Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships
Strong and Stable: Community Partnerships for Healthy Aging
This summer, Dr. Ruth Ramsey consulted with the Marin County Commission on Aging Fall Prevention Task Force to design and develop a series of six fall prevention workshops for older adults throughout Marin County. Dominican alumna Maria Martinez, BS, OTR/L, was hired to lead the workshops, some of which were in Spanish.
Participants were given a set of workbooks and taught exercises designed to help them improve balance and flexibility and reduce the risk of falling. Over 100 older adults participated, and plans are under way to apply for grant funding to conduct a “train the trainer” course for caregivers and health professionals working with older adults.
Dominican Honored for Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service in 2008 named Dominican University of California to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction for exemplary service efforts.
Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.
The Occupational Therapy Department has been involved in service learning at Dominican since its inception in 1996. Occupational therapy students provide thousands of hours annually at community agencies serving children, adults, and seniors, including the Canal Alliance, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services, Marindale School, the Marin AIDS Project, Homeward Bound, Buckelew Programs, Senior Access, and Marin Brain Injury Network.
Occupational Therapy program director and chair, Dr. Ruth Ramsey, is a charter member of the service learning advisory committee, and works closely with Julia Van der Ryn, the director of service-learning at Dominican to help students connect theory to practice, deepen their understanding of civic engagement, and make positive contributions to their communities through these service learning initiatives.
The Umbrella Project
In 2004, Dominican's nursing and occupational therapy department expanded their reach into the community with the launch of the Umbrella Project.
The Umbrella Project is a community health outreach program, designed to provide the vulnerable elderly and disabled residents of Marin Housing Authority and Senior Access communities with services provided by Dominican’s nursing and occupational therapy students. The students benefit from the real-world learning experience and the elderly gain access to health information and treatment that is otherwise difficult to attain.
Home visits focus on medication management, safety, fall risks, nutrition, depression risk, and cognitive assessment. RN and OT students may often make home visits together depending on the client’s needs.
In addition, to Marin Housing Authority sites like Golden Hinde in San Rafael and Casa Nova in Novato, the University works with low-income senior homes Freitas House and Parnow House in San Rafael. Since 2003, the Umbrella Project has partnered with the American Red Cross to help seniors prepare for disasters.
The students give health presentations about flu vaccinations, memory loss, incontinence, winter safety, preparing for disasters, Medicare Part D, and anxiety and depression. Students also make home visits in order to assess apartments for safety, privately answer clients’ questions, assist patients in organizing medications, assist clients with coordinating care, and help clients assess community resources.
Ongoing screening services are available through the project, including blood pressure and diabetes risk screenings.
“This program is an exceptional example of community outreach and education, says Dr. Martha Nelson, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. “The program not only benefits our clients in the community, but also benefits our students by improving their nursing and occupational therapy skills, improving their communication skills, and providing hands-on exposure to assessment and documentation.” -The Torch Winter 2009
Community Partnerships
Our community partners support the mission and vision of the Department of Occupational Therapy and work to provide lives of dignity, purpose, and meaning to persons with and without disabilities. Past, present and future partnership activities include internships, service-learning placements, program development projects, community practice labs, research projects, guest lectureships, joint grant-writing activities and faculty consultation.
- Buckelew Employment Services
- Canyon Manor
- Cedars of Marin
- Homeward Bound of Marin
- Marin County Commission on Aging
- Marin Brain Injury Network
- Marin County Department of Health and Human Services
- Marin County Division of Aging
- Redwood Pediatrics
- Project Independence
- Senior Access
