DuBOIS — Penn State DuBois occupational therapy student assistants Fiona Riss, Emily Busija and Maddie Barsh were recently on a mission to help empower and educate the Christ the King Manor DuBois community.
OTA’s Falls Prevention and Wellness Program, a three-part series, empowered students to make a difference in residents’ lives.
The program, designed to promote health and reduce the risk of falls, is a collaborative effort between the Penn State DuBois Occupational Therapy Assistant Program and the Christ the King Community. Led by program director and associate professor LuAnn Delbrugge, the students aimed to impart valuable knowledge to residents of the apartments and cottages at Christ the King Manor.
On a cool October day, the second segment of the series began. The atmosphere in the room was full of anticipation as students delved into the crucial topics of fall prevention, wellness and senior health.
Community Center Director Tina Dickey beamed as she watched the students in action. “It’s so nice that they come and do this for us. They love it. They talk about it during meals,” she said, emphasizing the significant impact the program has on residents’ lives.
Delbrugge began by discussing ways to stay healthy and prevent falls. She emphasized the importance of maintaining a broad base of support, using chairs, sinks or counters for stability during exercises, and incorporating balance and upper body strengthening exercises into routines. daily. One resident even shared her unique method of using coins as makeshift weights, demonstrating the community’s ingenuity and determination.
In the second part of the session, the focus was on vision and foot care. Barsh shared valuable information about maintaining healthy vision and discussed the importance of keeping regular eye appointments. She stressed the importance of maintaining adequate lighting and residents spoke about their use of voice-activated and motion lights. Foot care took center stage as residents learned the importance of wearing proper footwear and doing foot exercises to improve balance.
Barsh enjoyed presenting and interacting with residents during this fun and interactive session. “This program is really important to educate all the residents here so they can learn about falls and how to prevent them and generally how to have a better, successful life,” Barsh said.
Throughout the program, Delbrugge also emphasized the importance of consulting a doctor before beginning any exercise program. Asked about the benefits of this series, Delbrugge explains that falls among the elderly can be very common and detrimental.
“We present information about safety at home and in the community, staying active and exercising, balance, and advice on how to change the way we do things to prevent falls depending on capacity. This program not only benefits residents, but also students. Part of their job will be to educate, and that’s what they do during this program: educate and interact with the community.
At the end of the session, laughter filled the room when Delbrugge asked if anyone had ever dealt with stress. After receiving a resounding yes, she announced the next topic of the third and final segment: stress management.
At the heart of Christ the King Manor, the students’ dedication to educating and empowering the community shone through, Delbrugge said, illustrating the symbiotic relationship between learning and teaching and the profound impact it can have on the lives of those they touch.
