Stagebridge is a pioneer in bringing theatre arts to training programs for health care professionals. In workshops aptly titled See Me! Stagebridge seniors perform for health care students, tell stories about their own experiences with medical personnel and engage students in improvisation exercises. Through the three hour workshops students come to realize the vitality, humor and wisdom of seniors. The experience also deepens student empathy with elderly patients by introducing the patient point-of-view.

Now in its seventh year, See Me! has been incorporated into the required curriculum at Samuel Merritt University, and is also being offered at the University of San Francisco and UCSF.

“The experiences are powerful for the students, sensitizing students to all aspects of aging,” said Patricia Hess, R.N., Ph.D., San Francisco State Universtiy.

Nursing professor Jennifer Winters notes “I had never seen a group of students react in such a positive way to a classroom activity… This is learning that cannot be achieved from traditional models.”