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The need for service projects varies greatly from place
to place. From blood pressure screenings in supermarkets to complex conferences,
service projects can be tailored to the special needs of the elderly in
the community.
Many times, elderly patients will be noncompliant with their
medication schedule because they do not really understand the frequency
or dosage and cannot make sense out of the instructions on the pharmacy
label. Some patients have difficulty opening pharmacy bottles, or may
become perplexed when verbal instructions about a drug use the generic
name and the pharmacy label shows the brand name. A rewarding service
project can involve setting up a booth at a retirement community, a senior
center or another facility for the elderly, where elderly participants
would be asked to bring in all their medications, both prescription and
non- prescription. Students would then design a chart clearly showing
the daily doses of each of the medications prescribed for the patient.
The medications should be indexed for trade and generic names. Bottles
might be labeled with large letters so that even those with visual impairment
can easily identify which medication to take. For example, MONDAY AM -
take 2A. The index would show A = Lasix (furosemide ) 20 mg tabs. A wide
felt tip marker would be used to mark the Lasix bottle clearly. Child
proof caps could be replaced with a cork if opening the bottle is a problem.
One of the most worrisome problems in caring for elderly
patients is that they may be injured at home and be unable to arouse assistance.
Often the cause of injury could be easily prevented. Students can volunteer
to screen homes for loose carpets, exposed extension cords, etc. and make
recommendations for correction.
Organizing a presentation for the elderly at a senior center
or retirement community is another rewarding project. Group members can
choose a topic that would appeal to them and to the seniors they will
be addressing. Students can research the topic and make the presentations
themselves. Some ideas are:
- Nutrition and aging
- Exercise for older adults
- High blood pressure (including a blood pressure screening)
- Healthy lifestyles
- Foot care
- Living with diabetes
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