Hello! My name is Taylor Knittel and I am Sodexo Dietetic Intern in the Distance option. I recently completed my community concentration. I had the opportunity to intern at many different locations including an assisted living home called Arbor Terrace and at a small education company called 7 Mindsets. Visiting these different locations and speaking with different populations was really challenging, but so fun. I learned so much about how to work with individuals aged 3 all the way to up to 100 years old!
During my day of observation at the assisted living home, I participated in many activities offered at the home including a lunch outing to a hibachi restaurant. It was such a fun experience that allowed me to really engage with the seniors. We had lunch together and I was able to better understand how to best interact with this age group. I eventually did a fiber presentation during their “wine and cheese” hour and the residents loved it, as did I! At the small education company I was able to witness the fast pace of the business world. After spending a day observing the office and speaking with the employees, I decided to do a presentation on healthy snacking. The office often did not have time to take a formal lunch break and was in need of healthy snacks to have on hand during the day. I went to the local grocery stores and searched up and down the aisles to find interesting different snacks and comparison food items for the employees to examine and determine which snack was the best choice. They then tasted the snack items and many said they were going to stop at the grocery store on their way home to pick up some healthy snacks for the next day!
During my time in this rotation, I expected to sharpen my presentation skills, but what I did not anticipate was all the learning I got to do about the community I live in. I learned so much about the different people, organizations, and resources available in my community, many of which I was not aware of. Being aware of these things in your community is an essential and invaluable tool for a dietitian. Getting out there, having fun, and engaging with the different populations and organizations in your community is really the key to getting the most out of this rotation and for developing many skills that can help you to become an amazing RD.
During my day of observation at the assisted living home, I participated in many activities offered at the home including a lunch outing to a hibachi restaurant. It was such a fun experience that allowed me to really engage with the seniors. We had lunch together and I was able to better understand how to best interact with this age group. I eventually did a fiber presentation during their “wine and cheese” hour and the residents loved it, as did I! At the small education company I was able to witness the fast pace of the business world. After spending a day observing the office and speaking with the employees, I decided to do a presentation on healthy snacking. The office often did not have time to take a formal lunch break and was in need of healthy snacks to have on hand during the day. I went to the local grocery stores and searched up and down the aisles to find interesting different snacks and comparison food items for the employees to examine and determine which snack was the best choice. They then tasted the snack items and many said they were going to stop at the grocery store on their way home to pick up some healthy snacks for the next day!
During my time in this rotation, I expected to sharpen my presentation skills, but what I did not anticipate was all the learning I got to do about the community I live in. I learned so much about the different people, organizations, and resources available in my community, many of which I was not aware of. Being aware of these things in your community is an essential and invaluable tool for a dietitian. Getting out there, having fun, and engaging with the different populations and organizations in your community is really the key to getting the most out of this rotation and for developing many skills that can help you to become an amazing RD.
