Physical Therapy Students Learn Firsthand What It Feels Like to Be Old

Physical therapy students at Chatham University are learning how it feels to be decades older within an aging simulation laboratory, reports CBS Philadelphia . "Most of them really like it because it's active learning," says Chatham Professor Michelle Criss. "They say they will remember it much better." Participants wear wraps, bandages, and braces to emulate stiff joints, restrict motion, and create balance problems. Goggles and colored lenses communicate to students the experience of limited vision. The lab also models everyday tasks seniors can find difficult, such as reading cooking instructions. The goal is to show students how seniors navigate the world, cultivating greater understanding and more sympathetic caregivers. "It gave me a perspective on what my care recipients are going to be going through and how I can change my treatment to help give them a better opportunity to live a better life and a better active life," notes student Jared Krater.