Senior Citizens’ Meeting:

They say “welcome to the club” when you turn 60 years old. but as one starts to age, as senior citizens, various conditions may also start to manifest. This is most especially true for those who have risk factors like smoking and drinking history, diabetes, etc. Thus the Team New Barili and Beyond took the chance to give a short health education on hypertension during the Senior Citizens’ Monthly Meeting held last January 13, 2019.

Before the Senior Citizens’ Meeting even started, the team offered to take their blood pressure so they can also monitor their blood pressures. Then, together with the ZumBarili Dance Club, the team initiated a short Zumba Session. Not only the session was for a short exercise, it also provided a fun activity for the senior citizens of the barangay.

After the ice-breaker zumba, a short lecture on hypertension, the risk factors and causes, symptoms, complications, treatment and prevention was done. By asking trigger questions to the audience, the lecture was more interactive and lively.

As medical students, Team New Barili and Beyond hopes that activities like this would be able to help the people of New Barili, especially in combating Hypertension and its complications.

-Arielle Marie Barrientos

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The senior citizen meeting is a meeting that is conducted once a month. The convocation is comprised with updates in the organization, delegation of tasks, monitoring of the treasury, collection of funds, and a very fun raffle draw.

The medical students from the Ateneo de Zamboanga University was given the honor to be a part of last ____ senior citizen meeting. Here, the medical students offered to do a BP checking session before the start of the meeting. The team also prepared a zumba session which was lead by Barangay New Barili's very own "Zumbarili Club", this was designed to be a coordinated activity which goal was to promote an established and convenient time for fun and exercise.

Another activity done by team NBB in that meeting, was the conduction of a health teaching segment. This was lead by Dr. Arielle Barrientos, and focused on hypertension, its cause, effects, and prevention. The senior citizens listened attentively to the speaker and was even participative enough to leave remarks and questions.

By the end of the session, the monthly raffle was being done, and as the cup with the sheets of paper was being passed and drawn by each member, it is easy to see the enjoyment and the excitement in their eyes. This leads us to believe that even in their advanced age, the people of New Barili is still socially inclined, they enjoy the company of each other, sharing stories and experiences. Truly, time left no dent in the positivity and appreciation of these people.

"Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness time brings, not count the years."

- Mark Narca