Interdisciplinary Geriatric Core Competencies
Upon completion of the certificate, the student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate the skills necessary to practice as a competent “upskilled” health care provider when caring for older adults.
2. Utilize the principles of evidence-based practice when providing service to older adults.
3. Develop effective, collaborative exchanges and interdisciplinary team building within the health care community for the purpose of promoting wellness and managing the care of older adults.
4. Articulate how cultural beliefs, values, and ethical constraints for both the older adult and health care provider impact on the health and health care of older adults.
5. Critically evaluate and utilize the most up-to-date educational, scientific, and clinical technologies.
6. Demonstrate use of knowledge of geriatrics to become an advocate for the delivery of quality health and supportive care for the aging population.
7. Be able to practice in diverse health care settings serving older adults, including those located in medically and economically underserved areas.
Competencies for Interdisciplinary Core by Course
Course: Approaches to the Older Adult
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Describe how demographic trends and increased longevity influence health care delivery in the older population.
2. Discuss the relationship between demographics and health promotion/disease prevention in the older and multiethnic populations.
3. Assess how attitudes, beliefs, myths and stereotypes of aging impact on the health and wellness of the older population.
4. Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and effective communication with older individuals, their families and caregivers,
5. Discuss factors that influence health care literacy and how they impact on communication in multicultural populations.
6. Assess the physical, psychological, cognitive, functional, social, environmental, and economic status of older individuals utilizing standardized assessment tools and approaches.
7. Relate normal and abnormal age-related changes to the physical, psychological, social, and functional status of the older adults.
8. Discuss the impact of underreporting illness and non-classical symptoms of disease in providing care for older adults.
9. Describe the basic principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics for older adults.
10. Demonstrate an understanding of the issues related to prescription drug, use, polypharmacy, over-the-counter use, and complementary therapies in older adults.
11. Demonstrate the skills to help empower older adults to assume control over their health and health care to facilitate successful aging.
Course: Managing Disease in Older Adults
Upon completion of this core course, the student will be able to:
1. Identify and assess common geriatric syndromes and appropriate intervention strategies in the older population.
2. Apply primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies when caring for the multicultural aging population.
3. Discuss the role of chronic disease self-management in the older adult population.
4. Integrate culturally appropriate evidence-based intervention strategies across the continuum of care for older adults.
5. Create individualized health care plans for older adults that include their needs, preferences, and cultural values.
6. Apply current aging-related research into practice.
7. Identify home and community-based resources designed to support older adults, their families and caregivers to optimize function and maintain quality of life.
Course: Social and Health Care Policy
Upon completion of this core course, the student will be able to:
1. Explain how demographics, cost, quality, and access impact on the development and implementation of social and health care policy.
2. Determine how changes in social and health policy for older adults influence health care delivery systems and provider practice patterns.
3. Describe how values, beliefs, equity and equality influence development of health and social programs serving older adults.
4. Demonstrate familiarity with various types of income maintenance and entitlement programs available for older adults.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the network of services available for older Americans as defined by the Older Americans Act and Social Services Block Grant.
6. Explain the impact of race, culture, and economic status on health disparities.
7. Discuss current Medicare and Medicaid legislation and describe its impact on the future directions of health care for the older adults.
8. Critically examine the challenges that impact long term living and end of life care.
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