Marilyn Gugliucci interviewed by KevinMD.com about Learning by Living nursing home immersion program

KevinMD.com on Aug. 31, 2011 published an interview with Marilyn Gugliucci, Ph.D., director of geriatric research, College of Osteopathic Medicine, focused on the Learning by Living nursing home immersion program, which she designed. 

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 in a nursing home for 10-14 days.

Gugliucci explained that "This experience will help students become more compassionate as physicians. They are learning the importance of physical touch, being at eye level with the patient, communicating with sincerity. Ultimately, they will be better physicians because they are learning to treat the person, not the disease or frailty."

The program has been placing students in nursing homes since 2005 and has seen 28 students complete the program thus far. 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.  Read the interview

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