Medical students connect with older adults over cultural foods
Culinary medicine curriculum aims to address social isolation, provide nutrition education
Penn State College of Medicine students led an educational culinary event for the residents at Mount Nittany Residences in State College on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Students, volunteers and residents prepared dumplings found in both Chinese and Russian cultures. Residents who speak Russian and Mandarin were also able to engage in native language conversations with the students who speak the same languages. The event was a terrific opportunity to make community connections and experience food from diverse cultures.
“Food is an important part of health, and not just from a nutrition perspective,” said Christa Wilk, third-year medical student at University Park. “People connect over food, and I believe being in community with one another is also important for our health.”
Last year, Wilk was encouraged to develop a culinary medicine curriculum that would bring medical students into the community to lead cooking workshops with older adults.
The workshops aim to provide nutrition education, utilize seasonally accessible ingredients and address social isolation of older adults in Centre County.
“Most of the folks we serve know how to cook and have been cooking for themselves for decades; they do not need to be taught to cook. Originally, sessions introduced a new ingredient or way to prepare it, but the Nov. 20 session was about celebrating cultural foods,” Wilk said. “It has been so wonderful to support my colleagues in leading culinary sessions in the community. I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished.”
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