GERONTOLOGY & GERIATRICS EDUCATION最新文献

Empathy, an integral component of bedside manners, correlates with good healthcare provision. Training physician assistant (PA) students using Head-Mounted Display (HMD) virtual reality (VR) contributed to significant empathy increases. This pilot study, which relied on a retrospective analysis, compared a VR experience using HMD to a streamed modality (due to COVID safety) with PA students to measure empathy. We hypothesized that fully immersive and interactive HMD VR would lead to a statistically significant increase in empathy versus the streaming modality. The "Alfred Lab" VR allows viewers to "embody" a 74-year-old African American man with vision and hearing loss. The University of New England PA class of 2021 (n = 47) completed the HMD lab while the class of 2022 (n = 50) viewed the streaming modality as a group. Identical pre/post surveys were completed by each cohort. The analysis utilized paired sample t-tests, ANOVA, frequency analysis (quantitative), and content analysis with thematic coding (qualitative). The results for each cohort revealed a statistically significant increase in empathy (p < 0.05) after completing the VR lab (pre- to post-test results). The comparison of both cohorts (HMD versus group streaming) revealed no noteworthy difference. Streaming VR could improve access to PA programs unable to acquire expensive VR equipment yet still allow for the development of empathy.

With the increasing aging population there is a need for more gerontological social work practitioners; however, such training for social workers in Canada is limited. To help address this gap, one faculty of social work developed a graduate level clinical social work practice certificate with a specialization in gerontology. In this paper we explore students' and instructors' perspectives about the curriculum, delivery, and impact of this certificate, and provide recommendations for improvement, particularly with respect to the clinical nature of the courses. Eight students and four instructors participated in the study. Strengths and opportunities for enhancement were identified for curriculum and delivery. Study findings also indicated that further curriculum development should focus on enhancing clinical skill development and providing more practice experience. Implications arising from these findings included developing clinical skills through experiential learning, interprofessional education, and service learning.

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.

Ageism is often neglected in higher education curriculum, leaving many students unaware of its harmful effects and how to address it. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the benefits of education on ageism and intergenerational contact in a 1-credit seminar course on ageism. Participants included 21 students (experimental group) in an ageism course and 35 students (control group) in reading-based seminar courses unrelated to ageism. The baseline and posttests included the Expectations Regarding Aging Survey (ERA-38) and the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ-24). Following the course, students from the experimental group participated in focus groups to further contextualize the quantitative data by capturing student perspectives and attitudes. Paired samples t-tests revealed significant increases in the experimental group on most measures, however, no change in the control group on any measure. Analysis of focus group data revealed students recognized ageist behavior, had positive outlook on aging, and a greater awareness of "normal" aging. A group project designed to combat ageism was a positive experience and enabled students to apply what they learned about aging and ageism. These promising results indicate potential benefits of 1-credit courses for education about aging, ageism and promoting engagement with older adults.

Ageism is common in medical trainees and difficult to overcome. The My Life, My Story program has been shown to be an effective tool for increasing empathy. We explored its use as an instrument for combating ageism by implementing it in a Geriatrics clerkship for fourth year medical students. During our evaluation, 151 students interviewed patients about their lives using a semi-structured question guide. Students completed the UCLA Geriatrics Attitudes Scale and the Expectations Regarding Aging Survey pre-and post-clerkship. We also facilitated 9 student debriefs and 5 faculty interviews. After completing My Life, My Story, students were more likely to disagree with "I would rather see younger patients than elderly ones" and "it's normal to be depressed when you are old". In qualitative analysis of the debriefs, we identified a key summative theme: "impact of the intervention on care teams". Within that, we describe three subthemes: an awareness of richness of the lives led by older people, their current value to society, and the social determinants of health they have faced. After participating in My Life, My Story, students' attitudes toward aging changed. A narrative medicine program using life stories can be a practical tool for addressing ageist stereotypes.

Non-formal adult education and learning (NAE) is widely recognized as enhancing the quality of life and promoting active aging. Despite the empirically demonstrated benefits, older adults rank among one of the populations participating the least in NAE. Although several studies have highlighted the negative effect of aging on involvement in NAE, factors causing long-term changes in participation have not been explored directly. As a result, the significance of microsocial characteristics and their transformation over time has been overlooked. This article explores key microsocial factors leading to non/participation in NAE among adults aged 50 to 69 years along with changes in these factors for the 14-year period of 2006 to 2019. The research was conducted using the Czech Republic's Labor Force Survey dataset (N = 114,345). The results show that all microsocial factors play an essential role in determining participation in NAE, thus a strong relationship between the social origins (cumulative disadvantage) of older adults and their participation was confirmed. In addition, the impact of most factors has proved consistent over time, not strengthening since 2009. One exception was level of education, which showed a rapid increase in participation in NAE in the respondents who identified themselves as low-educated.

Problem-based learning is an evidence-based, pedagogical approach that invites students to solve complex, real-life problems using knowledge learned in the classroom. Effective use of problem-based learning in undergraduate gerontology courses, specifically, is likely to deepen students' knowledge about course content related to aging and may also promote students' long-term interest in gerontology. House Hunters: Gerontology Style is a problem-based learning activity that can be used in small-group discussions to facilitate students' understanding of issues related to relocation and homebuying in older adulthood. In this activity - based on the popular television show - students act as real estate agents for a fictional older couple relocating closer to adult children. Assignment features can be tailored easily by the instructor to optimize specific learning objectives. In an evaluation of the activity, students who completed this activity reported that it was engaging, that it enabled them to apply material from the class, and that it facilitated their application of course material to a "real world" problem. Suggestions for modifications to future iterations of this assignment may include a more pointed focus on budgetary constraints on homebuying in older adulthood, approaching homebuying from a life course lens, and considering the role of disparities in the home buying process.

Given the growth of the older adult population in the United States, there is a greater need for tools to enable students, trainees, and clinicians to master the comprehensive geriatric assessment. Our goal was to develop a mobile phone application (app) to assist in performing this assessment. We performed a market survey of 45 apps that related to geriatrics and health screening. We evaluated for usability, target audience, and instruments used. Deficiencies included: (1) focusing on a single domain; (2) being time-intensive; and (3) having components behind a paywall. We then designed an app that incorporates instruments that are well-validated, available at no cost, and brief in length. GeriKit includes eight domains: cognition, depression, function, strength, medications, falls, and advance care planning. Each instrument requires fewer than 5 minutes, and once it is completed and scored, the user can access relevant educational materials. GeriKit was launched for Apple users in December 2020, and for Android in August 2021. There have been over 3,400 downloads to date. The GeriKit app makes the comprehensive geriatric assessment accessible to a wide audience, improving the ability to for learners to perform geriatric assessments.

Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer or questioning (2SLGBTQ+) older adults are underrepresented in gerontology research and education, impacting the preparedness of health and social care students and professionals working with the diverse aging population. To address this lack of representation of 2SLGBTQ+ older adults in gerontology education, this study explored the use of digital stories as tools for knowledge mobilization and social justice. Digital stories are short videos that pair audio recordings with visuals, including videos, photographs, or artwork. To conduct the study, the research team worked alongside 2SLGBTQ+ older adults to create a suite of three digital stories. These stories were presented at various educational and professional settings in gerontology, and survey and open-feedback responses (n = 147) were gathered from the audience on their perceived impact. Viewers included students, researchers, decision-makers, stakeholders, and citizens. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. From the analysis, digital stories showed the potential to increase viewers' awareness and understanding of 2SLGBTQ+ aging experiences. The format was particularly significant in their learning and enhancing the connection to the content and the storytellers. The findings also suggest that digital stories showed the potential to impact policy and practice for 2SLGBTQ+ communities.