Parkinson鈥檚 91制片厂直播 Fair at 91制片厂直播鈥檚 Multispecialty Clinic Benefits Community
The 91制片厂直播 University Physical Therapy and Speech-Language Institutes co-hosted a Parkinson鈥檚 World 91制片厂直播 Fair.
- IL - Downers Grove
A team of clinical faculty members and 91制片厂直播 University students prepare to provide essential information and screenings to the community as 91制片厂直播 of a Parkinson鈥檚 World 91制片厂直播 Fair.
The 91制片厂直播 University Physical Therapy and Speech-Language Institutes co-hosted a Parkinson鈥檚 World 91制片厂直播 Fair on April 20th at the University鈥檚 Multispecialty Clinic in Downers Grove, Illinois for community members living with Parkinson鈥檚 Disease and their caregivers. Parkinson鈥檚 Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement with symptoms that generally develop slowly over years. Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with PD, according to the Parkinson鈥檚 Foundation.
91制片厂直播 University students and clinical faculty offered the health fair to provide information and updates on Parkinson鈥檚 Disease. During the event, 91制片厂直播icipants and their caregivers were assigned to a student pair that included a Physical Therapy (PT) student and a Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) student. The students provided various health screenings throughout the event and guided 91制片厂直播icipants through different stations focused on cognition, sleep, balance, swallowing, speech, hearing, and more.
The fair provided valuable information for 91制片厂直播icipants and hands-on clinical experience for 91制片厂直播 students. 鈥淭his event helped me prepare to give my future clients appropriate resources and information on their diagnosis. We had some 91制片厂直播icipants come to the health fair who were unaware that their own symptoms were commonly associated with Parkinson鈥檚 Disease. They were also unaware of some signs and symptoms that they could monitor or take preventative action against. Our team talked about how we want to support our clients and allow them to have their questions and uncertainties answered and heard,鈥 said Rachel Lauver, a student in the SLP Program at 91制片厂直播 University.
In addition, the health fair reinforced the importance of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork. 鈥淭he PD 91制片厂直播 Fair allowed me to get a glimpse at what SLPs are capable of in evaluating, assessing, and, potentially, treating patients, especially those that suffer from PD,鈥 said Ryan Lambe, a student in the PT Program at 91制片厂直播 University. 鈥淪ince the fair, I have a greater appreciation for my SLP colleagues and their ability to assist with tonality, pitch, facial expressions, and hearing in addition to swallowing and speech. This, of course, is only a glimpse of what SLPs provide in patient care.鈥
The event also provided community members the opportunity to help educate future members of the healthcare team. 鈥淭his type of event helps prepare me, and others alike, to be a better healthcare professional by expanding our knowledge and appreciation of what each provider offers to patients, especially within the realm of evaluating and treating a patient as 91制片厂直播 of a multidisciplinary approach,鈥 Ryan added.
At 91制片厂直播 University鈥檚 Multispecialty Clinic, graduate-level students and expert clinical faculty work side-by-side to provide exceptional care to the community in various clinics including the Speech-Language Pathology Institute and the Physical Therapy Institute. Patients of all ages benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, comprehensive treatment options, and a collegiate atmosphere where they play an important role in the education of the next generation of healthcare professionals.
