Published on: February 4, 2014

pallium_stanfordVolunteers from Pallium India-USA recently took part in a training to help them better serve the members of the community: Stanford University School of Medicine’s Successful Aging Mini-Fellowship Program. They joined together for a graduation ceremony at the James H. Clark Center on Stanford campus on November 21, 2013.

Under the direction of Dr. VJ Periyakoil, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine and Director, Stanford Palliative Care Education & Training, and Director, Stanford Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program, the Program included a full day of training on July 26, 2013 in Successful Aging and End-of-Life Care. It also included training in ethnogeriatrics focused on Asian Indian and Chinese Americans.

“We knew that everyone would be creative, but we had never realized the extent to which they would do so,” said Dr. Periyakoil in her address to the graduating class. “It was wonderful seeing people reach into their own community and serve.”

The program culminated with mini-dissertation projects to build awareness among older adults of South Asian descent on healthy aging. These community-based projects included presentations on Bollywood dance, computer skills for seniors, effective communication with one’s physician, fall prevention, Indian Meals on Wheels, pet companionship, and Advance Health Care Directives to ensure end-of-life care wishes are respected.

Stanford’s Successful Aging Mini-Fellowship Program is a dynamic collaboration of educators and individuals committed to making a difference in our community, and a wonderful complement to the work of Pallium India-USA on issues of healthy aging and end-of-life care.

“This was an exemplary display of talent, skill and enthusiasm by our team members, and it demonstrated that much can be achieved by joint effort to serve the needs of our aging Indian community in a culturally sensitive manner,” said Pallium India-USA Founder and President Dr. Jerina Kapoor. “Thank you Dr. Periyakoil for inviting us. We learned a lot and hope to connect with our community with this knowledge.”

Congratulations to the 32 Pallium India-USA members receiving their Mini-Fellowship: Indira Anupindi, Asha Bajaj, Dinesh Bajaj, Abhay Bhushan, Cybele Bhushan, Ranjita Chakravarty, Kersi Daruwalla, Shilaja Deshpande, Sharvari Dixit, Gopi Godhwani, Lakhjinder Jauhal, Chandrika Kapadia, Jerina Kapoor, Anandi Krishnamurthy, Hema Kundargi, Sulochina Lulla, Meera Madan, Matra Majmundar, James Maloney, Rosaline Maloney, Rekha Marathe, Bhupen Mehta, Anoo Nathan, Radhika Padmanabhan, Zed Palkin, Smita Patel, Surjeet Patel, Sangita Seshadri, Alpana Sharma, Hetal Sheth, Priti Singh, Pushpa Sreeharsha.

Click HERE to view an album of the photos taken at the event.

— Written by: Pallium India-USA volunteers Smita Patel and Jay Maloney

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