Hi friends! I appreciate you taking my Instastories poll last week but more importantly, taking an interest in what it is I do from 9-5. After all the fuss with “Job 1” and “Job 2” I thought it was only fair to provide you with an update of what Job 2 has turned out to be like.
What I Do:
I can hear your voices, “Vivian, what the heck is Job 2?!” I’m here to tell you that I’m a speech therapist working at a skilled nursing facility (SNF [AKA nursing home]). Have you ever visited one before? My first experience with a SNF was with my grandmother. I occasionally visited her after class in high school. I’d stare into her large, glossy eyes and tell her about myself, remind her who I was, and talk about my dad to her. Those were my last memories of her but they were all pleasant. Maybe because she seemed to be taken care of during her time at the home. When I did visit, there was no dilly dallying. The SNF is no place to be for a high schooler, but even then when I knew nothing about the staff, I appreciated what they did for my grandma.
Several years later, here I am walking into a SNF on a daily basis and I love it! Most people think of speech therapists as the ones who help their kids with their /s/ and /r/ sounds, which is very true, but families of residents have other concerns when their loved ones are living long term in a SNF. As a speech therapist in this setting, I see residents with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, cerebral palsy, cerebrovascular accidents, and several other diagnoses. The patients vary in severity and as you can imagine, goals differ from person to person.
Most of my patients work hard for me but there are a few that sigh and roll their eyes when I knock on their door. On a day like that, I’ve quickly learned that a cup of coffee can fix anyones problems at least momentarily. But like I said, the majority are happy to see me and I, in return, am happy to see them. Sometimes therapists (speech, occupational, physical) are the only ones that visit the residents for days or weeks, so it’s important to greet them with a positive attitude. Luckily for all involved, my baseline personality is bright and carefree!
How I’m Adjusting:
The first week work experience itself was good. I learned a lot and was slightly overwhelmed by all the things to remember for later times but I managed. However, I’m struggling with my new life schedule. I continue to go to sleep at 1:30-2:00am and have no clue how to stop when I enjoy my personal time to wind down after midnight. My goal is to be at work between 7:15-8:00am, but it’s been more like 7:45-8:30am. I hope to get this figured out within the next couple of weeks so I can be well rested for work but also for all my other errands and tasks.
I’m happy to say that even with starting a new job in the middle of my 40 day yoga challenge, I have only missed one yoga practice. My sleep schedule may be off, but I’ve been a dedicated yogi throughout this major change and for that I am proud. Another win? I’ve been making healthy choices at lunchtime when I’m surrounded by all the yummy foods! It’s the little things in life, right?
I hope you all enjoyed reading this post and learning a little more about what I do. Feel free to leave me advice on how to go to bed on time 🙂
XO, Vivian