The second workshop of the course, aimed at the School for the Elderly, was transformed into an entertaining meeting of generations.

“Strategies for the risk of falls” was the title of the practical workshop that prepared 16 older adults in different exercises to strengthen balance and reduce the risk of falls in daily life. The activity began with a theoretical conference and a subsequent evaluation with movement analysis equipment and evolved to work in groups with students from the Kinesiology program at the University of La Serena, as assistants and personalized support for each workshop participant. .

The event generated a pleasant atmosphere of coexistence, valued by both the student assistants, adults and academics of the institution. In this regard, the workshop presenter, Edwin Contreras, referred to the participation of the 16 ULS students in the activity. “Within the activities that we have as a career, the idea is to link students early, but fairly and precisely, with patients and take a reality that allows us to establish relationships with people and hopefully execute certain treatment techniques, whether based on exercise, manual techniques as they were able to see in the workshop, but that our students have a constant and premature connection with the patients and that the patients can also have feedback not only with the professional with whom he is working, but also with the students,” he stated. 

Approval for the workshop and the feeling of satisfaction was widespread among adults, especially because there was a marked difference in generations between students, professionals and older adults, which became an enriching experience for each of the attendees. “It was wonderful because in one way or another they help us live better, to feel alive and forget all the problems one may have, it is a wonderful complement to a better quality of life. For them it is surely a very good experience as well as for us, so it is so nice that two generations come together in a wonderful common goal that serves both them and us,” Olga Casanova emphasized.

New tools to work with older adults

In the activity there were also two kinesiologists and a student from the last years of Nursing, who took the workshop solely to learn tools and reproduce them in their work experience. “I am a kinesiologist and for me it is important to complement my knowledge With this type of workshops, this is how I learn and can also work with my own patients. The workshop was excellent, super dynamic, with a lot of enthusiasm on the part of the members, the older adults, and I think it is super enriching for the older adult and also for us professionals,” commented Marisela Vicencio.

This workshop was part of the School for the Elderly and was organized jointly by the Extension Directorate and the Kinesiology program of the University of La Serena. It is the second workshop in a series of activities that seek to provide theoretical and practical knowledge about kinesiology to the community. 

Source: Press Extension Direction