Brevillier Village
Title: Building Connections Through Bible Study
Student Interns:
Ashley Felter
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Academic Preceptor:
Robert Waters, PhD
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Community Preceptor:
Didi Howard, RN, ADON
Brevillier Village
Community Site:
Brevillier Village is an award-winning nonprofit senior living and healthcare community that provides a continuum of care for older adults. The community offers a variety of living options, including senior apartments, independent living, personal care, respite care, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and memory support. Brevillier Village also provides comprehensive healthcare services, including home care, hospice care, rehabilitation, and long-term skilled nursing. Its person-centered approach promotes independence, enhances quality of life, and ensures residents receive individualized care tailored to their unique needs.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps intern’s project involved creating and implementing a weekly Bible study designed to foster friendship, community, and spiritual support among residents. Participation was voluntary, and residents engaged in discussions that encouraged reflection on life experiences, strengthened emotional resilience, reduced social isolation, and promoted mental well-being through meaningful social connections. Each session focused on a different Fruit of the Spirit, incorporated a related parable, and included open-ended discussion questions to encourage conversation and personal reflection. The project aimed to enhance social connectedness, support emotional and spiritual well-being, and reduce social isolation among the geriatric population through an engaging, supportive group environment.
Reflections
My experience this summer showed me that caring for patients is much more than treating a diagnosis. Spending time with the residents at Brevillier Village helped improve my communication skills and allowed me to see conditions I learned about in my first year of medical school in a real-life setting. The relationships I built throughout the summer reminded me that listening, patience, and compassion can make a meaningful difference. This experience fostered my passion for patient-centered care and will influence me in my future career as a physician.
Ashley Felter
