SRU, Department of Aging supporting isolated seniors
Slippery Rock University is working with the state Department of Aging on a pilot program aimed at supporting senior citizens in Butler and Mercer counties who are isolated and may be lonely due to COVID-19 social distancing measures.
Social isolation and loneliness are conditions that have been perpetuated by the pandemic and safety measures that keep people at a distance from one another.
These afflictions are particularly harmful for older adults, many of whom are living alone and encounter other factors such as loss of friends and family members, chronic illness and physical ailments, according to a SRU news release.
During the fall 2020 semester, nearly 100 SRU students in recreational therapy and gerontology classes participated in the pilot program by completing service-learning projects that included interactions with older adults, either over the phone or virtually if the older adult had access to videoconferencing technology.
The project provides real-world experiences for students by connecting them with more than 100 older adults through the Area Agency on Aging in Butler and Mercer counties.
“It's a privilege for SRU and our students to be able to collaborate with the Department of Aging in an effort to serve our community's at-risk older adults,” said Betsy Kemeny, associate professor of parks, conservation and recreational therapy.
“This is a win-win for our students to have an opportunity to learn and for older adults to learn and benefit from one-on-one, virtual interactions with our students,” she said.
“I am thrilled that this project will support so many people who are socially isolated while also allowing our students the chance to apply and reflect on what they are learning in the virtual classroom about recreational therapy assessment and interventions for older adults.”
