The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is one of the most commonly used instruments to screen for cognitive deficits within the hospital setting. However training in how to administer this widely used tool is scarce with little, if any, formal training for nursing staff. Scores are also often misused with over reliance on results and cut-offs to…

There is a widening gap between the health care needs of older persons and the treatment skills of the health care professionals who serve them. This gap is especially severe in rural areas, where there is a shortage of and inadequate collaboration between health care professionals and poor access to services for older persons. There is also a…

In just over 20 years, all 78 million baby boomers will have reached their "coming of age." When this demographic milestone occurs, one in every five Americans will be at least 65 years old; millions will have comorbid and chronic conditions requiring better prepared health care providers and markedly improved services than are presently…

Important home and community-based issues in the lives of older adults and caregivers relate to end of life. It is well documented that education on end of life, including curricula and textbook content for health and human service professionals, is lacking. This study analyzed another aspect of education: continuing education sessions offered at…

The current study evaluated barriers to detection of depression among older people. Focus groups were conducted with 21 professional carers, 4 nurses, 10 general practitioners, and 7 aged care managers. The results demonstrated that care for older people is primarily focused on physical care. Further, staff resources, a lack of continuity of care,…

This study evaluated the effect of a transformative learning (TL) intervention on functional health literacy and diabetes knowledge in older African Americans. Twenty participants from senior community centers completed a six-session intervention. The short-form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (s-TOFHLA), Literacy Assessment for…

We developed driving restrictions that are linked to specific driving errors, allowing cognitively impaired individuals to continue to independently meet mobility needs while minimizing risk to themselves and others. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the efficacy and duration expectancy of these restrictions in promoting safe continued…

A four-year faculty development program to enhance geriatrics learning among house officers in seven surgical and related disciplines and five medical subspecialties at a large academic institution resulted in changes in attitudes and knowledge of faculty participants, expanded curricula and teaching activities in geriatrics, and enhanced and…

As the number of older adults in the United States increases, so will the expected number of allegations of elder abuse. Adult protective services (APS) staff are likely to handle much more complex situations, and in growing numbers, due to the presence of chronic and life-limiting conditions of their clients. The APS workers, in this national…

The escalating demand for trained direct long-term care (DLTC) workers, those individuals with the most sustained direct contact with vulnerable older adults in homes and facilities, is a consequence of our rapidly aging population. Research documents the present and projected shortages of DLTC workers, and developed nations are increasingly…

Purpose: The Gentle Persuasive Approaches (GPA) curriculum was developed as an adjunct to other educational initiatives that were part of Ontario, Canada's Alzheimer Strategy. GPA emphasizes that an individual's unique personal history has a direct application to the interpretation of and response to their behavior. It incorporates strategies into…

This study examined the relationships between culture and the health status of older Chinese in Canada. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a cross-sectional, randomly selected sample of 2,272 older Chinese between 55 and 101 years of age in seven Canadian cities. Health status was assessed by the number of chronic illnesses,…

In response to aging patient demographics and a call for increased formal geriatric training in medical schools, a community volunteer geriatric mentor program, Bridging Generations, was developed to shape attitudes of medical students caring for the elderly. The geriatric mentor experience provided students with unique insight into the challenges…

This study reports on the evaluation of a skills-enhancement training series for direct service providers in home care that was part of a federally funded state-level initiative to improve employee recruitment and retention. The gerontological training curriculum included content to improve problem-solving, communication, and stress management…

A training curriculum on mental health and aging was developed and disseminated to 32 natural caregivers throughout a frontier state using a train-the-trainer model. Those certified as trainers included social workers, religious professionals, volunteers, long-term care employees, nurses, home health workers, and professional and informal…