SLU PT student Bea Nottke (DPT Class of 2022), as part of Geriatric Seminar, WON the NATIONAL Geriatric Case Competition!

All Geriatric Seminar students participated in this year's Fall 2021 Interprofessional Geriatric Virtual Case Competition. They were assigned to interprofessional teams which focused on the development of a care plan for an older patient with multiple, chronic health challenges, including COVID-19. 

Fall 2021 Inter-University Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition Winners Announced

The students created an innovative 20-minute pre-recorded electronic case presentation. Students had one month to prepare their recorded presentations with the top three teams advancing to a local semi-final round. 

The top-rated team from each semi-final round compete via live Zoom with the winning team from the University of Minnesota Geriatric Workforce Enhancement program on Monday, November 1, 2021. 

Bea Nottke was the student physical therapist on the winning team!  Sydney Phelan and Hannah Schumacher were on two teams that tied for second place in the semi-final round.

You can watch the winning presentation below:

Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition 2021 - SLU Team Part 1

Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition 2021 - SLU Team Part 2

Drs. Jill FitzGerald and Kelly Hawthorne also served as faculty mentor/coaches.  

You can learn more about the competition on the University of Minnesota website.

The Geriatrics Seminar is offered as an elective physical therapy course in the fall semester of the third year of the professional phase. It explores the causes of frailty in older adults and the financial burden in the U.S. of obtaining healthcare for this population. The course then explores services available to help frail older adults maximize their physical and psychosocial independence within the community and within institutions. The course consists of lectures, interviews, and site visits in the St. Louis area.

Geriatrics Seminar Students Train Senior Service Center Staff on Strength Training Exercise Program

SLU DPT Student Field Experience - Geriatrics Seminar

Students in the Saint Louis University Program in Physical Therapy participate in offsite experiences to enhance their knowledge and skills in various specialty physical therapy practice areas. The Geriatrics Seminar class recently traveled to Northside Youth and Senior Service Center for one of their off-site experiences. 

The mission of the Northside Youth And Senior Service Center, Inc. is to enhance the quality of life of clients by serving the basic needs of the elderly, children and families in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.

The Geriatrics Seminar class trained staff to implement a strength training exercise program for community dwelling older adults. 

As a result of this ongoing partnership between the Program in Physical Therapy and Northside, the center is able to offer a Senior Fitness Program to its members, which includes a 45-minute fitness classes twice a week to work toward goals of preventing muscle loss and improving balance in seniors over the long term.

The Geriatrics Seminar is offered as an elective physical therapy course in the fall semester of the third year of the professional phase. It explores the causes of frailty in older adults and the financial burden in the U.S. of obtaining healthcare for this population. The course then explores services available to help frail older adults maximize their physical and psychosocial independence within the community and within institutions. The course consists of lectures, interviews, and site visits in the St. Louis area.

Photos submitted by Kelly Hawthorne, PT, DPT, GCS

Story by Kristin Hrasky