Barber National Institute
Title: Fostering a Healthy Lifestyle at Barber National Institute
Student Interns:
Daniel Gilbert
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Academic Preceptor:
Colleen Cole Jeffery, PhD
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Community Preceptor:
Brian Smith
Barber National Institute
Community Site:
Founded in 1952 by Dr. Gertrude Barber, the Barber National Institute (BNI) is a statewide institute based in Erie, PA, that offers a broad range of support for individuals with intellectual disabilities. This includes work opportunities, day care, schooling, and community outings. The BNI operates within the context of shifting government funding and serves a broad clientele base. The BNI successfully fosters independence and positive experiences, reflected in countless testimonials from past and current clients and families.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student intern’s project involved several components, including an interactive oral hygiene workshop where clients were provided with the necessary materials and education to promote proper brushing and flossing. The next project was a nutritional component, and with the supervision of the intern and BNI staff, clients made lunch meat wraps and yogurt parfaits using inexpensive, healthy, simple ingredients. Following this hands-on activity, clients participated in nutrition Bingo, where they learned to differentiate healthy and unhealthy foods and ingredients in a fun, competitive environment. Finally, the intern’s project incorporated a physical activity component in which some form of exercise was included in the clients’ daily regimens. This included modified football, soccer, and warehouse bowling, as well as setting off stomp rockets. The goal was to foster an active work environment centered around community enjoyment.
Reflections
“My time at Barber National Institute was both rewarding to the BNI community and myself. During my time at BNI, I engaged in countless positive interactions with clients who possess a broad range of intellectual disabilities. Through these interactions, I learned how to communicate with this unique population, their strengths and weaknesses, and their concerns regarding health. Through my connections with the clients, I was able to build relationships based on trust and understanding — assets that proved valuable when educating the clients in certain areas of health.”
Daniel Gilbert