By Jen A. Miller
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USciences is known for its cutting-edge research, but not just in the traditional laboratory setting. A new initiative to advance the treatment of our nation’s aging population has taken residence in Samson College of Health Sciences to continue this tradition.
The initiative will not only offer students and faculty new opportunities in geriatric care and research, but it will foster cross-disciplinary collaboration among the occupational therapy, physical therapy, and exercise science and wellness management majors, who will all benefit from the new Genesis HealthCare Center for Aging Research and Education (Genesis C.A.R.E.s). A partnership between USciences and Genesis HealthCare Corporation, the nation’s largest long-term care and rehabilitation and therapy provider, the center opened as part of Samson College of Health Sciences in January.
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| Dr. Paula Kramer |
“We need to encourage students to understand how exciting it can be to work with the elderly because it is not your grandmother’s nursing home anymore,” said PAULA KRAMER, PhD, chair of USciences’ Department of Occupational Therapy and the center director. “That’s not what geriatric practice is about now. It’s very complex. It’s very involved. It’s a lot about wellness and maintaining abilities and letting people age comfortably and be able to keep the lifestyle that they enjoy,” she added.
Genesis C.A.R.E.s will focus on preparing students to meet those new care demands. It will also offer faculty research opportunities so they are in the forefront of healthcare practitioners creating new therapies and treatments.
 Michelle Cohen, PhD, Samson College associate dean and BTE center director, demonstrates one of the rehabilitation machines for Philadelphia City Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell (right). |
The ability to train students and foster new research reached a new level in May with the opening of the BTE Technologies Advanced Evaluation and Rehabilitation Lab, which is housed within Samson College and complements Genesis C.A.R.E.s.
BTE, a provider of advanced physical therapy and occupational therapy equipment, donated three machines to USciences for a research laboratory: a PrimusRS unit, which is a multi-joint testing system that also rehabilitates patients for the workforce; an EvalTech, which is an all-purpose evaluation system of human function and performance; and a Multi-Cervical Unit, which is used to assess and rehabilitate the cervical spine.
BTE is also donating training, service, and maintenance of the equipment.
“BTE was very interested in expanding their equipment to the geriatric population,” said LAURIE SHERWEN, PhD, dean of Samson College of Health Sciences. “Based on the fact that we had recently launched Genesis C.A.R.E.s, BTE thought this would be a good time to collaborate with us.”
“For the students, they will be able to use state-of-the-art equipment, hands-on, that is currently being used in rehabilitation facilities,” said MICHELLE COHEN, PhD, associate dean for research and scholarship in Samson College.
Left to right: Laurie Sherwen, PhD, dean of Samson College of Health Sciences; BTE’s Janna Jacobs, PT CHT; Jonathan Cooper, PT; Charee Collins, PT; and Michelle Cohen, PhD, Samson College associate dean. |
“In some of their clinical rotations, they might have come across the equipment, but we will be able to teach students on this equipment right here at Samson. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to participate in faculty research using this equipment,” added Dr. Sherwen.
“This gift from BTE links our leadership in the technology of human performance with Samson College’s excellence in hands-on education and research,” said Chuck Wetherington, president of BTE Technologies, Inc. |
“Physical therapy and occupational therapy will use it for functional evaluations and rehabilitation. We’re looking for faculty to develop outside grants for funding their research using the equipment as a focus,” said Dr. Cohen.
That has already started, in fact. USciences faculty and students will be collaborating to create a program for the BTE equipment to assess range of motion in elderly drivers to determine if they are functionally able to keep driving.
Genesis C.A.R.E.s is also hosting seminars for faculty and students about geriatric care. So far, these seminars have addressed ageism, fall prevention, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. Most of them are run by PT and OT faculty members and staff from Genesis, said Dr. Sherwen. They have also formed an advisory board to guide future growth and research.
“This is the beginning of some very good things for Genesis, for BTE, and for us,” said Dr. Sherwen.
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