More than 50 Aroostook County senior citizens taking part in a program that connects them with first-year nursing students at Northern Maine Community College were the honored guests at celebrations recently on both the NMCC campus and at the Houlton Higher Education Center.
The Well Elder program, coordinated annually by the NMCC nursing and allied health department, pairs members of the first-year nursing class with healthy senior citizens who volunteer to allow students into their homes throughout the semester to practice their assessment techniques.
The unique program has been a part of the nursing curriculum at NMCC for more than a decade. For as many years, the culmination of the project has involved bringing all of the students and seniors together for a celebratory appreciation tea.
At the event, students each introduced their well elder and presented them with a gift in appreciation for assisting them in their studies. The attendees also heard from keynote speaker Steve Farnham, executive director of the Aroostook Area Agency on Aging, on current issues relating to healthy living and Medicare.
“I applaud your choice to take an active role in your own wellness by participating in this learning experience for soon-to-be nurses. NMCC is providing your student nurse with the skills and tools required to be a success in the professional field they have chosen,” Farnham told the elders before speaking about some of the recent changes in Medicare.
When visiting their “well elders” NMCC student nurses take vital signs, review medications, and assess home safety and general health lifestyles. Students also gain valuable experience practicing their interview and listening skills.
The program is a very important component of the first year of the nursing curriculum. It allows the students to not only understand the importance of assessment, communication or history gathering, it allows them to gain a new appreciation of all the accomplishments and contributions made by the older generation.
A total of 43 students enrolled in the first-year nursing class on the Presque Isle campus and an additional eight students participating in the NMCC nursing program offered at a distance at the Houlton Higher Education Center were engaged in this year’s well elder program.
