As Çavdır Vocational School, a workshop titled “Healthy Aging Workshop” has been established with an educational approach that is sensitive to the needs of the age, prioritizes application-based education, and values social contribution, aimed at supporting the well-being of elderly individuals. This workshop is designed as a special area where students of the Elderly Care Program can apply their theoretical knowledge, develop their professional skills, and experience a holistic approach to the physical, mental, and psycho-social well-being of elderly individuals.
The equipment of the workshop has been created to meet the multifaceted needs of elderly individuals and includes the following materials:
🔹 Mental Activity Area
Various mental stimulation materials are included to support the cognitive functions of elderly individuals and strengthen attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. In this area:
- Board games (word games, memory cards, strategy games) suitable for different age groups and functional capacities,
Puzzle sets with varying levels of difficulty,
There are exercise cards that develop numerical and visual intelligence.
Students gain the ability to develop and implement cognitive rehabilitation and mental activity programs for elderly individuals with these materials.
🔹 Art and Hobby Activities Area
This area, created to support the emotional expressions of elderly individuals, reduce stress levels, and enhance their quality of life, includes:
Basic painting materials such as canvas, acrylic paint, and brushes,
Mandala coloring and colored pencils,
Hobby sets that improve hand-eye coordination (knitting, punch, easy handicraft applications).
This area also provides a learning environment where students enhance their practical skills by observing occupational therapy methods.
🔹 Physical Activity and Exercise Area
This area, prepared to support the motor skills of elderly individuals such as muscle strength, flexibility, and balance, includes:
Dumbbells in different weights,
Elastic resistance bands known as Theraband,
Exercise mats,
Equipment for balance games to prevent falls.
With these facilities, our students actively participate in preparing safe exercise plans for elderly individuals, implementing activities suitable for physical capacity, and working to increase mobility.
The Healthy Aging Workshop is not only a practical application area but also a learning atmosphere compatible with program outcomes. It supports students in internalizing values such as respect for individual differences, sensitivity to elderly rights, and a protective and preventive service understanding. The practical learning process not only strengthens students' professional competencies but also provides opportunities to reinforce ethical decision-making, develop empathy, and enhance communication skills.
Moreover, the workshop is not limited to the Elderly Care Program but also allows students from other support departments to gain experience working with elderly individuals from an interdisciplinary perspective. Thus, the quality of the educational process is enhanced; institutional collaboration and a culture of shared learning are supported.