This past Wednesday we visited the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center! It was very exciting to not only be able to meet the others in person for the first time, but also to be out in the community. I have learned about the inequities in access to dental care in previous classes, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that the center houses its own dental clinic! I love how thoughtful the construction of the building is, especially the offices on the second floor. I have experienced having to walk across entire buildings to get from one medical service to another, and I can imagine how daunting that could be for someone who has never been in the space before and may not personally know the people they will be consulting. I think the idea of the “warm hand-off” from professional to professional is a really great concept that should be implemented in many more settings. Even in places like elementary schools, I think it creates a much more empathetic and inviting environment to be personally escorted to the destination, even if it is just down a hallway. The services of the center are designed to take into account so many different factors and perspectives of the needs of the elders they serve. It is so evident in the faces of the elders that the center creates a truly safe space. I am very excited for us to visit again next week for the Love, Connect, Care Event!
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Tiffany Nakajima Tiffany Nakajima is a Public Health major with a concentration in Epidemiology and with a minor in Archives
March 2022
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