Medical school accreditation requirements require educational opportunities in geriatrics. Twenty-six minimum graduating competencies in geriatrics have recently been identified for medical students. The authors describe how these competencies are being integrated into a new medical curriculum through coursework and community-based experiences.…

Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of the BRIGHTEN Program (Bridging Resources of an Interdisciplinary Geriatric Health Team via Electronic Networking), an interdisciplinary team intervention for assessing and treating older adults for depression in outpatient primary and specialty medical clinics. The BRIGHTEN team collaborates "virtually"…

Purpose of the Study: Stanford's Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) has been proven to increase patients' ability to manage distress. We describe how we replicated CDSMP in Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. Design and Methods: We used the "track changes" tool to deconstruct CDSMP into its various components…

The purpose of the ELDER (Expanded Learning and Dedication to Elders in the Region) Project was to address the needs of underserved older adults by providing worksite education to individuals who provide nursing care to older adults in community health centers, home health agencies, and long-term care facilities. Four agencies located in a Health…

This paper describes an Elder Specialist Program developed by one school of medicine to sensitize medical students to geriatric psychosocial issues. Elder Specialists participate in panel discussions as part of each geriatric session. As an alternative to traditional senior mentoring programs, the Elder Specialist Program provides all students a…

This study examined first-year medical student attitudes concerning the elderly before and after instituting a geriatric mentoring program. The program began and ended with a survey designed to assess students' attitudes toward the elderly. During the mentoring program, students visited the same senior for four visits throughout the academic year.…

This guide provides basic information about the use of reality orientation, particularly with an elderly population. The concepts of reality orientation can be learned quickly and can be used in any setting with patients having a variety of diagnoses. (Author)

Describes the Southeast-Bayview Mental Health Center Geriatric Services Unit, which provides a comprehensive mental health program for the elderly of San Francisco. The program emphasis is on crisis intervention, with reliance on home visits and follow-up services as well as screening and referral. (JAC)

Over the last 20 years, older people have served as teachers for students as part of the formal curriculum in geriatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In recent years, we have supported a more in-depth, longitudinal experience that connects medical students with elders in the community. The program was initiated as a special…

Describes a health education program at a life care community, based on Knowles' theory of androgyny. The program significantly affected participants' health behavior which reduced the effects of aging. Planning guidelines, audiovisual considerations, format, and cost are discussed. (JAC)

Purpose: We describe and evaluate a project designed to pilot test an evidence-based clinical intervention for assessing and treating depression in older adults in rural primary care clinics. Project ADAPT--Assuring Depression Assessment and Proactive Treatment--utilized existing primary care resources to overcome barriers to sustainability…

The entire second part of the October issue presents the program for the 28th Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society. Abstracts of papers are included. (EJT)

Describes the accomplishments of elderly Jews residing at the Toronto Baycrest Centre, a multilevel geriatric facility, who formed a memoir activity group which eventually led to publication of their memoirs. The value of the activity for the group and for other groups of older persons in general is discussed. (JAC)

A presentation is made of the techniques used in four community-based support groups for elderly persons experiencing moderate stress as a result of the aging process. Results indicated that the majority of clients experienced decreased anxiety, became more effective in problem solving, and began to make use of community resources. (Author)

A statewide project in South Dakota has screened the vision of 2,578 elderly persons in 90 nursing homes, finding 13 percent legally blind and referring 32 percent for services either from agencies for the blind or from physicians or optometrists. (KW)