+

Image Source: www.aaanm.org

Service Learning Through

the Area Agency on Aging
Lindsay Vasquez
Ferris State University
NURS 450

Non-profit organization founded in 1973 to serve the

elderly in the Northwest region of Michigan.

Funded by state and federal governments

The mission of Area Agency on Aging of Northwest

Michigan is to serve and advocate for older persons,
adults with disabilities and caregivers by supporting
their independence, dignity and quality of life (Area
Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan, 2010).

Main goal is to advocate for the patient for services

that allow the client to remain in their home.

Two main programs their clients are enrolled in are the

Waiver Program and the Care Management Program.

+
My Volunteer Role

Functioned in an observatory role

My schedule was as follows:

5/21/14-Followed along on two in-home assessments with an

RN and MSW.
6/13/14-Attended a Consumer Collaborative Meeting
1/8/15-Day full of meetings including a Staff Meeting, Care
Management Meeting, Education Committee Meeting,
and a
Aging and Disability Resource Collaborative
Meeting.
1/12/15-Two in-home assessments with an RN and MSW for an
initial enrollment into the Waiver Program and a reassessment
for a client already receiving benefits.
1/14/15-A single client in-home assessment with RN and MSW.

+Reflection on my Time with

Area Agency on Aging

One of my biggest revelations was that a nurse can serve

clients or patients in many other facets outside of the
hospital setting.

The amount of assistance available to our aging population

is extensive.

The time it takes for the elderly population to receive any

needed benefits is highly concerning and in need of
change.

The focus of funds for our elderly population needs to shift

from acute care to in-home maintenance care. Medicares
open-ended entitlement to medical interventions contrasts
with the limited and often inadequate safety-net programs
to support personal needs, and this mismatch complicates
development of a coherent and efficient service delivery
system (Lynn, 2013).

+
Synthesis-Reaching BSN
Program Outcomes

This experience has allowed me to build upon the

program outcomes of healthcare environment and
generalist nursing practice.

Healthcare Environment-Advocate for improving health

care across the continuum of health care environments
(Ferris State University, 2011).
Generalist Nursing Practice-Organize the interdisciplinary
care needs of diverse populations across the lifespan
toward achieving the goal of healthy individuals, families,
groups, and communities (Ferris State University, 2011).

I have developed a more thorough approach to the home

care needs of my inpatient population and their families.

+
Recommendations

This learning experience has been invaluable and I

would highly recommend this activity for other
students.

It was a great addition to the standard curriculum and

tied together a lot of the concepts and principles.

The staff at this organization were very willing to teach

and arrange different experiences.

Bedside nurses definitely lack some knowledge in case

management and discharge planning and exposure to
this type of service learning activity can improve the
quality of care offered to patients.
Image Source: www.aaanm.org

+
Conclusion
Image Source: www.aaanm.org

Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan was a

great place to fulfill the service learning requirements
for Ferris State University.

The knowledge and real life experience was excellent in

improving my personal nursing practice and I can take
a lot of this information back to the bedside.

Insight into the needs of this population and what still

needs to be modified to better care for this group has
motivated me to advocate for change and be an active
participant in voicing my concerns to legislation.

+
References
Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan. (2010).
Welcome. Retrieved from www.aaanm.org
Ferris State University. (2011). BSN Program Outcomes.
Retrieved from
http://www.ferris.edu/colleges/alliedhe/nursing/BSNprogram-outcomes.htm
Lynn, J. (2013). Reliable and Sustainable Comprehensive
Care for Frail Elderly People. The Journal of the American
Medical Association, 310(18), 1935-1936.