Springfield College Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Students and Faculty Assist with Fall Prevention Program | Springfield College

Springfield College Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Students and Faculty Assist with Fall Prevention Program

Springfield College faculty and students help recap the fall prevention program at LIVE EVERY DAY.

 

The Springfield College Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy programs recently collaborated to host a Fall Prevention Program for community members inside the LIVE EVERY DAY clinic located on the Springfield College campus. Participants were properly screened by Springfield College students and faculty for their balance and fall risk, followed by some recommendations for medical care following the screening.

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“The goal of the LIVE EVERY DAY clinic on the campus is to provide an inter-disciplinary clinic that connects as many as of the health sciences programs as possible,” said LIVE EVERY DAY Co-Founder and Springfield College alumnus Matt Calendrillo ’04, G’05. “This particular program brought the physical therapy and occupational therapy students together to work with some real patients in a professional setting. They were able to execute a timed up and go test, followed by a timed stance piece that assesses a person’s endurance and balance, followed by the students working with patients on the floor demonstrating how they can get up off of the floor should they encounter a fall.”

The collaboration at the LIVE EVERY DAY clinic stemmed from a seminar the Springfield College physical therapy and occupational therapy programs did together last year as a way to get the students ready for clinical work,” said Springfield College Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Kimberly Nowakowski.

One of the key elements of LIVE EVERY DAY is the fact that it’s a certified clinic that provides students an opportunity to receive hands-on experience in working with actual patients right on the main Springfield College campus.

“It’s so convenient having the clinic on the campus,” said Danielle, an occupational therapy major who worked with patients practicing safe methods on how to get up after experiencing a fall. “In just a short walk from the classroom experience, we are able to walk into this beautiful clinic that allows us to work with community members, and receive such a valuable experience in working with actual patients.”

And in remaining consistent with our Humanics philosophy, the work in the clinic remains focused on providing service to others, and assisting the College’s neighbors in a safe way that helps them enjoy their day-to-day activities.

“It’s great being able to assist the community members and educate them in ways to be safer, which hopefully makes their lives even better, that’s a big focus of what we try to accomplish when working in the clinic,” said physical therapy major Griffin Bennett.

“It’s a real clinic, and the more the students can be in a real environment working with real clients, the more they will continue to grow in their programs,” said Springfield College Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy Jean McCaffery.

Springfield College is an independent, nonprofit, coeducational institution founded in 1885. Approximately 4,100 students, including 2,500 full-time undergraduate students, study at its main campus in Springfield, Mass., and at its regional campuses across the country. Springfield College inspires students through the guiding principles of its Humanics philosophy – educating in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.