Working at CAIPAD / Trabajando en CAIPAD

Working at CAIPAD has been a dunk in the deep end of the pool. I wasn't sure what to expect when I signed up for "working with disabled adults", but it's been an interesting and rewarding experience thus far. Betty, the PT for the CAIPAD adults (the PT gym also serves as an outpatient clinic, which is staffed by a different PT), has been super accommodating and helpful in giving me small things to help out with. The first day, I simply took up space on a chair while observing the goings-on and trying to understand more than just "you" and "let's go". On Wednesday, it seemed that multiple things were going awry, so Betty asked if I could lead the first group in upper extremity stretches and exercises while she worked on other things. Woohoo! Time to be helpful. It was at this moment, however, that I realized that PT involves a lot of speaking. Verbal instruction is huge. And this patient population struggles with following directions as it is, so the amount of charades and demonstrations with repeated "otro abrazo" and "sígueme" turns into a very strange dance of a gringa and her unfortunate pupils. I'm sure Betty was giggling to herself as she worked with a wheelchair-bound patient. It's like an internship all over again, except this time I can't speak!

On Thursday, I worked with occupational therapy, as Betty was involved with setting up a fundraising café for the independence day celebrations. The occupational therapist was given a double dose of patients that morning, so needed an extra hand. However, she didn't speak English, and it took 2-3 tries of very slow Spanish instruction for me to catch on. Today's catchphrase was "Hay más", telling my friend Jean Carlos again and again that there were more pieces of the puzzle to put together. Luis Fernando and Jose Alfredo were easily distracted by the new muchacha in the room, and I did my best to stay out of their line of sight, which worked until they started craning their necks to see. It's more or less like a fun VBS with adults, except by the time it takes you to figure out how to say "please sit down", "share the glue", or "don't eat the paper", you're too late.

A typical morning at CAIPAD consists of two group sessions of PT, with a half-hour break for snacks in between. I sit in the hallway and watch the hubbub during the break, and multiple patients come introduce themselves to me. One such introduction played out as follows:
Female: "Hola."
Me: "Hola."
Female: "Buenos días."
Me: "Buenos días."
Female: Leans in uncomfortably close and lingers with her head floating just above my shoulder.
Me: (Hug? Shoulder pat? Is she smelling me? What do I do? Did I say something? ...Oh! Cheek kiss)
Female: Satisfied. Walks away.

Other things to observe in the hallway include Ania, who varies between a repetitive dance and song that involves a dance floor that moves wherever she deems appropriate. If you dare cross her path, you may get a death glare and gesture that would be harmful to your carotid if a blade were involved. The dancing is intermittently interspersed with demonstrations of a very fast airplane, complete with sounds of a jet engine and outstretched wings.


Here's to hoping I can be more and more helpful in the coming weeks! Hoping that Spanish 'clicks' very soon. :)