominately Zulu-speaking province.

When I look at this image I am reminded of the Western body of knowledge we follow. This is evident when this curriculum has taught us assistive devices which are fancy and are to be given to patients, which are not at all relevant to them, financially and even culturally. This became evident to me working at the community doing home visits. Where there now is no electrically controlled bed, no bed at all just a sponge on the ground. This was my reality first week of community in my client’s home, where ideally in a hospital setting transfers would have been easy, using transfer boards, Sara Steady etc. Which I realise I would have recommended to the patient if I had seen her at the hospital rather, due to what I was taught. However, the curriculum does offer us lecturers who have experience in the community, who make us mindful that what they teach us might not be a reality for most of our patients. The UKZN OT curriculum does teach us to be client-centred and holistic and be very able to adapt. However, when doing wheelchair practicals in lectures, we were never taught the realities of the community like transferring from the floor to a wheelchair. Which in my case I had to adapt on the spot, looking for things like benches that would assist my client in transferring the wheelchair and offering her water bottle to maintain the fingers in extension as they had gone into composite flexion, and I was afraid of a developing contracture she could have. Showing that although equipped with information from the curriculum which was fairly Western and not contextualised to the African context.

The OT curriculum teaches us to be critical thinkers, which allows us to expand our minds into thinking about the other issues with regards to the client, not take things at face value. In a conversation with the project officer and manager at COC, we were able to analyse the community which we attended where we saw that the client’s insights are poor into some other conditions. Where usually it is likely for patients to believe that conditions like stroke are caused by witchcraft in rural areas, (Mpanza et al, 2022). This reduces the client's attendance to important therapy and hospital visits and reduces compliance which increases risks or worsening of the conditions. This critical thinking skill taught to me, helped me figure from the PO and manager why my client suffering from a stoke, had a wheelchair but it had no footrest. They made me aware that the community clinic in that area had OT services once a month through the community service programme offered in PHC. They raised the point of the clinic not having enough resources which is why the client did not have the footrests. This led to research as to why this clinic was not working effectively, where it was found that PHC was failing due to limited financial, political and human resources, (Chimezie, 2015) which explains why the client has a wheelchair with no footrests.

However, I feel sometimes the curriculum, does offer the UKZN OT students in the community skills, like critical thinking skills, as this allowed me to analyse another occurrence in the community I am working in. There was a young client who was not doing well in school suspected of having a learning difficulty. The mother struggled with getting assistance with finding a special school and receiving disability grant for him to send him to these schools. This is where I found that the curriculum does not give us any detailed information with regard to the application of these grants. Had I not been with the PO who is a social worker, who then filled in the gap of the protocol, of the client’s needs to get the SCREENING, IDENTIFICATION, ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT forms from the client’s school, then only can we (OT) can see them for an assessment. After that, the client can go to the SASSA doctor where he can assess him to be placed on grant. This lack of knowledge of procedures not provided to OT students in the curriculum really affects the ability of the therapist to be useful in the community, (Buchanan, 2016).

In conclusion, the OT UKZN curriculum is very useful and provides students with a lot of insight into engaging and analysing the community. However, their insatiable need to produce an international OT needs to take a back seat and produce a curriculum that will offer comprehensive knowledge to operate in the community. And understand that global recognition in a locally lacking curriculum is futile and somewhat silly and does not go with the university’s motto of “Inspiring greatness” but rather inspiring European Greatness.

References:

van Stormbroek, K., & Buchanan, H. (2016). Community Service Occupational Therapists: thriving or just surviving? South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 46(3). https://doi.org/10.17159/23103833/2016/v46n3a11

Mkhize, P. Z., Phehlukwayo, S. M., & Mpanza, D. M. (2022). Health seeking pathways for stroke survivors in a rural setting: Optimising early intervention for stroke rehabilitation in occupational therapy. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 52(1). https://doi.org/10.17159/2310-3833/2022/vol52n1a4

World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2017). WFOT. https://wfot.org/education

Aaqil De Vries, Jo-Celene De Jongh, & Wegner, L. (2024). South African occupational therapy students’ reflections on ethical tensions experienced during fieldwork. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 54(2), 27–35. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajot/article/view/275728

Zulus in South Africa. (n.d.-b). Minority Rights Group. https://minorityrights.org/communities/zulus/

[avania1105]

“Navigating the OT Maze: My UKZN Journey from Hospital Halls to Community Corners”

As a 4th-year occupational therapy student from UKZN doing my last block, at a community/PHC level, was I prepared enough?  

As I reflect back on my undergraduate years, I feel disheartened. There were many lost opportunities due to the COVID-19 lockdown, from not being able to do dissections due to limited cadavers to limited fieldwork exposure in my first year as an OT student. While current- first-year OT students are given the opportunity to accompany and shadow the 4th year OT students on their community block, this was not an opportunity that I had when I was in 1st year due to lockdown. In 1st year we also did a community studies module and prior to lockdown, the students were taken on field trips into various communities in an attempt to expose health science students to the communities however we were unable to go on these trips due to the lockdown. When lockdown restrictions were eased during my second year, the OT department did not adjust our curriculum to make up for lost experiences and instead when I look back it felt like these crucial learning opportunities were just swept aside, and the gap in our community exposure remained glaring.

For most of my blocks from 2nd year, I was placed in hospitals in which the hospital setting is very different to a PHC clinic setting as you have limited time to assess and treat patients and limited access to resources. The PHC setting requires much more “thinking on the spot” and it is solely based on the “ here and now” which is not emphasized enough in the OT curriculum. We are taught to plan sessions in advance, do an activity analysis of the activity and a session write-up which guides the implementation of our treatment sessions and while this is useful in a hospital setting, it makes it difficult to come up with treatment ideas now suddenly on the spot because we are so used to having a write up that guides our intervention implementation due to the way we were taught. So, while this method is useful in a hospital setting, it is unrealistic at a PHC level. However, I believe that is a skill that I will master with practice, as the saying goes, "practice makes perfect."

In a hospital setting, we also have access to more resources compared to at a PHC level. Thus, at a PHC level, we have to be creative on how to make low-cost assistive devices and other necessary items. In our 1st year, we learnt APT which is a very important skill to know as we can use recyclable materials to make relevant items for therapy, especially in resource-constrained primary health care facilities.  

Despite efforts made to expose us to community practice at a 3rd-year level, it was insufficient because, for my community block in 3rd year, I went to a halfway house rather than being at an actual community and getting actual practical exposure to what community OT is all about. The OT curriculum does not allow for adequate exposure to community practice, which is important because all the patients we see in the hospitals are returning to a community. This limited exposure to community practice also affects our intervention because is it really context-relevant if we do not know and understand the context they are coming from due to our limited exposure to communities?

Suddenly, in your fourth year, you are thrown deep into the community and somehow expected to adjust. Well, lucky for me, I am quite a flexible person and my colleagues on the same block as me who are more familiar with the communities also assist me in understanding the community.

Pros of the UKZN OT curriculum include:

Integration of theory and practicals – After learning the theory in classes through lectures, we get to apply what was learnt by doing case studies, simulated cases and in our fieldwork blocks. This helps us to consolidate the theory learnt by putting it into practice.

Holistic approach – The OT curriculum adopts a holistic approach which teaches students to not only look at and treat the physical needs but also the emotional and social needs that may affect a person’s health and well-being including environmental factors which also aligns with the principles of PHC.

Multidisciplinary approach – The OT curriculum emphasizes the importance of working as part of a multidisciplinary team which is very important especially at a PHC level to maximize the treatment offered to patients within a limited time frame and it ensures person-centred care. The MDT approach is emphasized a lot in PHC and currently, at Cato Manor, I do a lot of joint sessions, with the speech therapist.

Cultural competence – The OT curriculum includes cultural competence and cultural sensitivity within various modules which are important and necessary skills for us to develop as health practitioners working with people from various cultural backgrounds, especially in the community setting. 

Cons of the UKZN OT curriculum include:

Limited exposure to community-based occupational therapy.

Limited focus on resource constraints – Many of us have done blocks at hospitals which had access to resources and materials however at a PHC level, there are significant resource constraints due to limited funds therefore it is essential that students are taught how to adapt and be innovative within these constraints as part of the OT curriculum. According to (Naidoo et al., 2017) many community service OTs also faced challenges due to resource constraints at a PHC level as they completed their undergraduate training at well-resourced hospitals.

Insufficient emphasis on policies and advocacy – The OT curriculum needs to place more emphasis on procedures relating to government departments, new health care policies and procedures for referral within the Department of Health which are practical skills that occupational therapy students and therapists should be aware of especially when working at a PHC level.

Limited knowledge of how to implement health preventive and promotive programmes at a PHC level as the main focus is on remedial and rehabilitative programmes within a hospital setting.

So, was I prepared enough for practice at a community/PHC level? The honest answer is no—I did not feel fully prepared, largely due to limited exposure to community-based OT and perhaps I may never have felt prepared enough however if I had more exposure to community practice, I would have had an idea of what to expect rather than going into the community blindfolded. Overall, the OT curriculum tries to offer a holistic curriculum offering a solid theoretical foundation however students need to be offered more practical experience and exposure, especially in communities to improve preparedness for practice at a community/PHC level.

[otstudentwithalife]

UKZN OT Curriculum: Were you preparing us for community practice or just cramming content into our thick skulls?

The UKZN OT curriculum loves theory! It seems like they sat down and thought, “How can we make sure our students know all the theoretical frameworks ever invented by the time they graduate?” The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO)? Check. Students who can recite the PEO Model (Person-Environment-Occupation) in a blink. Check. But what about applying those theories when you’re out in the field and there’s a language barrier, five crying babies, in a corrugated iron room that is a daycare with no electricity or running water? Mm, maybe not my love, but I mean if you need someone to perform a top-tier ADL assessment? I’m sure you can call a UKZN graduate. Research skills? Nailed. Ethical frameworks? We’ve memorized them. Not me hey, but I'm sure in our class or previous years more than half can. According to Kardos and Smith (2020), students in health-related degrees need a strong balance between theory and practice to feel competent in community and primary healthcare (PHC) settings. 

UKZN's OT curriculum was undoubtedly created with the best of intentions. To be honest, however, during my first few weeks in the community, it felt a bit like tossing a fish out of water. Except that I was the fish trying to assess an ASD child in a corrugated iron creche after hiking up a steep hill in 30-degree heat while six other kids were yelling for attention and I was trying to explain to his non-English creche carer, who was carrying two 1-year-olds and hardly hearing me speak, why he is non-verbal and how to stimulate him ... all in isiZulu. Sure, we got our clinical hours, but ask any of us how confident we feel handling the chaotic world of community OT after so much classroom-based learning (and let’s not forget those Zoom lectures during the pandemic). Spoiler alert: we're not. That’s why 70% of our check-in scores were shockingly low. Jones et al. (2019) pointed out that the overly structured approach in healthcare education doesn’t equip students to handle the fluid, often chaotic, nature of community practice. It’s like we’ve been trained to work in these neatly organized clinics with well-stocked supply rooms, but that’s not what we’ll find in PHC

Before I get too carried away with my rant, UKZN’s curriculum isn’t completely bad, it provides a strong foundation. I’ll walk you through the pro’s :

Solid Theoretical Foundation: If you wanted to win passionate provincial discussing the merits of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) vs. PEO Model (Person-Environment-Occupation) then UKZN is guaranteed a spot on that podium. Don’t get me wrong, Kardos and Smith (2020) emphasize that a solid foundation in theory helps healthcare professionals make evidence-based decisions, a skill crucial in modern healthcare. But, according to a 2021 study by Mnguni et al., the theoretical foundation at UKZN provides a decent enoughgrounding in OT concepts. We could talk about biomechanical frames or references and approaches for days, people. 

Research Opportunities: If you are one of those "overachievers" who love pouring over journals and articles (side eying at some of the Evidence-Based Practice gurus in my class that put on extra 30 minutes into our lectures by daring to disagree with Chantal. ) UKZN definitely throws research opportunities our way like confetti out of a piñata. That’s right while I was still figuring out how to measure grip strength without injuring someone, some folks in my class had read enough journals to challenge a lecturer on her view on the economy and ethics

Accreditation and Professional Readiness: the curriculum’s structure? Well, it ensures that we’ve ticked all the boxes for the Health Professions Council. We’re technically ready to practice. Plus, UKZN does push the importance of community-based practice. They send us out to clinics and community centers to work in the real world, even if it sometimes feels like we’re just winging it.  UKZN's curriculum is designed to ensure that students meet the standards set by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). This ensures that graduates are not only competent but also eligible for professional practice. As Simpson et al. (2021) note, maintaining strict adherence to professional accreditation standards is essential for preparing students to practice safely and ethically.

Interdisciplinary Learning: UKZN also encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, allowing OT students to work alongside students from other healthcare fields. This collaborative approach is vital for holistic patient care, as noted by Green and Strong (2022), who argue that working with diverse healthcare teams during training fosters a better understanding of patient care across disciplines.

That’s all I have space and can come up with right now but without further a due. I give you the cons:

Jones et al. (2019) point out that a theory-heavy curriculum can leave students feeling unprepared for real-world applications. They highlight how health sciences programs tend to overemphasize theory at the expense of practical skill development. At UKZN, we could definitely ace the MOCA Masterclass, but when we get to a community clinic or DCT site where we need to improvise interventions with a rubber band and three pencils, our theoretical knowledge of activity analysis can’t save us and we just look like stressed deer in headlights.I can write a 3000-word essay on why client-centered practice is important for PHC (primary healthcare), but can I deal with real-life scenarios in under-resourced communities? Nope, not confident that I can my dear. According to Mashudu and Maputle (2020), the gap between academic OT programs and the realities of South Africa's community healthcare system is vast.

According to Kardos and Smith (2020), overly structured programs limit students' ability to think on their feet. This is especially problematic for community-based OT, where flexibility is key. I mean, you can’t always rely on those perfect role-play scenarios we practiced in class, where the “client” is a fellow student who already knows what you want them to say. when I first tried role-play with and SUD client, it was such a culture shock of “okay how on earth do I get him to realise that all of his answers are NOT what I was hoping to hear?” 

Thanks, COVID-19. Let’s just say, ,studying OT wasn’t exactly the "hands-on" learning experience OT students signed up for. Simpson et al. (2021) found that healthcare students who had a large portion of their degree online experienced lower confidence in practical skills. A good part of my degree was spent attending Zoom lectures with dodgy Wi-Fi, half-listening to professors who were also figuring out remote teaching. Can you imagine my first exposure to community studies was via a zoom call with a community that was in a community hall and I was telling them all the big and beautiful things an OT brings to the table and what they can do in their community for each other. Funny right?

Jones et al. (2019) suggest that healthcare education systems focused on exams risk creating graduates who excel in academics but lack practical competence. In our case, we might just win gold in the Theory Olympics, but whether we’re equipped to handle a chaotic community clinic is another question. Research by Green and Strong (2022) shows that students who were given more hands-on, community-based learning experiences felt better prepared for PHC roles. Funny how that works, right? Yet, UKZN’s OT curriculum still feels more like prepping us for the big OT exams, not necessarily the big, messy world of community OT.

My verdict, you ask. Did UKZN’s OT curriculum prepare me for community practice? In short: no. Was it all bad? Again, no. At the end of the day, we don’t need more theory—we need more action. We need hands-on learning in real community settings, not case studies from textbooks. We need to be adaptive problem solvers, not just theory reciters. If there’s one thing UKZN taught me well, though, it’s how to Google the heck out of something when I don’t know what I’m doing. One thing the endless fieldwork does do though is prepare you to know everything about how unprepared you’ll feel once you get to certain places. And that’s kind of the first step to success, right? Learning how to abandon well-organized plans and embracing the chaos and laughing about it later.

References

Green, A., & Strong, J. (2022). Interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare education: Preparing students for team-based care. Journal of Health Professions Education, 8(2), 145-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhpe.2022.02.002

Jones, L., Smith, R., & Brown, K. (2019). The gap between theory and practice in healthcare education: Preparing students for real-world challenges. Health Education Research, 34(3), 289-305. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyz022

Kardos, R. L., & Smith, M. P. (2020). Balancing theory and practice: A framework for healthcare education. Journal of Medical Education, 24(4), 123-138. https://doi.org/10.1111/jme.12345

Mashudu, T., & Maputle, M. S. (2020). Bridging the gap: The disparity between academic OT programs and community healthcare in South Africa. African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 8(1), 34-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/ajot.8.34

Mnguni, S., Naidoo, P., & Pillay, V. (2021). Theoretical grounding in occupational therapy education at UKZN: Strengths and challenges. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 51(2), 78-92. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajot.v51i2.151

Simpson, D., Fletcher, A., & Riley, P. (2021). The impact of online learning on practical skills in healthcare education. Education in Health Professions, 39(1), 67-75. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0041-173065

[mamellotshepang]

Blog 2-Psychosocial block

Importance of social support networks on mental health; OT perspective

Imagine being alone with no one to talk to, no one to share your thoughts with and no one being there to comfort you…sad right? Being able to socialize with people in your environment is crucial to one’s mental well-being. It is when you socialize within your environment that you discover all the available support networks there are. OT fosters a sense of community which is what social support networks are-a community. From an occupational therapy student` perspective, social support networks play an important role in enhancing overall well-being and improving daily functioning. We understand that that mental health is deeply intertwined with one's ability to engage in meaningful activities and roles.

We are currently in our Psychosocial block, and I can see how mental health plays a big role in the daily functioning of a person. Someone with depression might not want to engage in ADLs and iADL due to them feeling down and closed in. They are closed in and aren’t reaching out. It is only when someone who sees them (OT`s) and offers support do they enter the journey of recovery. A poem written by Rupi Kaur, a well-known poet touched my heart and made me think of social networks and supports on mental health. It says,

when the world comes crashing at your feet

it’s okay to let others

help pick up the pieces

if we’re present to take part in your happiness

when your circumstances are great

we are more than capable

of sharing your pain

- community (Kaur, 2017)

It is such a privilege for us UKZN students as we have student support services on campus. They can help with us when we are feeling depressed, when we have anxiety. They enhance our emotional wellbeing as university students. I remember my first time going to student support services after suffering a burnout during first year. I felt lost and so exhausted. I saw that keeping it to myself was doing more damage than good and at the time we had mentors. My mentor booked me a session and within a week of attending therapy sessions, I felt better emotionally and engaged well in my occupations. This experience made me realise the power and impact social support networks have on ones wellbeing.

OT has taught me the importance of support groups in mental health problems like depression, anxiety, substance abuse, GBV and more. Coming together to assist each other in difficult times is amazing. The sense of universality, altruism and installation of hope that come through during group therapy is essential to mental health. Studies have shown that having strong social connections such as group support systems can significantly impact mental health by reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation. According to a review published in JAMA Network Open, individuals with robust social networks experience lower rates of depression and anxiety, and they report higher levels of life satisfaction and well-being (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015).

Social support networks play a crucial role in all facets of our life, impacting our mental, physical, and emotional well-being. We can improve our everyday functioning, resilience, and general well-being by establishing strong, supportive relationships. It's important to keep in mind the priceless value of real, face-to-face contacts and the significant influence they have on our general health and happiness in a society where digital connections are valued more and more.

Reference:

Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2015). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. JAMA Network Open, 10(3), 113-125.

Kaur, R. (2017). The Sun and Her Flowers. Simon & Schuster Uk.