"Visual Voices" public health study featured in 'The Forecaster'
“Visual Voices," an innovative study conducted by students in the Westbrook College of Health Professions, was featured in an article in The Forecaster.
This public health study brought Public Health and Occupational Therapy students to The Park Danforth, an assisted living center in Portland, to work with six residents. Over the course of three months, students worked with the residents to create illustrations of their daily lives.
"By shedding light on these different perceptions, we're aiming to encourage a more holistic view of the aging adult population," said Collyn Baeder, B.A., MPH '16, coordinator for UNE's School of Community and Population Health.
The study was largely funded by a $2,000 grant from the UNE Center for Excellence in Interprofessional Education. The students were advised by faculty members Rebecca Boulos, MP.H., Ph.D., assistant clinical professor in the School of Community and Population Health, and Regula H. Robnett, Ph. D., OTR/L, professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, with the goal of putting a more individual focus on public health.
"There are a lot of misconceptions about public health," Boulos said. "This is what it's about: fostering relationships and getting people to live healthier and happier lives."