28 March 2015 – First visit for 2015 under IMU Cares Ti-Ratana Project was successfully conducted at the Ti-Ratana homes. Interprofessional learning was adhered to develop healthcare students as future interprofessional team members. This collaboration will help to facilitate improve healthcare outcomes for patients.
A total of 46 students from International Medical University (IMU)’s Nursing, Dental, Pharmacy, Dietetics with Nutrition, Nutrition and Chiropractic programmes, along with a total of 33 staffs which include faculty from various programmes, support and corporate staffs participated in this project.
Various activities were carried out at different venues simultaneously. The activities include health talks on food safety and food for good dental health at the female elderly home, compliance of medication safety and storage at Ti-Ratana dispensary, introduction and teaching on educational toys to toddlers and pre-school children at the baby shelter and training on ‘Making of Chinese knots’ for children (both boys and girls) aged from 7 years onwards, at the girls’ home.
Educational Toys – The children enjoyed playing the educational games which were given to them. Children being children, they ‘fought’ to get their hands on the games. However, they were reminded that they have to share the limited materials available. Most of the children obliged but there were a handful who threw tantrums.
“I noticed that the children were very smart and well versed with alphabets, numbers, etc. With proper guidance, I’m sure the children will do well in their school homework and studies,” said Leela Chellamuthu, a Nursing lecturer at the University.
Making of Chinese knots – It was quite uplifting that the girls were very well behaved, extremely excited and eager to dive into any activity that we may have brought with us. The girls or kids appeared to be healthy, a little shy and curious but yet adventurous, much like any other young child/kid who lived in the Klang Valley. Even though the kids were from different ethnic groups, everyone spoke excellent Chinese and a little English, enabling those of us who didn’t speak Chinese to communicate without any obstacles. Their initial shyness was quickly abandoned by their curiosity of the announced activity, which was making Chinese knots with colored strings for multiple utility, such as bracelets, hair braids, and bows. 
The Ti-Ratana Project is a long term project which began in year 2013, with a minimum of 3 visits per year. Through the students’ reflective notes and staffs brief reports, they shared their views that this was a commendable project.
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