A Competency-Based Approach to Educating and Training the Eldercare Workforce.

Healthcare for older adults requires a knowledgeable professional workforce. Yet less than one percent of health professionals are certified in geriatrics. This paper describes initiatives to assure that entry level and specialist education, and practitioner competency in nursing, medicine and social work are prepared in geriatrics, discusses needs for competency in interdisciplinary geriatric education, and recommends how these efforts can support and be supported by the Affordable Care Act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]