Challenges facing gerontology education in universities include the following: (1) educating the public about aging; (2) recruiting and training gerontology students; (3) educating health and service providers; (4) developing partnerships with employers of gerontology graduates; (5) providing educational opportunities for older adults; and (6)…

An interdisciplinary geriatrics team training institute focused on cutting-edge health care themes had 30 participants. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation showed that participants sought specific, work-applicable insights; the focus on new approaches was critical; and careful attention to educational program marketing was needed. (SK)

This descriptive study examined the conceptions and misconceptions students in health professions have regarding older people. The research was conducted in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The findings revealed that students in health professions, as a whole, demonstrated a high degree of stereotypic misconceptions and poor knowledge about aging and older…

The Knowledge of Memory Aging Questionnaire was tested in a group of studies with several populations: 33 mental health professionals; 85 older adults; and 110, 32, and 46 undergraduates. Older adults and professionals knew more about pathological than normal memory aging. Instruction improved undergraduates' pathological knowledge. Instrument…

Health professions education must keep up with changes in the health care system. Current trends support the development of community-academic partnerships, service learning models, and interdisciplinary or collaborative education programs. (SK)

Proposes an Institute of Gerontology for developing a comprehensive approach to caring for the elderly. Anticipates the institute promoting gerontological research, educating health professionals, and establishing health services for the elderly. Calls for a Gerontology Center within the institute, which would provide a network of coordinated…

The Game of Institutional Long-Term Care helps health care students learn to solve patient-management problems in nursing homes by (1) teaching problem solving and identification of goals and motivations of decision makers; (2) teaching negotiation, compromise, and cooperation; and (3) exposing students to the feelings and frustrations involved in…

Pre-/postintervention data were collected from 208 of 226 occupational therapy graduates (1982-89) who had undergone a session designed to influence their attitudes about older people. A total of 94% worked with older adults; most of the 79% who remembered the intervention felt it influenced them, and 55% thought their practice continued to be…

Interdisciplinary clinical case studies in geriatrics were developed using active and problem-based learning approaches that simulate clinical environments. Feedback from their use in continuing education indicated that facilitators need interdisciplinary group skills, well-written discussion questions enhanced learning, and the presence of all…

Provides information on the debate over using the integrated versus segregated approach as an appropriate model for the provision of services and education in care of the elderly. Presents material obtained from a comparative study conducted between a geriatric and a general hospital in Geneva, Switzerland. (Author/ABB)

Undergraduates in clinical placement formed a team within a larger clinical team and attended problem-based tutorials. Data from exit interviews, surveys, and team conferences revealed discomfort with the preceptors' role, peer support among students, improved communication styles, and mutual learning between students and professionals. (SK)

Eastern Kentucky University's The Place to Be, an Alzheimer's day-care program, provides a fieldwork placement for occupational therapy students, meaningful activities in a safe environment for persons with dementia, and respite for family caregivers. (SK)

Describes two approaches used to define and develop faculty practice in a teaching nursing home. Problems include role conflicts, communication gaps, and differences between faculty and nursing staff goals. Benefits include availability of new nursing care services and increased opportunities for conducting clinical research. (Author/ABB)

Seven older adults and 20 occupational therapy students participated in book discussions. Focus groups and journal analysis indicated that discussions helped develop rapport and relational links between book topics and participants' experiences. Reciprocal learning expanded each generation's perceptions of the other. (Contains 22 references.) (SK)

This is a reprot of the genesis and evolution of an interdisciplinary health care experience for student teams in a gerontological setting. The student teams faced many of the same problems encountered by other interdisciplinary health care teams, including role definition, role negotiation, decision making, and conflict resolution. (Author)