Learning Through Listening: My Summer in CAP and Alzheimer’s Care

By Caitlyn Katumalla

This summer, conversations, reflection, and simply being present in the environments I work in (particularly the Clinical Assistant Program (CAP) and my volunteer work with the Alzheimer’s Project) have been the main ways I have been gathering data.

During my clinical experiences at CAP, I’ve had the opportunity to engage with a variety of patients, medical assistants, and nurses. I usually use an informal approach to interactions, not conducting interviews, but just talking with people while assisting with vital signs. “You’ll learn just as much from patients as you will from textbooks, if not more,” a nurse I spoke with said. That stayed with me. She was right. I have realized that patients communicate more than just their symptoms. They also share experiences, and these stories often provide far more meaning than any chart or medical record could.

I found it interesting that each person contributed a unique energy to the room. Every time we took interacted with him, one patient would joke around, while another would proudly flex his arm like a bodybuilder and say, “Bet I broke the machine this time!” These brief encounters served as a reminder that therapeutic work is very human and not just clinical. In order to reflect rather than gather facts, I’ve started to keep a little diary of patient comments or responses that shocked or touched me. It is helping me realize the variety, unpredictability, and emotional nature of caregiving.

The Alzheimer’s Project experience focuses more on emotional connection and observation. Even though I’m not formally collecting “data,” I am learning every time I sit with an individual, help with therapeutic coloring, or simply observe how staff members interact with someone who is confused. The importance of routines is one of the most amazing things I’ve observed. When a well-known Frank Sinatra song began to play, one client became much more relaxed. This served as a reminder that memories aren’t only facts but also emotions and rhythms.

The impact on my surroundings is subtle. Clients are beginning to smile more when they see me, and employees are starting to trust me with more responsibility. It gives me the impression that I’m a part of the room rather than just a student taking notes. I certainly like the change, even though I wasn’t expecting it.

Observations and interviews have felt very different. Observations focus more on presence and patterns, watching people’s actions in real time. I can learn about people’s feelings and motivations for their actions through interviews or even casual discussions. Both are crucial, but observations have the potential to reveal more than words, while interviews may feel more personal.

“Co-constructing knowledge,” refers to learning with the community rather than only about it. It involves more than simply gathering information or stories. It involves encouraging understanding through communication. This strategy is crucial for my community-based interests, which include serving underserved populations. It serves as a reminder that I’m not “studying” an issue from the outside. I’m figuring out how to help it from within.