Assisting the Elderly academic InternshipAt — Acacia Adult Day Services/Alzheimer's Orange County

Healthy Aging Center Acacia (AKA: Acacia Adult Day Services) is an adult day care facility that has been catering to frail older adults, individuals with Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, adults with disabilities and their families since 1979

Interns will be assisting the participants through a diverse range of activities as well as learn about the aging process and how to negotiate around challenges associated with it. 

Students will...

Facilitate therapeutic activities for vulnerable adults that promote cognitive and physical functions:  Trivia, exercise, cooking, painting, golf, bowling, ring toss, and more.

Conduct one on one communication to improve participant's social interaction.

Serve meals and snacks as part of daily nutrition program and become familiar with dietary needs and restrictions.

Dress Code: Clothing Business casual. No short skirts, torn clothing shorts or tank tops.  Shoes: sturdy, non-skid closed toed shoes.

Tasks:

Assist with outdoor physical activities, nature walks, scavenger hunts, and more

Serve meals as part of daily nutrition program and become familiar with dietary needs and restrictions

Training:

1. Agency orientation
2. Meet with supervisor weekly for feedback sessions

Learning Outcome:

From this experience, students can expect to:
1) Gain a thorough understanding of and ability to communicate with the elderly population diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias and other disabilities.

2) Learn to facilitate small (for 5-10 people) or large (up to 120 people) group therapeutic activities

3) Learn to identify common needs of older adults and be able to identify psychosocial variables that will help provide them with optimal care.

4) Learn to communicate therapeutically with older adults who have special needs such as Dementia, Parkinson's, stroke, etc.

5) Learn about what programs and services Acacia as a non-profit offers.

6) Learn interpersonal dynamics in a multi-cultural, multi-lingual setting.