WESTOVER, MD, January 16, 2024 – The Academy of Health Professions, a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program administered at Somerset County Technical High School (SCTHS), was recently awarded a workforce grant from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES) to fund the purchase of age simulation suits. The simulation kits include devices that alter the wearer’s mobility, vision, hearing and other senses to mimic a number of age-related illnesses experienced by the geriatric patient.
Paula Fisher, RN, Academy of Health Professions Instructor at SCTHS, submitted the grant application and received CFES’ award in late 2023. Shortly after receiving the age simulation kits, the instructional aids and included curriculum materials were introduced to enhance instruction for SCPS students pursuing a career in healthcare.
Fisher shared, “Thank you, Community Foundation, for supporting our CTE program with this grant award. A significant number of students seeking careers in healthcare will encounter geriatric patients. The age simulation suits offer students an opportunity to enhance their understanding of the patient’s experience and provide appropriate care.”
(L-R) Paula Fisher, RN, CTE Program Instructor – Academy of Health Professions, Mya H., Emyira J., and Autumn S., display a check from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES), awarded to the program for the purchase of age simulation suits that mimic geriatric diseases.
Academy of Health Professions Instructor, Paula Fisher, RN (Right) adjusts a splint-like device that reduces hand mobility of CTE student, Emyira J., to mimic the experience of age-related arthritis; a common geriatric illness that leads to joint stiffness, reduced dexterity and discomfort.
CTE student, Emyira J., performs writing tasks with considerable difficulty wearing age simulation hand splints to mimic arthritis and glasses altering her vision to simulate diabetic retinopathy.
CTE Student, Mya H., wears a weighted vest, and braces that restrict movement at the neck, wrists, knees and ankles to mimic mobility challenges experienced by the geriatric healthcare patient. Fellow CTE Student, Autumn S. (Left), reacts to her classmate struggling to complete the assigned task of retrieving a pen from the floor with restricted mobility.