June 7, 2022
Students in the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program at Shawnee State University held a training session for caregivers at the USSA Adult Day Center in Portsmouth, Ohio to provide education and support in increasing skillsets needed to care for in-need loved ones. Sarah Slone, a graduate student from Lucasville, Ohio, enjoyed the opportunity to share her and her classmates’ education with caregivers in the area.
“We provided education on transferring in and out of a car, caregiver support groups, and bathroom safety,” she said. “The purpose of attending the USSA Adult Day Center was to gain experience with the older adult population and identify ways in which occupational therapy can play a role in their lives.”
Occupational therapists provide support to help people live productive and satisfying lives and also develop treatment plans to assist clients in achieving their goals. Throughout their experience at the center, the MOT students had the opportunity to provide education to caregivers that eased their minds when it came to taking care of loved ones. They also shared their knowledge on tools and services that could provide greater assistance in helping prevent falls and practicing safety when assisting in transportation of others.
“The experience allowed us to not only view the clients from an OT perspective, but from the perspective of the older adults based on their life experiences and the things that impact their daily life that us, as college students, may not be aware of,” said Slone.
The USSA Adult Day Center provides supportive social services to the older population of Scioto County that allows seniors to remain engaged in the community and have a safe location for care throughout the traditional work day by a dedicated staff.
“This was a great educational experience for the students, caregivers, and our clients,” said Jamie Williams, Coordinator of the USSA Adult Day Center. “I love any opportunity for people ready to enter the workforce to experience our program firsthand. It was neat to see the exchange of information among them – the students sharing their OT skills and caregivers sharing their stories and struggles.”
Enjoying the opportunity to work hands-on with caregivers and their loved ones, the MOT program is looking forward to doing additional work at the center in the future.
“I hope that both the clients attending the center and their caregivers who participated in the educational session had a good experience working with and learning from interactions with the OT students that will help them to increase safety and quality of life at home,” said Slone.
To learn more about Shawnee State University’s Master of Occupational Therapy program, visit shawnee.edu/mot.