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Current public health and aging service agency personnel have little training in gerontology, and virtually no training in evidence-based health promotion and disease management programs for older adults. These programs are rapidly becoming the future of our community-based long-term care support system. The purpose of this project was to develop and test a model community college career technical education program, Skills for Healthy Aging Resources and Programs (SHARP), for undergraduate college students, current personnel in aging service and community organizations, and others interested in retraining. A multidisciplinary cross-sector team from disciplines of public health, sociology, gerontology and nursing developed four competency-based courses that focus on healthy aging, behavior change strategies, program management, an internship, and an option for leader training in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. To enhance implementation and fidelity, intensive faculty development training was provided to all instructors and community agency partners. Baseline and postprogram evaluation of competencies for faculty and students was conducted. Process evaluation for both groups focused on satisfaction with the curricula and suggestions for program improvement. SHARP has been piloted five times at two community colleges. Trainees (n = 113) were primarily community college students (n = 108) and current aging service personnel (n = 5). Statistically significant improvements in all competencies were found for both faculty and students. Process evaluation outcomes identified the needed logical and component adaptations to enhance the feasibility of program implementation, dissemination, and student satisfaction. The SHARP program provides a well-tested, evidence-based effective model for addressing workforce preparation in support of healthy aging service program expansion and delivery. [This article is part of an open access supplement "Fostering Engagement and Independence: Opportunities and Challenges for an Aging Society," published in SOPHE's "Health Education & Behavior." This supplement was supported by funding provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Healthy Aging Program (Cooperative Agreement #U38HM000454) via the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and from a grant provided by the Retirement Research Foundation.]

California has actively engaged in the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative. Subsequently, the California Social Work Education Center Aging Initiative conducted a university survey of gerontology education in California graduate social work schools ("N"?=?17). In 2005, students taking aging courses were 12% in comparison to a national report of 7% by the Council on Social Work Education and an earlier 1993 national survey of 3%. Still, the number of gerontology students remains less than needed numbers. However, California social work schools are well-prepared with infused curricula for all social workers and exceed previous standards for gerontology faculty and aging field placements. The implications for California are discussed as well as recommendations for updating the earlier gerontology curricula criteria. (Contains 2 tables.)

Using graduate social work students' data ("n" = 481) in the Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education (HPPAE) in the United States, the study examined psychometric properties of the Knowledge of Aging for Social Work Quiz (KASW), a revision of the Facts on Aging Quiz, to evaluate biopsychosocial knowledge relevant to social work. We examined the intercorrelations of the KASW with the academic and practice experience in aging and score differences by the specialization and school year, and estimated the internal consistencies as reliability. Results showed the convergent validity of the KASW, indicating the items measured theoretically related areas of content with students' skills and experiences in aging. The internal consistencies, nevertheless, remained relatively low, representing the items that failed to measure the expected constructs of biopsychosocial domains. The KASW will be further refined to more sensitively identify students' knowledge deficiencies by selecting an optimal panel of items in biopsychosocial content areas and by providing information relevant to the pedagogical agenda and guidance in field education.

Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) was used to measure aging knowledge outcomes of 323 practicum students engaged in aging-focused practica at pre- and posttest across 11 universities. Significant improvement in knowledge scores (p = 0.0001) was found for graduates of the enhanced field education programs. Taking aging course work was a significant (p = 0.0001) influence on knowledge outcomes. Combined with coursework, the practicum students experienced increased knowledge of aging. When experiential and didactic learning is combined, increased knowledge about facts of aging occurs. (Contains 5 tables.)

The University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) General Education "Clusters" are innovations in student-centered undergraduate education focused on complex phenomena that require an interdisciplinary perspective. UCLA gerontology and geriatric faculty recognized the opportunity to introduce freshmen to the field of aging through this new initiative. In 2000, with support of the College of Letters and Science, the School of Medicine Multicampus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology created "Frontiers in Human Aging: Biomedical, Social and Policy Perspectives." The active and cooperative student-centered teaching of aging that is integral to this course has successfully contributed to the development of intellectual skills needed for academic and life success in over 1,200 freshman honors students. (Contains 2 figures.)

Informal caregivers--primarily family members--are the foundation of rehabilitation, chronic care, and long-term support for older persons. The growing population of older persons and the changing health care delivery system (for example, shortened hospital stays) demand more of family caregivers and increase the toll on their health. To help them cope with these demands, nurses and social workers, who treat diverse older populations, must have cultural competence to enable them to practice effectively with caregivers. Along with increasing the emphasis on evidence-based practice, health care education is moving to a competence-based approach with clearly measured outcomes. In this article, literature from the past decade, especially systematic reviews of evidence-based-practice dissemination and training, is used to inform nurse and social worker competence in supporting family caregivers. The reviews were from the medical education literature as well as from nursing and social work education, and some studies involved students and residents, not only postgraduate practitioners. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

This cross-sectional study assessed undergraduate attitudes toward older adults and attitude endurance 3 to 18 months after aging coursework. Survey respondents included 349 students who took an aging elective and 430 comparison students. Aging-elective students indicated more positive attitudes than comparison students. Attitudes did not vary across 3 groups staggered by time elapsed from completing the course until testing (3 to 18 months). 4 variables accounted for the variance in attitudes toward elders at a statistically significant level: majoring in biology, having frequent or occasional contact with unrelated older adults, taking an aging course, and post-course knowledge of aging. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)

The Geriatric Social Work Practicum Partnership Program was funded to attract graduate students to the field of aging and to strengthen field education in geriatric social work. Rotation was selected to achieve the program's goals to provide students with exposure to the spectrum of care in geriatric social work services. This paper describes the program's experience with rotation, which is the planned and systematic movement of students between two or more field practicum sites and supervision from more than one field instructor. Implementing rotation required the establishment of a university-community partnership. Students' positive reaction to rotation indicates that it warrants further implementation and evaluation. (Contains 4 tables.)

This study assesses undergraduate knowledge of aging, distinguishing between types of deficits (ignorance vs. misinformation) and content areas as delineated by a biopsychosocial framework. Knowledge is examined as an outcome of taking an aging elective, while accounting for course rating and knowledge retention. A diverse body of UCLA undergraduate students who took an aging course (n = 349) and a stratified random comparison group (n = 430) took Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz and scored 14 and 12 items correct, respectively. Undergraduates (n = 779) showed a good knowledge of aging in the psychological-cognitive domain, but consistent with previous findings, they exhibited deficits primarily in the social-demographic realm. Taking an aging course was significantly related to better overall knowledge of aging (correct) (p less than or equal to 0.0001), and fewer don't know responses (p less than or equal to 0.0001). Course rating and shorter timing until testing were also significantly related to better knowledge. (Contains 4 tables.)

Identifies challenges to the social work profession in an aging society including the shortage of gerontological social workers, lack of gerontological expertise and competence, negative attitudes towards older adults, inadequate social work curricula in aging, and cutbacks in federal resources. Offers strategies for enhancing gerontological social work education including recruitment, and curriculum enhancement. (DB)

Despite a growing need for geriatric social workers, there is a question as to whether MSW graduates who are gerontologically prepared actually enter the workforce to serve older adults. By tracking MSW graduates who had special training in aging, this study aims to explore their job search and career experience. Findings show that most graduates located aging-related jobs 4 months postgraduation and remained committed to the field 1 to 2 years later. The majority were working in direct service provision in clinical settings. Their salaries compare favorably with those of generic social workers. Implications for geriatric social work education are discussed. KEYWORDS Geriatric social work education, social work labor force for older adults, career tracking, job search, employment, salary, Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education (HPPAE)

The Practicum Partnership Program (PPP), an innovative field education model developed and implemented by six demonstration sites over four years (2000-2004), uses a structured university-community partnership, or consortium, as the foundation for designing, implementing, and evaluating internships for graduate social work students specializing in aging. This paper describes the site consortia and PPP programs, presents evaluation findings, and identifies future directions for the PPP. Student learning outcomes were positive and both students and consortia agencies reported positive PPP experiences. The PPP model underscores the value of the community agencies as equal partners in educating future geriatric social workers. doi: 10.1300/J083v50n01_10 KEYWORDS. Geriatric social work, social work education, university-community partnership, Practicum Partnership Program, consortia

Preparing social workers to effectively practice with the growing older population requires the identification of geriatric competencies for the profession. The John A. Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative provided the impetus and direction for a national strategy to improve the quality of preparation of geriatric social workers. The Geriatric Social Work Practicum Partnership Program (PPP) is the project with the Hartford Initiative that emphasizes field education. The Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium (GSWEC), one of the PPP programs, initiated the development of competencies for work with older adults. GSWEC utilized Geriatric Social Work White Papers and the pioneering work of the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) Strengthening Aging and Gerontology Education for Social Work's (SAGE-SW) comprehensive competency list as well as conducted focus groups locally to delineate key competencies for field education. The Coordinating Center for the PPP, located at the New York Academy of Medicine, led in collaboratively developing knowledge based skill competencies for geriatric social work across all 6 demonstration sites (11 universities). The competencies adopted across sites include skills in the following five major domains: values and ethics; assessment (individuals and families, aging services, programs and policies); practice and interventions (theory and knowledge in practice, individual and family, aging services, programs and practice) interdisciplinary collaboration; and evaluation and research. The identified competencies have proven effective in evaluating students (n = 190) pre- and post PPP field education. The implications for further development of competency driven education for geriatric social work are discussed. doi: 10.1300/J083v48n0110 KEYWORDS. Geriatric social work competencies, geriatric/gerontological education, geriatric training, social work competence, social work education

Objectives. We assessed racial/ethnic variations in patterns of ambulatory care use among Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care-eligible veterans to determine if racial/ethnic differences in health care use persist in equal-access systems. Methods. We surveyed 3227 male veterans about their health and ambulatory care use. Results. Thirty-eight percent of respondents had not had a health care visit in the previous 12 months. Black (odds ratio [OR] = 0.5), Hispanic (OR = 0.4), and Asian/Pacific Islander veterans (OR = 0.4) were less likely than White veterans to report any ambulatory care use. Alternately, Whites (OR = 2.2) were more likely than other groups to report ambulatory care use. Being White was a greater predictor of health care use than was having fair or poor health (OR = 1.4) or functional limitations (OR = 1.5). In non-VA settings, racial/ethnic minorities were less likely to have a usual provider of health care. There was no VA racial/ethnic variation in this parameter. Conclusions. Racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care use are present among VA health care-eligible veterans. Although the VA plays an important role in health care delivery to ethnic minority veterans, barriers to VA ambulatory care use and additional facilitators for reducing unmet need still need to be investigated. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.043570)

Objective: Despite the escalating demand for geriatric social work services to meet the comprehensive needs of a growing number of older persons and their families, no commonly accepted, gerontological knowledge-based skills-or competencies-have been identified for social workers to possess to effectively serve older clients. This inquiry examined the responses of consumers and providers of geriatric social work concerning geriatric social work competencies. Method: A needs assessment was conducted with four focus groups (N = 33) comprised of older adults and caregivers (consumers), as well as employers in the field of aging and recent social work graduates currently working with older people (providers). A content analysis of field notes and transcripts from audio recordings was used to identify common domains and significant feedback. Findings: Consumers identified resource finding as the most important social worker competency. Providers most frequently cited the ability to conduct geriatric assessments and case management, and the capacity for self-awareness as important competencies. Many consumers did not understand the role of social workers. Implications: The results support the need for integrating academic and field curricula to address the lack of commonly accepted geriatric social work competencies, and the need to strengthen public education about the professional role of social work in the field of aging. KEYWORDS. Aging competency, geriatric social work, practice, knowledge, skills, values, education, field training, geriatric assessment, resource finding, self-awareness, case management, emotional support, cultural competency, advocacy, autonomy, ageism, interdisciplinary collaboration, networking, communication

This qualitative study explored the domains of gender, ethnicity, and military association in a population of women veterans as these domains related to the women's access to and use of health care services and assessed barriers to the use of health services and suggestions for improving them. The study found that a significant proportion of the participants had experienced some form of gender discrimination in the military, through segregation or sexual harassment, and that their perceptions of the Veterans Administration health care system were framed by their military, ethnic/racial, and gender experiences. Keywords: health care; qualitative research; veteran identity; women veterans

Training for interdisciplinary practice is integral to preparation of well-qualified gerontological social workers. Social work and other disciplines must be prepared to function in teams to achieve mutually determined therapeutic patient goals and to maintain team efficiency. A conceptual framework is presented to organize the content areas for social work education in preparation for interdisciplinary practice. Curricula tools and learning exercises are given as examples and resources for teaching in each of the four major components of the framework: context, structure, process and outcomes. Recommendations for curriculum considerations are presented. KEYWORDS. Geronotology, interdisciplinary practice, teams, social work education

The National Forum on Geriatric Education and Training and certain resolutions of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA) addressed the labor force demand of the aging population. The Social Work White Paper from the National Forum on Geriatric Education and Training and certain WHCoA resolutions combine to form the blueprint for social work in aging for the 21st century. They should be used by practitioners of social work and educators to advocate for the creation of a curriculum in aging in Schools of Social Work and for continued education and professional development.

This paper describes the effort of the California Geriatric Education Center (CGEC) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to rectify the severe shortage of social work faculty trained in aging as reported in a recent national survey of schools of social work. The lack of gerontological social work faculty is a major barrier to the development of aging curricula in BSW and MSW programs. The CGEC Social Work Faculty Development Program (SWFDP) presents a model for faculty development in gerontology which addresses major issues in social work education.

The present study reports the results of a nationwide survey which examined the current status of gerontological education in B.S.W. and M.S.W. programs. The survey findings register a decline in gerontological curricula but an increase in student interest in aging. The survey also notes that lack of trained faculty and a full curriculum are most often mentioned as major barriers to further gerontological curricula development. The paper considers implications of these findings along with recommendations for expanding aging content at both the undergraduate and graduate level of social work education.

This study explores whether there is a common core of competencies in European gerontology education programs by doing a cross-comparison of five undergraduate-level programs. Content analysis of competency profile documents at the five European educational programs were studied using thematic analysis. Study results document that there indeed is a common core of elements in gerontological educational programs. Three clusters which included a total of 15 categories were identified. The clusters were labeled professional attitude, communication skills, and service provision. Clusters and categories varied across the five programs. One program in particular included fewer clusters and categories. This may reflect a difference in focus in the program but could also reflect a less elaborately formulated competency profile document. The results of this study show that, at least at the level of formulating competencies, there is a strong agreement on the major components that are important for a gerontologist at the undergraduate level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]