PolyU students' service-learning at Luwalhati ng Maynila Home for the Aged

From 22 to 27 May 2024, students from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) - School of Nursing visited Luwalhati ng Maynila Home for the Aged in Marikina City as part of their service subject, "Healthy Lifestyle Challenges for Developing Communities." This project was co-organized by the Office for Social Concern and Involvement (OSCI) of Ateneo de Manila University under the supervision of Mr Eugene Panlilio (Assistant Director for Programs).

Throughout the week, the PolyU students were grouped into teams of five to six members, each guided by two Ateneo student volunteers. They interviewed targeted elders in the community center of Luwalhati, provided nutritional and cognitive assessments using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Test for Dementia, and delivered health promotion talks and interventions.

Conversations in Luwalhati highlighted elders who expressed anticipation for the students’ visits, praising the engaging and enjoyable interventions. These included cognitive activities like a matching card game, Connect Four, origami, and a fishing board game. Nutritional activities then featured a Filipino-themed snacks bingo game, while physical exercises included elastic band and cooling towel exercises, as well as Zumba sessions.

On the last day, 28 May 2024, each group presented their findings to the class. The panelists included Dr Jed Montayre, an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and Director of the Centre of Evidence-based Practice for Healthcare Policy, and Dr Ivy Zhao, an active member of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Community Health Services (WHO CC) and Centre of Evidence-based Practice for Health Care Policy.

The presentations revealed that most of the elders in the nursing home suffer from cognitive issues related to dementia and hypertension caused by poor physical mobility and imbalanced nutrition. Their living conditions were also concerning, with dirt-covered water pipes, insufficient drainage systems leading to potential water contamination and mosquito outbreaks, and inadequate personal hygiene. These observations underscore and emphasize the urgent need for a more supportive, compassionate environment alongside essential health-related improvements for the elders in Luwalhati.

Later that day, visits to Intramuros and SM Mall of Asia were arranged for the PolyU students, with Ateneo student volunteers accompanying them. These additional trips, following the campus tour and Ayala Museum visit in Makati the previous day, allowed the students to appreciate the country's culture and heritage. 

Overall, the experience allowed both the PolyU students and the Ateneo student volunteers to foster a sense of social responsibility and empathy, reflecting the Ignatian values central to Ateneo. Justine and Ryan, students from BS Health Sciences, stated that "The service learning in Luwalhati played a crucial role in helping the students reflect on their current roles as college students, aligning their personal goals with a larger purpose and the common good through careful discernment of their next steps moving forward."