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ften, we take our five senses: touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste for granted. As we age, sensory challenges may come into play. Gray for a Day is a full hands-on experience of these sensory challenges and functional decline some older adults face.
Meadowview Afterschool Program
Twice a month, students from the Meadowview Afterschool program experiences Gray for a Day and learns how to better interact with their older loved ones. The students definitely realized how difficult it can be to living with sensory decline and the need to be patient with others!
I still have three sessions left for the school year, but of those who have participated, the impact is great!
-93 percent agreed they learned how changes in the five senses impact daily life
-86 percent stated that after knowing what could happen when older, they planned to take better care of their body
University and High School Students Completing Gray for a Day
Sharing with upper level students provides even more depth. I was able to share this knowledge this month with students in Family and Consumer Sciences Education at Pittsburg State University and have an upcoming event scheduled with Labette County High School.
Participants actually gain sensory and functional decline such as eye impairment, decline in smell, arthritis, and breathing issues. Throughout this process, participants work on daily activities such as putting on a coat or tying your shoe, identifying a healthy meal while diabetic, attempting to find a medical specialist close to a rural area, and communicating with someone who has had a stroke. The presentation encourages developing the skills necessary to effectively interact and support someone who is experiencing these challenges and identifying steps that can be taken to improve or maintain health now in order to age well into the future.
A common theme on the evaluation was the need to take of oneself and the importance of family support system when experiencing these daily challenges. Below are some of the many comments received about the most important things learned from Gray for A Day:
-Treating older adults with care and respect is important, because often times they are frustrated themselves
-I am more encouraged to help the elderly
-It’s never too early to start self-care preparation for aging
-Be aware that older adults may be struggling with impairments we can’t see
Community Connections Makes our Fix It and Forget Event Possible
Isn’t it great working within your community? Crawford County Farm Bureau and our Family and Consumer Science Team will be hosting this farm to fork and meal preparation event at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday April 18, at the PittNaz Church in Pittsburg. Relationship building, education, and community involvement has brought this together with volunteers and a great facility. Hope to see you there!