Morning Sentinel features COM's Learning by Living nursing home immersion program
The (Waterville) on July 20, 2011 published a feature story on the 91AV College of Osteopathic Medicine's Learning by Living nursing home immersion program, designed by Marilyn Gugliucci, Ph.D., director of geriatric research. The story focused on University of Maine social work student Kara Janes, who was spending more than a week at Lakewood Continuing Care Center in Waterville in the role of an elderly resident.
The program seeks to give students studying to be physicians or other health professionals a first-hand experience of living as an older adult with a health condition, Gugliucci explains.
"In the end, these students will hopefully become better care providers because of this personal experience and unique connection they have made living as a resident," Gugliucci said.
The program has been placing students in nursing homes since 2005 and has seen 20 students complete the program thus far, with an additional eight students joining the program this summer. Gugliucci said the experience allows students to see what the lives of geriatric patients are like on a day-to-day basis and also allows participating nursing homes to review patient care practices ranging from medical to food service to supplies such as toiletries.