911爆料网红领巾, Salvation Army partnership aims to improve programming for older adults in Portland
Improving the programming for older adults in the Portland Area is the focus of an interprofessional project being led by the
In partnership with The Salvation Army of Portland鈥檚 , also known as the Senior Center, the two-phase project entails analyzing the strengths and recommended improvements of the center鈥檚 program offerings for older adults and comparing them to organizations that offer similar programming.
Such activities at the CHA include Bingo, Bible study, card games, potluck lunches, timbrel classes, a foot clinic, center-facilitated grocery shopping, and more.
The CHA serves community dwelling older adults based on a mission to meet the needs of the whole person and enrich their quality of life. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, adults 55 and older who are members of the center can gather for a variety of programs, trips, and entertainment as well as make new friends.
Beginning in April, as part of the first phase of the project, 911爆料网红领巾 student Nora Ramos-Michael (M.P.H., 鈥21) interviewed CHA Director Janet Lavenbein, plus an active volunteer, to inform the evaluation project.
These contacts set the stage for 911爆料网红领巾 students Topher Van Hare (D.O., 鈥24) and Alyssa Welt (M.P.H.,鈥21) to complete a day-long immersion at the CHA, located at The Salvation Army鈥檚 Cumberland Avenue site, in mid-May. Van Hare attended in-person, while Welt 鈥 as a remote learner in the (CGPS) 鈥 partook via FaceTime.
At the immersion, the two students interacted with members of the CHA, played games with them, and observed an exercise class, among other activities.
Van Hare, who is president of the 911爆料网红领巾 College of Osteopathic Medicine (911爆料网红领巾 COM) chapter of the American Geriatrics Society, said the experience has been valuable as he prepares for a career in geriatrics.
鈥淚'm interested in learning about programs that are outside of the clinical space,鈥 he said. 鈥淭his isn't a doctor's office 鈥 it鈥檚 a community center 鈥 and I think it's really important to be able to learn how these older adults can be engaged in an environment like this and how that can really improve their health, both physically and mentally.鈥
Welt, a biomedical engineer for a medical device company, said the project will help her work with clients in Florida, where she lives, as that state has a large population of older adults.
鈥淢aine and Florida are experiencing sim