In 2021, Assistant Clinical Professor Kelly Strickland, reached out to Lauren Ozment (instructor coordinator of employment for the EAGLES program) to see how AUCON students could partner with EAGLES students to help prepare them with unique health-related job skills and make healthy lifestyle choices in the future.
“I’ve worked with the EAGLES program a while now in various capacities and Ozment and I decided it was time to make the partnership official,” Strickland said.
According to Strickland, there is a significant lack of disability content incorporated in healthcare curricula across the United States. Along with other dedicated faculty and staff, she decided to change that for AUCON.
“By focusing on intellectual and development disability health experiences, we can train AUCON students how to care well and to advocate for this vulnerable population. Our partnerships with the EAGLES, along with other organizations that serve this population, allow us to learn that those with disabilities are the experts on their own experiences. As nurses, we are their students, and we are honored to learn from them and listen to what they have to teach us about their health journeys. It helps set our students apart and at the same time helps validate humanity and worth of those living with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” added Strickland.
For the inaugural Life Skills Day last year, Strickland worked with AUCON students to help them train EAGLES students in CPR hand placement, learn the Heimlich maneuver technique, and develop first aid skills. They ended the evening packing their own personal first aid kits and were awarded certificates of participation for their involvement.
For the second Life Skills Day held recently, participants focused on mental health strategies and nutrition. “AUCON students used MyPlate (https://www.myplate.gov/) materials and taught EAGLES the aspects of healthy meal planning. Then EAGLES were able to apply that knowledge, building their own healthy plates using the fake food from our simulation labs.
“They focused on emotions at the next station and used the emotions wheel to discuss that all emotions are okay, but what you do with them was what counted. They participated in a short yoga exercise at the third station to help give EAGLES tools to care for their mental health.
“Towards the end of the day, we gave them menus from some local restaurants to apply the MyPlate info again and a list of AU resources that support mental health efforts. AUCON therapy dogs (Maggie, Tucker, and Dolly) also came to greet the participants.”
“I would like to thank our faculty and staff who helped with CAP intervention with the EAGLES program (with nutrition and mental health). I am passionate about the project and it’s what my scholarship and future research is dedicated to. I’m in this for the long haul,” added Strickland.
The EAGLES program offers a three-day summer camp for individuals with intellectual disabilities, ages 14-26. The EAGLES Summer Bridge program is a day program that is free of charge to families. This camp will encourage students to participate in an engaging, inclusive, educational summer experience focusing on health and wellness, employment skills and independent living skills. Campers engage in structured activities that introduce foundational skills generalized to their desired independent living environments and help them gain independence and access meaningful employment. Campers also explore different types of physical activities that promote health and wellness.
