黑料网 Geriatrics clinic’s SOCO program (Student Outreach to Older Adults) began in spring 2020, just after the pandemic sent most people into near lockdown conditions. At that time there was an immediate and widespread shift to telemedicine. SOCO鈥檚 initial focus was on connecting medical students to patients, through phone calls, to troubleshoot technical problems and ease access to virtual appointments with their providers. Student volunteers from medicine and social work were each partnered with several older adults for phone calls that could take place weekly, or bi-weekly, depending on the patient鈥檚 preference.
鈥淚nitially the patients I was assigned to needed some tech support, and that鈥檚 what we thought the program would do. But once the technical issues were solved, many patients continued in the program just to get the social check-ins,鈥� says Mary Wurzelmann, 黑料网 MS3 and program co-manager, along with the clinic鈥檚 social worker Bryan Godfrey.
鈥淭wo of the ladies who I call have large families themselves, and plenty of people to talk to, but they miss being able to meet new people,鈥� says Wurzelmann.
SOCO鈥檚 goal is to reduce social isolation among clinic patients 鈥� many of whom still are largely homebound, five months into this pandemic 鈥� and give students a fulfilling volunteer experience. Godfrey points out that the intent of the program is to provide older adults a friendly, listening ear and empathetic voice, if needed or wanted.
鈥淚 really wanted the patients to understand that this is not a medical service, this person is not part of your care team,鈥� says Godfrey. 鈥淭he student is calling to give people more contact, and be sort of like a friend, with an empathetic voice and good listening ear. To be someone patients can talk to.鈥�
Godfrey says that the clinic started the program soon after Covid-19’s initial impact, but isolation and ways to lessen it for older adults is an issue he has been focused on, as a social worker, for a long time. Wurzelmann agrees: 鈥淓ven before there was a pandemic, social isolation was an issue, so I鈥檓 glad we鈥檙e able to continue with the program.”
The first SOCO cohort ended in early summer; the second cohort of 16 volunteer student callers are continuing with 23 patients. Surveys were sent recently to Cohort 1 participants, and the findings show evidence of the program鈥檚 success.
鈥淓verybody had nice things to say about the program and the students they were interacting with, things like 鈥榯his person had such a good bedside manner,鈥� or 鈥榯his is someone who I would want to be my doctor,鈥�” says Wurzelmann. “It was great to hear that so many patients really enjoy connecting with our student volunteers.”