blood pressure service learning project
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Blood Pressure Screening
Description of the Project: This service-learning project will allow you to visit a local Senior Center and conduct a blood pressure screening. You will also have the opportunity to interact with Seniors regarding their blood pressure and overall health and well-being.
What we expect from you at the screening:
- Blood Pressure Readings of Senior Citizens at the Committee on Aging
- Discussion of blood pressure and overall health with the patient
Healthy People 2010 Objectives Directly Addressed through this Project:
View the WV Healthy People 2010 Website with all objectives by clicking here
- Objective 12 - Heart Disease & Stroke
Target Audience: Senior Citizens
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this service learning project, I will be able to
I. Understand how the cultural beliefs of rural seniors impact their health behaviors
II. Describe how this project fits into West Virginia's public health agenda as articulated in the WV Healthy People 2010 Objectives.
ASSIGNMENT
Review the following questions and choose 3 questions, or come up with your own question you are interested in exploring more about while participating in this project.
- How do rural seniors define wellness and illness?How does this compare with your views?
- At what point will rural seniors go to the doctor -for prevention? When daily living tasks are impaired? When in pain?
- How do rural seniors feel about going to the doctor for preventive services (mammograms, prostate exams, etc.)?
- If rural seniors do not go for prevention, what are the reasons?(Don't want to know, don't want to interfere with God's will, what is God's plan will happen no matter what, so why waste the money, etc.)
- What types of alternative therapies (folk medicine) do rural seniors or their family members use to heal illnesses?
- What types of religious therapies (prayer, laying on of hands) do rural seniors or their family members use to heal illness? Do they know anyone who has been healed in this way?
- At what age is someone considered to be a senior citizen?
- What do rural seniors believe changes when someone becomes a "senior citizen"? (Social, physical, etc.)
- What do senior citizens believe to be the cause of the illness? (Lifestyle, genetics, diet, God's will, etc.)?
- What are the cultural barriers preventing rural seniors from achieving optimal health? (Lifestyle, diet, isolation, mistrust of doctors, etc.)
Click here to choose and submit your questions.
Once you have completed your service-learning project, return to the module and click here to complete your reflection exercise.