• Sixty students from the USS Speech-Language Pathology program will participate in this initiative, which is expected to benefit more than 300 residents of San Vicente. 

            Talcahuano, May 11, 2023. The fishing and salmon farming company Blumar and San Sebastián University (USS), through Community Outreach, presented an innovative initiative that will benefit residents of San Vicente, in Talcahuano. Thanks to the project “Speech-Language Pathology and Blumar, in Service of the Community,” fourth-year students from the Concepción campus will conduct speech-language pathology operations in the community adjacent to the San Vicente plant. 

The intervention includes the promotion and prevention of communication disorders in the beneficiary population, and the implementation of actions that allow for enhancing their abilities, as well as establishing support networks with the health care system. 

José Ocares Brantes, Manager of Fishing Operations at Blumar, stated that “we are very pleased to be part of this project, which will impact all residents of the San Vicente plant, who will be able to access free of charge a service related to the care of their health. Through these partnerships, we seek to improve the quality of life of the communities in which we work daily.” 

Specifically, sixty students from the Speech-Language Pathology program will participate in these operations, which are expected to benefit more than 300 people in San Vicente. Among the activities, early reading workshops for families with children aged 4 to 6 years stand out, active aging counseling, and the development of cognitive and hearing screenings for attendees. 

At the project presentation ceremony, Claudia Mellado Corral, academic coordinator of USS Community Outreach, noted that this initiative, in accordance with the lines of action of collaborative projects, is characterized by “co-construction, as we gather and discuss with the community to establish what their needs are, and bidirectionality, that is, to be a contribution to the community and, in turn, provide knowledge to our students.”

Audiological Operations

One of the project leaders, Tamara Pierart Vásquez, secretary of studies for Speech-Language Pathology, detailed that the initiative includes four interventions during the year.  “In the first semester, we will conduct audiological operations to assess the hearing status of the beneficiaries. Additionally, hearing screening evaluations will be conducted, allowing us to understand the cognitive situation of the patients,” she noted. 

She added: “During the second semester, we will implement cognitive stimulation workshops. Also, we will organize initial literacy workshops for children between 4 and 6 years old, and parents who need this support.” 

For her part, Doris Varas Besa, speech-language pathologist graduated from USS Concepción, said that the first phase will begin next week, “to determine if there is any hearing difficulty in the population. Then, if necessary, they will be referred to the San Vicente Cesfam or the Las Tres Pascualas campus. Also, we will begin cognitive operations with older adults to assess their attention and memory,” she stated. 

Community Support

Yasna Gutiérrez Silva, head of the Health Department of the Municipality of Talcahuano, valued the initiative because it will support the municipality’s health efforts. “These external supports facilitate community care, thus reducing waiting lists somewhat. This is super positive for older adults, who are those who most often present hearing problems,” she pointed out. 

For his part, Father Manuel Zúñiga Aranda, parish priest of the Nuestra Señora del Carmen Parish of San Vicente, highlighted that the private and academic world should connect with the community. “When they came to propose this to us and ask us for the parish facilities, we were willing to collaborate from the first minute. We hope that many people can improve their health,” he expressed. 

Finally, Percy Muños Zúñiga, representative of the Neighborhood Association 14 B Población Partal, noted that in the sector there are children who present hearing loss. “I hope they receive an adequate diagnosis so they can achieve healthy development,” he stated.