ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (May 15, 2025) — A new partnership between Augustana College and UnityPoint Health PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) Senior Care — Bettendorf is expanding access to hearing care for older adults in the Quad Cities, while giving students the opportunity to provide life-changing services as part of their clinical training.
Through this collaboration, seniors in Augustana’s communication sciences and disorders program and first-year students in the college’s speech-language pathology Master of Science program provide hearing assessments at the Roseman Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing on campus. Under the direct supervision of licensed clinical faculty, students deliver care to participants in the PACE program at UnityPoint Health.
The first PACE participant will be seen at Augustana’s Roseman Center on June 4, 2025. As part of the services provided by PACE, participants are offered transportation to and from their appointments at the Roseman Center, ensuring seamless access to care and continuity of service.
The partnership is expected to serve dozens of Quad-Cities seniors each year.
“This partnership reflects the best of Augustana’s mission — to engage students through hands-on clinical teaching in speech and hearing while serving our community,” said Dr Ann Perreau, associate professor and audiology clinic coordinator at Augustana.
“Our students aren’t just preparing for careers," she added. "They are actively making a difference in the quality of life for seniors who rely on comprehensive hearing care.”
The services provided — from hearing evaluations and fittings to ongoing auditory care — support seniors’ independence while giving students vital clinical hours in a supervised, real-world care setting.
“Our students contribute directly to the health and well-being of our community in our clinic right here on campus,” said Dr Perreau. “By providing hearing exams to PACE participants at the Roseman Center, our students gain immersive, hands-on experience while making a powerful positive impact in community-centered care."
Lori Bahen, RN, MSN, director of operations for PACE Senior Care — Bettendorf, explained, “Hearing loss can deeply affect connection and quality of life for older adults. By improving hearing, we help seniors stay engaged, independent, and well-supported by their community. We’re excited to partner with Augustana College to expand the services we offer our patients, improve their health, and support their independence.”
Having the opportunity to work directly with older adults has changed the way Hannah Simmer thinks about health-care.
“It’s more than a class or a practicum — it’s real," said Simmer, a first-year student in Augustana’s Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program. "Seeing how much our community members rely on these services reaffirms why I chose this path in the first place.”
The UnityPoint Health partnership complements Augustana’s existing partnership with Trinity College of Nursing, which offers a 2+2 direct-entry Bachelor of Science in nursing pathway. Both initiatives reflect shared commitments to meet local health needs through education, compassion, and innovation.
Augustana continues to build programs positioning the college as a leader in health-care education — rooted in the liberal arts, driven by community need, and aligned with the future of clinical care.
