Bangor Daily News features COM's Learning by Living nursing home immersion program

The Bangor Daily News on July 25, 2011 published a feature story on the UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine's Learning by Living nursing home immersion program, designed by Marilyn Gugliucci, Ph.D., director of geriatric research. The story focused on University of Maine social work student Kara Janes, who was spending more than a week at Lakewood Continuing Care Center in Waterville in the role of an elderly resident. 

The program seeks to give students studying to be physicians or other health professionals a first-hand experience of living as an older adult with a health condition, Gugliucci explains.

"In the end, these students will hopefully become better care providers because of this personal experience and unique connection they have made living as a resident," Gugliucci said.

Janes was admitted with the diagnosis of a stroke resulting in right-sided weakness and a case of pneumonia due to an impaired ability to swallow. Although most of the Lakewood staff know her real identity, Janes has accepted no special privileges during her stay there. She has been fed a pureed diet. Woken in the night to be assisted onto the toilet. Lowered naked by a mechanical lift into a whirlpool tub.

“You lose your independence. You can’t think for yourself. Everything is done for you,” she said. The result during the first days of her stay was depression and a sense of being stripped of her identity.

“I have this overwhelming sense of responsibility that I need to be the voice for the people who go through this day after day, month after month,” she said.

The program has been placing students in nursing homes since 2005 and has seen 20 students complete the program thus far, with an additional eight students joining the program this summer. Gugliucci said the experience allows students to see what the lives of geriatric patients are like on a day-to-day basis and also allows participating nursing homes to review patient care practices ranging from medical to food service to supplies such as toiletries.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.