WISE - Wellness & Independence Screening for Elderly

In celebration of World Physiotherapy Day and NSS Foundation Day, NSS RUAS, Rotaract RUAS, and Ramaiah College of Physiotherapy jointly organized a physiotherapy screening program for the elderly, titled "WISE – Wellness & Independence Screening for Elderly," from 20th to 27th September 2025.

The program extended its services to members of Dignity Foundation (Sanjay Nagar, Vidyaranyapura, and Vijaya Nagar), Dollar’s Colony RWA, as well as senior citizens from the families of MSRUAS employees and students. Screenings were conducted at three locations: Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, the Community Center (RMV 2nd Stage, Dollar’s Colony), and Dwaraka Auditorium, RUAS.

The initiative aimed to evaluate the overall health and functional status of senior citizens, guiding them towards strategies that promote active and independent living.

The screening involved comprehensive assessment of:

• Current health and lifestyle factors
• Physical activity level
• Body composition (skeletal muscle and fat percentage)
• Flexibility, strength, balance, and functional mobility
• Cardiopulmonary endurance
• Cognitive functions
• Urinary incontinence
• Independence in activities of daily living

Participants received personalized guidance on health improvement strategies, an exercise booklet, and referrals to physiotherapy and other medical services as needed.

A total of 108 senior citizens benefited from the WISE program. The screening highlighted a noticeable prevalence of sarcopenia and urinary incontinence among the attendees. Follow-up strategies are being planned to address these concerns, both individually and within neighborhood senior citizen groups. Each participant received a specially curated handbook by the RCPT team, featuring detailed exercise guidelines with easy-to-follow infographics.

The initiative was made possible through the dedication of 45 volunteers, comprising postgraduate and undergraduate physiotherapy students, social workers, nursing staff, NSS & Rotaract team members, and faculty from the Colleges of Physiotherapy and Pharmacy. Students gained firsthand experience in organizing community health camps, assessing common health conditions among the elderly, conducting relevant evaluations, and delivering effective health education.

This program underscored the importance of physiotherapy in healthy aging and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 4 (Quality Education), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

NSS and Rotaract RUAS extend sincere gratitude to the RCPT team—led by Prof. Savita Ravindra (Principal & Dean), Dr. Sundar Kumar V (Associate Professor), and Dr. Betty Thomas (Assistant Professor)—for their meticulous planning and dedicated efforts that ensured the successful execution of the event.