OT placement student spotlight: Emily Kabat

Emily Kabat is a second-year occupational therapy student at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine who loves working with people, especially older adults. She knows the meaningful difference OT can make to those requiring assistance with mobility, equipment and ultimately living at home for longer. She looks forward to a rewarding career in palliative care, where her compassion and knowledge can help those at the end of life.

Tell us about your recent placement.
I completed my placement with Urban Palliative Home Care in Edmonton. My role was to visit clients in their homes and see where they may need assistance problem solving around equipment needs, energy conservation and end-of-life planning.

It was an incredible experience — my dream placement, really. I felt I made a difference in the lives of these individuals to be as comfortable and independent as possible in their final weeks or months. Some clients were very functional and independent, while others needed support from equipment or other devices. I met some very special clients who really left a lasting impact on me and my future practice.

What did you learn and how will you apply that to your professional and student life?
I learned that palliative care is an approach to care that can be used on so many different populations of people. Palliative care focuses on quality of life and the quality of dying. I could see the impact that even providing a simple piece of equipment could have on the quality of life for a client, or suggesting an alternate way to do something. You could see for a lot of clients how important their independence was, and I feel like OT makes a tangible impact on that domain of a person’s life. 

I'll apply what I learned in my professional practice to involve optimizing living as fully as possible in everyday life. I believe that palliative care is not just for the terminal phases of life or the last few weeks or days but for all patients with life-threatening and progressive, life-limiting illnesses. As an OT student, this experience is something of great value. It gave me space to think about the mystery of life and death and how I can approach future clients with dignity, compassion and empathy.

Where did you experience the most personal growth through this experience?
Being on placement encouraged me to engage in self-reflection, which is going to benefit me in the future as I go into practice and while I am still a student. Working with clients in a palliative context is very rewarding. It helped me to appreciate life and to continue working on myself — physically, emotionally and spiritually.

What do you see in your future as an occupational therapist?
I can see myself working in palliative care in the future. I really enjoyed working in home care and seeing real people in their real-life environments. Hard to say what the future holds for sure, but I'm pretty sure it involves me working with adults and older adults.

Would you recommend that students take part in placements?
Yes! Absolutely! It's the best way to learn — by doing! The classroom is a great place to learn foundational skills and theory, but placement is where the magic and therapy happens.

What advice would you like to share with future students in this program?
Be open to new experiences, whether that means the courses you can take, the places you can go on practicum or the new people you'll meet. It's good to be open-minded as you may be surprised with how diverse this profession is. It's also okay to make mistakes, that's where growth comes from.