Client-centered Practice

I always find it to be really interesting when I can see core concepts of occupational therapy at work in health care professions in general. When going through my grandmother’s Leukemia, I was able to see the importance of client-centered practice.

One of the first things my father said when he met her oncologist was he was the only doctor they saw who actually cared about what my grandmother wanted. He was the one who worked with her when my family was deciding between home health and hospice. My family had a bit of a disagreement on which was the best option. Once he realized the constant disagreement, he ended up coming in and thoroughly explaining the difference before asking what she wanted. She wanted hospice and this ended up being the best option for her.

My grandmother had many hospice nurses coming in and out, so while I was there I would have casual conversation with them. One day, a nurse came in and was talking to me about her sister, who also died of cancer. Her sister had the same oncologist of my grandmother. The first thing the nurse said about him was how much she appreciated the way he focused on her sisters needs before anything else.


Though this wasn’t directly related to occupational therapy, this is a prime example of why being client-centered is so important. As health care professionals, we must look at what the client needs before anything else. Ultimately, being client-centered is what patients and caregivers appreciate the most.

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