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(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080610/LATU102)
SCAN's groundbreaking sensitivity program is designed to educate a youngergeneration of Americans about the diverse needs of older adults and to nurturean understanding, appreciation and compassion for the seniors in their lives.The program at Gault Street Elementary is the first of what SCAN hopes willbecome an educational program for children throughout Southern California.
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SCAN facilitator Judy Velarde led the children in a host of creativeexercises to mimic the challenges facing seniors. Foot ailments were simulatedwith popcorn placed in their shoes, hearing loss through distorted recordings,vision changes through special glasses fitted with blurred lenses, and loss ofdexterity with special gloves that limit mobility in their hands and fingers.
In addition to the interactive exercises that helped the studentsphysically relate to aging, they also witnessed the visual transformation ofone of their classmates. With the help of Hollywood special-effects make-upartist Larry Bones of Bone Yard Effects -- whose film credits include "Dr.Doolittle 2" and "Shallow Hal" -- student Hannah Beloff was the subject of astunning transformation from an 11-year-old to a 70-year-old senior citizen.
"The transformation was a real eye-opener for the students and a great wayto demonstrate that you really can't judge a book by its cover," said BradAlbion, principal of Gault Street School. "We are grateful to SCAN forbringing this exciting program to the students at Gault. It's important thatpeople of all ages begin to better understand the aging process and recognizethat growing older is just another part of life's experience."
SCAN has been providing an expanded version of this Senior SensitivityTraining to its employees for many years to ensure they better understand theneeds and mindset of health plan members. The program has also been offered toSCAN board members and a number of physician groups. This is the first timethe program was modified for a younger audience.
"With our society rapidly aging, this type of education is more importantthan ever," said Sherry Stanislaw, senior vice president of SCAN, one ofSouthern California's fastest-growing health plans for seniors and others onMedicare. "As a health plan focused on the unique needs of seniors, we areproviding this program so that the younger generation can better relate totheir older family members and other seniors in their community."
For more than 30 years, SCAN Health Plan has been focusing on the uniqueneeds of people with Medicare. SCAN currently serves more than 105,000 membersin Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura and Kerncounties. In Arizona, SCAN offers a health plan for Medicare andMedicaid-eligible individuals and also provides long-term care services toindividuals enrolled in the state's long-term care system in Maricopa County.Further information may be obtained at http://www.scanhealthplan.com.
SOURCE SCAN Health Plan
