Technical Visit to Necla-Yaşar Duru Gerontology Center by Gerontology Students

Our faculty's Department of Gerontology students, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Akbaş, Dr. Lecturer Kerime Öğüt Düzen, Dr. Lecturer Nurvet Büyükyörük, and Dr. Lecturer Ayşe Tekin from the Department of Gerontology; Lecturer Ayşe Yaman from the Department of Disaster and Emergency Aid; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevinç Sütlü from the Faculty of Medicine and Lecturer Özge Kutlu from Çavdır Vocational School Elderly Care Program organized a technical trip to the Necla-Yaşar Duru Gerontology Center in Antalya on April 10, 2026.

Within the scope of the visit, which provided the opportunity to observe applications in the field of gerontology on-site, students had the chance to closely examine the elderly-focused care processes, institutional functioning, and gerontology applications carried out at the center. Observing the services aimed at the health, psychosocial support, and social participation needs of elderly individuals on-site, students gained significant insights into the practices carried out in line with the principle of active aging.

During the technical trip, students conducted balance exercises, bocce, cognitive stimulation and mental activity games, and artistic activities (painting works) together with the elderly individuals receiving services at the center. Through these interactive activities, students gained short-term practical experience in establishing effective communication with elderly individuals, strengthening intergenerational interaction, and responding to psycho-social needs with creative approaches.

Gerontologist Hilal Yiğit, the Director of the Gerontology Center, and the center's nurse Saliha Duacı accompanied the students during the trip, providing information about the institution's functioning and the services offered. After the technical trip, participants also had the opportunity to closely explore the cultural heritage of the region by visiting the historical button houses in the İbradı district of Antalya and the approximately 1000-year-old Arapastı Chestnut Tree.