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Firehouse Shelter Screening Clinic and Wellness Education University of Alabama at Birmingham
Type of Project: Clinical Education
Description of the Project: “The mission of the Cooperative Downtown Ministries, Inc. is to provide to homeless men, ages 18 and older, in the Birmingham Area a nurturing and caring environment offering supportive services that break the cycle of homelessness and empower individuals to achieve their highest potential.”
The Firehouse Shelter was founded in 1983 as an outreach program of The Cooperative Downtown Ministries. To help care for men at the Shelter, it is important to encourage that they take care of themselves, including their eye and vision care needs. Fourth year optom- etry interns perform advanced vision screenings for men at the Firehouse Shelter in an interdisciplinary setting. The optometry interns collaborate with students in the following University of Alabama at Birmingham healthcare programs: Physician Assistant, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Healthcare Management, and Clinical Laboratory Science.
Why the Project was Selected: The homeless population is more likely to die prematurely, have heart disease, and suffer a stroke or heart attack. Life on the streets is brutal with no stable shelter, no stable food, no stable food, and no stable healthcare. The Firehouse Shelter is a unique homeless shelter in that its mission is to help the chronically homeless. The Shelter serves the Birmingham area and six surrounding counties. The Firehouse Shelter clinic was created to help address the need for stable healthcare. Men at the Shelter are trying to get back on their feet and off the streets. In order to do so, they need good overall health including good ocular health and vision. It is also important for the students to learn how to properly educate patients. The “Wellness Wednesdays” initiative at the Firehouse Shelter helps to accomplish this. Students from optometry, occupational therapy, and nutrition educate the Shelter residents on important issues pertaining to men’s health.
Learning Objectives:
Ë To deliver eye and vision care to guests of the Firehouse Shelter in an interdisciplinary setting.
Ë To learn how to collaborate with other health care professionals in the overall health of the patient.
Ë To participate in the education of the residents at the Firehouse Shelter on topics important to men’s health.
Ë To learn compassion for your patients and the need to treat all people with respect and dignity.
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ASCO IPECP Toolkit
June 2020