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The Fundamentals of Caring - Neuro Note #2

The Fundamentals of Caring is a hilarious, yet heartwarming movie about the relationship between a boy with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and his caregiver.  The boy, Trevor, has a dark, sarcastic, unique sense of humor, and his new caregiver, Ben, seems to be one of the few who can take his banter.  I have seen this movie before and thought it was phenomenal.  I wanted to watch it again with more of an OT perspective, and I am so glad I did.  One of the first things I noticed is at the beginning of the movie, Ben asks Trevor what the one thing he would want to do in the whole world if he didn't have DMD.  Trevor answers by saying he would want to pee standing up, which I'm sure is a very prideful activity as a male.  I loved that scene because Ben had just been through a 6-week caregiver certification course where they preached ALOHA: Ask, Listen, Observe, Help, Ask again.  However, Ben did more than just that.  He found what Trevor values and desires most in life, and made it happen with a little creative thinking by the end of the movie.

Another aspect of the movie I noticed through my OT perspective was Ben's therapeutic use of self.  It takes a special kind of person to understand Trevor's sense of humor, and Ben was the perfect man for the job.  He was hesitant and awkward at first, but then he realized he could use humor to build a relationship with Trevor.  If he had just stuck to the ALOHA framework, the two boys would have never gone on the life changing road trip and shared the amazing experiences.  Also, Trevor would have never executed the most epic pee standing up into the World's Deepest Pit!  Before Ben came along, Trevor was sticking to his strict, mundane routine of eating waffles and watching TV.  Ben allowed him to see more of the world, experience real emotions, and accomplish new and adventurous goals.

Trevor's prognosis is a hard pill to swallow.  Most boys with Muscular Dystrophy only live to be in their 30s.  However, that does not mean he should live a sheltered life with no purpose or meaning.  I think this film illustrates that aside from disease, there are other obstacles in life that are worth overcoming.  By the end of the movie, Trevor faces his "asshole father,"  goes on his first date, and sees the World's Deepest Pit.  He accomplished more in one week than some people do in a lifetime.  This is a message that is very important for anyone working in healthcare and especially OT.  Even if a person has one day to live, make that day worth living!  It is our job, as OTs to help individuals live their best life no matter what hardships are in the way.


The Fundamentals of Caring (2016).  Netflix.

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