Giving Students a Look at Aging

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Giving Students a Look at Aging

• Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
• at UTMB Health

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Lets explore together

• Who am I, where is my OLLI, and why this
  workshop?
• Do you already have any intergenerational
  programs?
• Do you plan to begin one or expand what you
  already do?

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Objectives for Today

• Define 3 levels of intergenerational
  learning/sharing possible in your OLLI
• Explore examples of successful intergenerational
  programming
• Examine peer-reviewed literature
• Assess how these principles apply at your OLLI

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Three Levels of Intergenerational Learning

• Elementary students share lifestory and
  occupational mentorship
• Community college students visit classes,
  interview students
• Post-graduate OT, PA, MDs and
• MD students rotate, volunteer, and teach

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Elementary School and OLLI

1. Local Satori School project Students interview
   OLLI members, write their lifestories, then
   give a dramatic presentation and present books
2. Local public middle school classes interview
   OLLI members from various backgrounds ferry boat
   captain, hospital dietician, jazz musician

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Community College Students

• Nursing students interview OLLI members and visit
  classes
• OLLI interactions fulfill Community visits
  required for graduation
• CNAs, LVNs, RNs, and others choose experiences at
  OLLI as a component of their curriculum

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Free Fitness Classes at OLLI
People in an informal setting in activities to
further health of mind, body, and soul!
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UTMB OT, PA, and MD Students and Residents

• OT Masters student research outcomes garnered
  high marks from faculty
• PA students fulfill community requirements in
  OLLI
• Medical students from first and fourth years,
  Residents from Family Medicine, MD/PhD, and
  Geriatric Fellows

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Medical Students Presentation
Fourth year students collaborated on peer
reviewed presentation at 2014 UT Innovations in
Health Sciences Education Conference in Austin
Now I have concrete advice on healthy aging for
my patients!
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Philip, Fourth Year Student

• Three things learned
• I was less strong/flexible than OLLI members
• How little some know about computers
• The wonderful life that can be achieved with
  focus on healthy living and lifelong learning (in
  contrast to grim outlooks on life in hospice home
  visits)

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Med Students in Pilates
OLLI members could bend, flex, and balance in
ways I could not!
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Dimple, Fourth Year Student

• Three things learned
• Art teacher explained more cohesively than any
  college teacher
• Fascinating multitude of diversityvariety of
  voices, conclusions, meanings
• Best elective in all of medical schoolI tell
  everyone!

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Students Try Meditation and Yoga
How hard could it be? I was sore for days
afterward!
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How it Works

• UTMB Faculty request experience in OLLI for their
  students
• Schedule includes movement/fitness, academic,
  lifestory, and interviews
• Students meet with director for program overview
  and peer-reviewed literature

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Research Support

• Hiking in the Geriatric Rotation, Weiss, Tomasa,
  Journal of Family Medicine
• Taking Integrative Healthcare Education to the
  Community, Sierpina, Kreitzer, Sierpina, Explore
• Leisure Activities and Risk of Dementia,
  Verghese, et. al., NEJM

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Evaluation Component

• UTMB Faculty Share Evaluations
• 100 positive assessments
• Students requested two days per week in OLLI
  instead of one
• Some students scheduled three day per week in
  OLLI
• Students requested opportunities to return to
  OLLI after elective concludes

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My FavoriteLifestory

• Effects of Life Review on Depressive Symptoms,
  Chippendale, Bear-Lehman, American Journal of OT
• Improving Depressive Symptoms Mastel-Smith, et.
  al., Journal of Gerontological Nursing
• Leisure Activities and Risk of Dementia,
  Verghese, et. al., NEJM

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Your Reflections?

• How does intergenerational learning fit my OLLIs
  goals and mission?
• How would OLLI members benefit?
• How might students and our community benefit?

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Feel free to stay in touch

• Michelle Sierpina, PhD
• Founding Director
• OLLI at UTMB Health
• 409.763.5604
• msierpin_at_utmb.edu