Always working for (ot)hers..

         In today's class we learned a lot about health promotion, health literacy, and health prevention. One of the topics in lecture that really resonated with me was when Professor Flick spoke on the negative impacts that some people have to endure when dealing with occupations, which are occupational deprivation, occupational apartheid, and occupational alienation. The one that stuck with me out the three was occupational deprivation, because it reminded me of my kids that I mentor back at home. Occupational deprivation is basically not being able to do activities that are meaningful to you due to your environment not being conducive of it. When I lived in Flowood, MS I had a group of 5th graders that I would meet with weekly to listen about their experiences living in an impoverished neighborhood, and them not being able to play outside, or go to certain parks due to activities that were not safe for children. I would always try to take them to the parks that were nicer and allow them to meet other children in my neighborhood just so they would not be deprived of the joy of "playing" or just being a kid. Playing, as we know, is an active tool for learning a plethora of skills. So, to have that right or skill taken from them made them a lot more mature and accustomed to certain things that children their age should not have had to go through. This lesson kind of just hit home for me and made me realize how occupational therapy is literally everywhere and can be used in any situation.