Baker College Occupational Therapy Assistant students provide “around the world” experience for Harbor Terrace Senior Living residents

Students from the Occupational Therapy Assistant (or OTA) program at Baker College recently were able to bring the world to Harbor Terrace Senior Living with an inclusive and creative event called “Around the World with Baker OTA Students.”

Seven Occupational Therapy Assistant students developed and put on a global-themed day for around 25 senior living residents. The event transformed the senior living community into a space of international connection and fun. Attendees of the event were given souvenir photos and passports before being shown through a range of activity stations.

Among the activities the participants completed were crafting fanny packs in Florida, playing bingo in Mexico, encountering food in Paris, and painting tulips in Denmark. Each activity was designed and run by the OTA students.

The idea for this event was spawned when the OTA students were looking for a nursing home near Baker College to allow them to help practice soft skills with an elderly population before they were to begin their clinical rotations. The experience allowed for the students to gain hands-on learning opportunities to create activities for the elderly at all levels of care, while engaging with residents in a meaningful way. 

In an article posted on Baker College’s website, Ashley Moblo, who serves as the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the OTA program, was quoted about the event as saying, “This was our first time partnering with Harbor Terrace, and it was a smashing hit. The residents benefited from a free, inclusive activity designed with their needs in mind, and our students gained invaluable real-world experience.”

The event is in line with the OTA program’s geriatric learning goals, which are designed to allow students to have the chance to use the knowledge gained in the classroom of equipment use, mobility, and age-related changes in health in a real world setting. Students were able to put into practice skills in communication, interviewing, and adaptive techniques like providing hand over hand assistance, enlarging materials for grip and visibility, and adjusting workspace height, all of which made each of the provided activities accessible for all participants. 

Residents were pleased to take part in the activities, and many engaged in conversations with the students about their lives, the student’s career goals, and more. Laughter, smiles, and hugs were large parts of the experience for all involved.

OTA student Jolene Gilmore was quoted about her experience at the event, saying, “I enjoyed participating in the geriatric party for class. It was more meaningful and fulfilling than an in-class assignment. It felt like a step into the real world of my future career.”

As the event was such a success, Baker College is planning to create a recurring community partnership with Harbor Terrace as a part of the OTA curriculum, with the idea that community partnerships are crucial to promoting inclusivity, building connections, and providing hands-on learning for its students.

More information about the Occupational Therapy Assistant program can be found on its webpage.

More information about everything Baker College offers can be found at the school’s website.