GERONTOLOGY & GERIATRICS EDUCATION最新文献

Ageism refers to the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) directed toward people on the basis of their age. Ageism is rampant and pervasive, often socially acceptable; however, it can be harmful to older adults' health and longevity. Education can reduce ageism, especially when coupled with intergenerational contact interventions. We conceptualized and implemented an anti-ageism curriculum for third year medical students to improve their awareness, attitudes and behaviors toward older people. First, we assigned students to engage in self-directed learning and reflection. Then, we had an hour-long interactive virtual didactic session involving case discussions, facilitated by interprofessional faculty. Then, we elicited students' commitment to change related to anti-ageism. We found a significant increase in students' self-assessed confidence in identifying ageist remarks and actions and in reducing their own ageist biases. Our curriculum was associated with an increase in medical students' perception that older patients are more appreciative of the care they receive and a decrease in their perception that taking a medical history from older patients is frequently an ordeal.

Purpose: The assessment of knowledge gain from educational interventions is a common practice in dementia care research. This study aimed to refine and validate the Changing Talk Scale (CHATS), a tool for assessing knowledge of effective and person-centered communication in nursing home staff. CHATS was integrated into the Changing Talk: Online (CHATO) education program to measure the knowledge gains resulting from it.

Methods: Test items for CHATS were created based on the 13 learning objectives of CHATO. These items underwent iterative revisions based on psychometric analyses across four pilot studies, culminating in two 13-item alternate forms. These forms were evaluated using psychometric analysis and linear mixed modeling with 664 staff members from 15 nursing homes across the US.

Results: The reliability of CHATS, measured by Cronbach's α, was .56 and .49 pre-education, and .70 and .77 post-education for the two forms respectively. The mean CHATS scores were higher for staff with higher education levels and increased after the CHATO, irrespective of staff or nursing home characteristics.

Conclusions: The development and validation of a test to capture knowledge requires the consideration of multiple aspects. CHATS effectively demonstrated knowledge gains from the CHATO intervention across various types of staff.

The role of teacher-student communication in enhancing the learning experience of older learners has received limited attention. This sociolinguistic study addresses this gap by examining the perspectives on this issue held by Taiwanese older learners. Survey data from 231 Taiwanese older learners were analyzed using ANOVA and independent-samples t-tests, with the aim of establishing how their age ranges and occupational backgrounds influenced their concordance with teacher communication strategies found in existing literature. While teachers were reported to assume that older learners from elite backgrounds preferred more communication accommodation in class, this study's results indicated that those with no work experience or who identified as farmers demanded greater respect, flexibility, and diversity of language codes. Age was also significantly correlated with learners' communication preferences, with those aged 76+ requiring more extensive accommodations than their younger counterparts did.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professions shifted from face to face(F2F) to online educational delivery methods. Research evaluating the effectiveness of online educational delivery is mixed.The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a dementia-specific experiential learning activity(ELA) delivered to Doctor of Physical Therapy(DPT) students face to face(F2F) versus online. Participants included a sample of DPT students (n = 171) from four consecutive cohorts. In this quasi-experimental, single-site two-factor design study, students participated in either a F2F(n = 84) or online version (n = 87) of an ELA. They completed a dementia survey pre-(T1) and post-ELA(T2). Pre- and post-survey analysis demonstrated significant improvements between T1 and T2 for both groups. The interaction of group by time F(1,169) = 287.61, p < 0.01 indicates a main effect for groups over time. Analysis did not demonstrate significance between versions for T1 or T2. The interaction of time by group F(1,169) = 1.08, p = 0.30 indicates there was not an interaction of time by group.This study provided strong evidence that students benefitted from the dementia-specific ELA regardless of delivery method. Both methods proved equally effective, as there was no statistically significant difference between them. Programs may consider online experiences to increase schedule flexibility and content accessibility.

The college years represent a key opportunity for broadening the future gerontology workforce by introducing students to the aging content that may influence their career decisions, yet this content is often limited to students with behavioral health and health professions majors. The present study sought to determine the degree to which a Midwestern university's general education course on aging could increase learning, interest, knowledge, and ability to use knowledge for undergraduates across multiple fields of study. Participants included 560 undergraduate students, 48% of which were health professions majors, 28% behavioral health majors, and 23% majors in other fields. While all groups reported significant increases in learning, knowledge, and interest in aging studies, ANOVA found significant differences by students' field of study in reported ability to apply course knowledge in their career or organization. As demand increases for workers versed in the needs of the older adult population, it will be important for educators to incorporate career connections into aging studies coursework and make abundantly clear how students in all fields of study are necessary for the future gerontological workforce.

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) is a leading cause of death in the United States, with national goals in place to improve the quality of care provided to this population. With little available literature on empathy training for pharmacy students in caring for patients living with ADRD, this study outlined the implementation process of an immersive sensory experience, the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT), into a Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum and evaluated the impact of the experience on pharmacy students' empathy for persons living with ADRD. After completing the VDT, quantitative analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in the pharmacy students' ability to capably complete tasks and relax, and a positive change in their perceptions of the need for improved care for persons living with ADRD. Qualitative analytical approaches identified themes of "Empathy," "Patient Care and Advocacy," "Education," as well as the cognitive, mental, and physical impact of the experience. Valuable lessons learned while providing ADRD empathy training to Doctor of Pharmacy students includes reallocation of faculty resources, curricular development of an innovative empathy-building experience for students, and improved experience delivery efficiency. Overall, a significant change in pharmacy students' empathy toward patients living with ADRD was observed.

The rising prevalence of dementia calls for a competent workforce capable of delivering quality dementia care. A standard for assessing dementia-care-specific competencies is necessary to guide curriculum development and implementation in a competency-based educational framework during academic training. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Dementia Care Competency Model (DCCM) among students enrolled in physical (PT) and occupational therapist (OT) programs. Eighty PT and OT students completed the DCCM by rating the 11 sub-competencies using the National Institute of Health Proficiency Likert Scale. The Exploratory Factor Analysis yielded a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin of 0.878 and Bartlett's test significance value of < 0.001, which indicates that the data were very good for factor analysis. The Eigenvalues and scree plot derived two factors with an excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.936). When examining the grouping of sub-competencies, the two factors that emerged were patient-centered and interprofessional collaborative care. The DCCM version 2.0 can guide educators in designing learning experiences that target the essential competencies in dementia care, ensuring that PT and OT graduates are well-prepared to work with individuals living with dementia. Future research should refine the model by exploring additional sub-competencies within each domain and expanding the model's applicability across multiple healthcare disciplines.

Communication is key to the success of any relationship. When it comes to caregivers, having a conversation with a person living with some form of cognitive impairment, such as dementia, can be a struggle. Most people living with dementia experience some form of communication impairment that reduces their ability to express their needs. In this case study, we present the design of an embodied conversation agent (ECA), Ted, designed to educate caregivers about the importance of good communication principles when engaging with people living with dementia. This training tool was trialed and compared to an online training tool, with 23 caregivers divided into two cohorts (12 in the ECA condition, and 11 in the online training tool condition), over a period of 8 weeks using a mixed evaluation approach. Our findings suggest that (a) caregivers developed an emotional connection with the ECA and retained the learning from their interactions with Ted even after 8 weeks had elapsed, (b) caregivers implemented the learnings in their practice, and (c) the changes in care practice were well received by people living with dementia.

Dementia education can be an effective pedagogical tool to improve student perceptions of dementia and dementia care. In this article, we describe four evidence-based educational initiatives implemented in an undergraduate and graduate level social work course. Students participated in an informational presentation on dementia, a dementia simulation, and a virtual discussion board. They also conducted an interview with a person living with dementia and their caregiver. Twenty-nine students completed a pre- and postsurvey on their (a) prior contact with individual(s) living with dementia, (b) dementia-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy, and (c) willingness to support individuals living with dementia, and 43 students participated in a focus group. Comparison of pre- and post-participation scores indicated improvements in knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy. Content analyses of focus group responses and discussion posts generated themes that shed light on students' (a) knowledge gains at cognitive and affective levels, (b) attitudes toward future practice in dementia care, (c) perceived value of interprofessional practice, and (d) perceptions of dementia related learning activities. Despite limitations in implementation and evaluation, the curricular initiatives provide a template to train future health professionals in dementia care, a vital area of practice.

This article aims to explore the integration of Louis Cozolino's (2013) andragogical strategies with the tenets of person-centered dementia care practices to enhance dementia care education. The article examines the multiple dimensions of learning in adulthood, highlighting the role of neural plasticity and lifelong brain adaptation in shaping learning and experiential strategies. This in-depth evaluation underscores the significance of tailoring andragogical approaches to the needs of adult learners, who, in this context, are care providers for persons with dementia. This is done through proper understanding of the neurobiological realities and the unique learning needs of adults. Such tailored approaches can be aligned with the brain's adaptive nature by recognizing the intricate interplay of cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions. Highlighting the need for including lessons on the person-centered approach in dementia care education, the paper argues that adult learners - who are essentially part of the dementia care workforce - first need to learn, appreciate, and embrace the approach before applying it in their caregiving practices. This article presents an overarching argument that integration of Cozolino's principles of adult learning with tenets of person-centered dementia care could provide a robust framework for dementia care education.