Carol S. - Facilitator

And let's get into it. Are you able to share your camera?

I haven't. Let me double check here.

All right, so thank you for taking some time to be with me today. Did I start the recording? Yes, I did. Okay, so first off, please share your name and a little bit about yourself.

My name is Carol Sabilski. I'm one of the nurses with the Franklin Health Department. I have been very interested in projects and programs for older adults. I've been a stepping on leader for, I think, 10, 11 years. And before that, I was involved in a number of other fall prevention workshops and trainings for people. I like to do a lot of programming for adults and topics that they're interested in. And I've been involved in immunizations for all ages here. I've been with the city for probably over 30 years, so I kind of have a little history.

Okay. Are you from Milwaukee? Are you from.

I'm not, I'm not. I'm from Minnesota. I grew up in Minnesota.

Oh, Minnesota.

Okay.

How did you get here? So what brought you to Milwaukee?

You know, I had a classmate, I went to school in South Dakota, and both of us were looking at. My parents lived in the St. Paul at that time, and I just. They had just recently moved up there, and I didn't really know anybody up there, but I decided that we, the two of us, we both named Carol, decided that we would check out Milwaukee. Her sister had moved here and she was a teacher in this public school system. And we interviewed at every hospital that was in the Milwaukee area. And back then it was probably seven or eight of them and had actually job offers from all of them. But we chose to start out at St.

Joe's especially because it was involved with a teaching program. And at that time, there wasn't freighter, that was just the county hospital. So we did not. We did not interview there, but found that each of us found our kind of our niche in what we like to do.

Yeah.

So. And then after that, after I got. Got married, I had a couple of years where I wasn't working at all. And then I got back in part time. I started out with the immunization clinics and then, you know, developed more interest in areas where I would be in contact with adults and older adults.

Gotcha, gotcha. Can you share your journey into facilitating health programs for older adults and what motivates you in this role?

Well, I'd have to say that I have always enjoyed older people. I enjoyed working with them, hearing their stories. And then as I started to realize that so many of them were, you know, having difficulties as they got older and because people were living longer, they were, you know, having surgeries, they were recovering and they were still needing to be a little more mobile. And I also felt that it was just, it was just something that I wanted to get involved in and work with older adults. I started out doing, like I said, a couple of different fall prevention programs. That of them was called It's a matter of Balance and also a. Also one of the trainers there that brought me into it was an occupational therapist. And I really got to understand more from her point of view some of the issues that seniors do have and what can be done to help them.

So what was your like initiation into doing the programming? Like was it that, that the balance one or how did you even find out about it?

Oh, it's been so many years, I can't even remember. But I. It was after I had done the It's a matter of balance or fear of falling. And I realized that, you know, we're trying to teach people not to be afraid, but the exercises that they offered were, I didn't think. I always worried that maybe if they didn't do them absolutely correctly that they might have a problem. And when I did learn about stepping on, I was then invited to take the training. And just from there on, I've been a leader. Good.

Is there a personal story or experience that inspired you to focus on health and wellness in older adults?

Well, let's say my. I don't think there's a particular one. I do. When I worked in the hospital, I worked with older people and I always felt that, you know, they needed a little more information, they needed a little more help. I enjoyed the teaching part of it. So if somebody, especially when we had stroke patients and people would, you know, this idea of knowing why I'm doing this and what it's doing for you seem to be alleviate anxiety and maybe even. And draw in some interest to be a partner in it. And I think that Stepping on is one of those programs where as you talk about the variety of different approaches to the causes of falls, it's a little bit eye opening for people, things they didn't think about.

And the stepping on training that I attended was an in person one a number of years ago and I had some great trainers and I just look forward to getting my own workshop started here in Franklin.

Yeah. Awesome. Awesome. From your experience, what are the most significant benefits participants gain from these programs?

I would guess to summarize it is that their Understanding of all of the different facets of what causes falls for seniors, for older people that they weren't thinking about. Know many people are. Older people are wearing glasses, they're taking a lot more medications. All of these different sections of the discussions that we have over the course of the seven sessions that we're meeting with them, gives them information. And the feedback is that, oh, I didn't really think about that, or, oh, that's something I gotta. I gotta really consider. And I had one lady, I just told this to one of my coworkers this morning. She was a.

In one of my workshops a number of years ago. She did not feel strong enough to, you know, really get in and out of the car and travel and do much. But she took the class and following the class a few a month later. So I got a note from her and she said, you know, I want to thank you for, you know, teaching the class and giving me my confidence because I just got in the car with my husband and we drove to Pennsylvania for the granddaughter's wedding. And I never would have gone, I never would have done that had I not taken the program. It gave her that amount of confidence. So that, that was what really kind of a reward, I guess.

Yeah, yeah, I can see how that could be rewarding to know that you really impacted someone's life and they're reaching back out to you to let you know, like, you really helped me. So I can see that. What challenges have you encountered in engaging older adults, particularly within the African American communities?

I don't think what our promotion of our workshops has been pretty much through information in our city newsletter and working with any organized groups like the Franklin Seniors that have their monthly luncheon meeting and also with a lot of the apartment. Apartment managers and letting them know about it and letting them know they should contact their residents. I've given flyers out, I've done pre talks about what it is for those that wanted to know more about it. And I think because we've been doing it for so many years here in Franklin, everybody seems to know a little bit about it from hearing it. Those who have attended.

Yeah.

And we've had a variety of people, men and women, sometimes couples come together. And it's interesting that when we have our booster session, a lot of times we actually find people come back because they want to see their friends again.

Oh, yeah, that's sweet. So do you feel like you haven't had any challenges with getting African American participants?

Well, where I've had, I think when you were at the last apartment building, when you met with my class for another workshop, that apartment had a larger number probably of African American participants in it. And that partly is just because they are part of the population in that building. But all of our residents get the information about the Stepping on workshop through the city newsletter, through their churches, through the apartment buildings that they live in. You know, the one thing I can't do is I can't knock on their door and drag them out. But I've offered to go down when they've had short breakfast meetings. I've gone in and talked with people and given them a brief discussion about why it's important to really thinking about being strong and in good balance and also the different things that are out there that can cause a problem for you when you are not even thinking about it happening.

Yeah. How do you approach overcoming challenges to enhance participant engagement?

Well, I. I like it to be a very casual way of talking with each other that everybody should feel welcome to express themselves. And I also have an affinity for those people who are just a little on the quiet side. And so sometimes, you know, I might just say, oh, say, Ruth, what do you think? Would you, you know, would you agree with that? Or did this just engage them? And it's interesting that they would respond and answer the question. And then it usually starts a conversation with somebody else saying, oh, you know, Ruth, I had the same thing. And then somebody is comfortable calling each other by name. And then everybody seems to be willing to share their thoughts. And we meet for seven weeks and they seem to get to know each other.

And one of the things that I find is that sometimes their comments, we start out by talking. Let's tell talk about our first, our fall story. What is the one you would like to share if you want to share one at all? And it's interesting that people do remember somebody's story that, you know, was, you know, kind of a. Not a. Fortunately it was. Didn't end up tragic, but it could have. And they said, you know, I just remember and they'll say something and I'm going to do this because I don't want to have the same kind of fall that, you know, this other woman had. And so I think that is one way of getting them to share their thoughts and then also getting each other to share with, you know, or comment on the.

Think about the comments that have been made and maybe they have something to add or, you know, there's some people who are very quiet. Probably the hardest ones to engage are those people who have Severe hearing loss or people who have their hearing aids but didn't bring them are people that I had one gentleman that we just sit, we really just position them closer to us so that we can, you know, they can oftentimes read lips. And it's not that they're totally deaf, it's just that, you know, like an older gentleman I'm thinking about in our last workshop. And as long as he, I just, I said raise your hand or let us know if you didn't hear, if you didn't get what we were saying, talking about. And he did. And so he was comfortable responding that way.

So you're pretty, pretty on your feet when it comes to pivoting and navigating. Kind of like difficulties that the participants may be having. It sounds like.

Well, we try to both. Myself. Yeah, yeah, I think so. On the one hand, I feel like, well, I would rather the hard part is for people to be engaged and do more than just listen to everybody else because I think they have thoughts going on in their head and they're wondering, oh, you know, I remember when I did that. But it might take a session or two before they start to get really comfortable in just talking about something that happened to them. And so.

Okay, based on your experiences, what improvements or changes would you recommend for these evidence based programs to better serve older adults and specifically address the needs of African American communities? So in thinking about the black community and if you have had any challenges previously, I know you said you have, do have some engagement with the complex that you, you were in when we visited you, but just thinking of other moments in which you had engagement issues within the black community, what would be some changes that the programs could make to better serve those communities?

Well, I would imagine I have done like a, I don't know how, what kind, where I've done a presentation about what it's about and talking about, you know, just getting people to talk and share a little bit about, you know, some of the things that have happened to them. I think falls tend to be things that people don't forget. And you know, when they hear someone talk about their fall, you know, the next thing is, oh, well, when I fell. And then it just opens up. And as people get comfortable in discussing that and try the programs, I think they actually go back to other friends and saying, well, it was seven weeks. I didn't think I would be interested in spending seven weeks. But you know, it went by so quickly and I learned so many things. And I think part of it is being able to get to a few key people who may have been in the program and then ask them to share their experience and their benefits with others.

Okay, that makes sense. So for someone you're trying to encourage to become a facilitator, what would you tell them about your role and why.

They should consider it becoming a leader? Well, I certainly would encourage them if they have a strong interest in just being with older people. Like I said, I've been working around and with older people for many years. Most of my. Well, as even a young child, I grew up in a neighborhood where there were only kids in the neighborhood were the ones in our house. And so I had a lot of older people and I was always comfortable talking with them. But I also feel that, you know, you can get under wavelength in just a casual conversation or you can do it as more of a presentation. You know, if people are want to know more about what this is a workshop to do. And all you need to do is engage a few people in talking about what their false stories were or if they've ever had one or never had one.

I guess, you know, most of us would probably say that's not likely, but, you know, that would be able to get some interest in what we do in the program and then you can give them more information about the various aspects of fall prevention. I think that scary statistic about the number of people, you know, 30% of people over 60 fall every year. And when we start to look at the statistics of our friends and even the experiences of people that we love or even ourselves. When you fall and you have a major impact injury, there is this long recovery and then following that, there generally often is a little bit of anxiety or some fear to get out and get going again. So a problem like ours can get people restarted a little bit.

Yeah, that's encouraging. Okay, Carol. Well, that is it. That's all of the questions that I have for you today.

Well, that was good. Thank you. I'm glad that you, you connected us here and we're able to do it. I am sorry for having to make that change, but we have some things going on in a little while and the transportation back here would put me out of him. So thank you again for that. It's very nice. It was very nice meeting you.

It was nice meeting you too.

And the group that you met will meet again. We'll have in about two weeks, we'll have our booster session. And I'm anxious to see how they've been doing with their stand up and movement and activity. They Were just the best group.

Yeah, yeah.

Enjoyed them.

Yeah. I really appreciate you taking some time out to talk with me and figuring out a time or, you know, a way that we could still do the interview. Because I know that was a little sketch. Like we didn't know if we were going to be able to do it. So.

Yeah, I know. It's as they say, timing is everything, right?

Yeah, it is. It is.

Yeah. And you like it when it, when a plan comes together. But I'm glad that you are, you know, looking out to find more out about different people and their opinions about what they're learning of people with multiple different things. I teach a number of the evidence based workshops from wiha and with all of them getting new people involved as leaders and they work with you, they see how you operate, what you do and how you manage things. I've never had, I've had some people say, you know, I guess I just can't do this, and that's fine, I'm okay with that. But on the other hand, you know, if we have a break and we could take some time aside, you just want to say to some of them is, it's real quiet, you know, if there's. Is there some issue or are you uncomfortable or you can work out some of those things that come up.

Yeah.

By just kind of watching, watching your group and how they look and get involved in the conversations. You know, everybody is. The older people tend to learn more about things from each other. And if they hear somebody talk about something that they, you know, tried or did, you know, especially like taking a workshop, then they will probably be saying, well, I'll give it a try. But once they get in it, they enjoy it. Yeah, it's social. They do get a chance to meet, you know, a group of people they may not even have known before, and they'll be with them for seven weeks. And sometimes great friendships have developed out of that.

Yeah, that's cool. That's cool. I've heard that from other facilitators as well. So it is all about that connection. I mean, obviously the material is important to absorb and everything like that, but a lot of folks do enjoy that connection piece as well. So. Yep.

They learn from each other.

Good, good. All right, Ms. Carol, I will let you go. I appreciate it. Appreciated this moment here. And if anything comes up, I'll talk to you soon.

You're more than welcome to call. Thank you.

Thank you.

Bye bye now.