Abstract:

Introduction:
The service-learning project Dual Sensory Loss in Older Adults began in the undergraduate studies of Optics and Optometry (DOO) at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) in December 2019 with two targets: 1) cover a social need detected in nursing homes: high number of older adults with avoidable visual deficit and possible undetected hearing loss; 2) to promote student’s integral formation. Considering this premise and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on face-to face real clinical learning in higher education, it was necessary to modify the methodological model of the clinical practice included in the ApS project towards a virtual modality that would allow the development of quality levels in the current social and educational context.

Objectives:
1. Show the social need to improve the visual and auditory state of older people.
2. To be able to carry out, in the context of a pandemic, clinical practice that allows students to acquire specific competencies of the degree, transversal competencies and life competencies and establish "feedback" with other health professionals.
3. Promote quality education through the development of virtual clinical practice using Moodle platform.

Methodology:
51 students involved in the ApS project carried out (February 2020) real clinical practice that was stopped with the declaration of the state of alarm in Spain. In March 2020, the practice is restarted in a virtual environment due to the health authorities prevent access to nursing homes. An online visual screening was carried out: visual health test (SV) and Functional Vision Screening Questionnaire (FVSQ) through Google Forms. The questionnaires were provided by email or WhatsApp to people over 60 years old living in rural areas. Subsequently, answers were analyzed to identify possible presence of visual deficit and to get information about frequency of visual examinations, use of optical correction, etc; which allows the elaboration of informative material on visual and ocular health.

Results:
255 older adults and 51 students participated in the screening. 35.21% of the elders indicated in VS questionnaire that they had not checked their vision for more than 2 years, 12.15% did not use optical correction, 2.6% and 18.26% claimed to have ocular hypertension and cataract, respectively. 8.26% of the older adults obtained ≥ 9 points on the FVSQ, indicative of a possible visual deficit. With these results, the students prepare informative material (infographics and videos) to make the elderly aware of the need to take care of their vision, which was distributed in sociocultural centers for the elderly.

Conclusions:
This learning model through online clinical practice has made possible to detect functional indicators of visual problems and carry out informative work about the importance of maintaining good visual and hearing health to prevent dysfunctions. The experience has brought students closer to another way of learning and has made them aware of the reality of their future profession and that their primary health care work can adapt to the challenges that society demands depending on the moment and circumstances. There has been high acceptance of this service-learning activity by students who demand not only more hours of practice, but also the incorporation of virtual practice to face-to-face practice.

Keywords:

Service-learning, remote learning, optometry, older adults, dual sensory loss.