Nursing students bring health fair to senior centers

Jared Brimhall and fellow nursing students with their poster
at the Chandler Senior Center.

Nursing students visited the Chandler and Gilbert Senior Centers on Nov. 12 presenting posters and handouts on age-appropriate health topics. The service-learning event gives students the opportunity to interact with seniors, discuss health issues and hear their concerns.

“We do our clinicals in long-term care facilities and so the senior center health fair gives us an opportunity to see seniors who are, for the most part, healthy and strong,” said Jared Brimhall, nursing student. “These seniors — some who are in their 80s and 90s and living independently — are examples of the things we read about in the textbooks. It’s nice to get out in the community and talk with some of the patient population we’ll be taking care of after we graduate about health issues, what’s working well and how they stay healthy.“

The fairs have been a collaboration with the senior centers for the past three years.

“This event is good in many aspects for seniors,” said Eliza Haws, recreation coordinator at the Chandler Senior Center. “From a social perspective, the seniors love having youth come to the center. From an educational perspective, they are interested in the research on the health topics that the students present. It’s also beneficial to the students by providing them with an opportunity to speak with seniors on health topics. So it’s good for everyone.”