Inviting Our Elders In: A Novel Approach to Enhancing Geriatric Education

Introduction: This presentation will describe a US Health Resources and Services Administration funded effort to enhance geriatric education in a Midwest chiropractic college. In the Healthy Aging class, averaging 150 students, there are considerable challenges to building students' comfort and confidence in caring for aging patients. Some students are further limited by not having much opportunity to interact with older patients. This project was aimed at assessing the perceived value of a small group interactive activity including older individuals, aged 65-105, invited as classroom guests. Methods: Groups of 15-20 students get 15 minutes with each of 5 elder classroom guests, asking them a variety of health related and non-health related questions. Subsequent to the experience, students rate the activity, its educational value and if it should be continued in future classes of students. Information was also gathered on what the students learned from this activity (main points.) Results: Virtually 100% of the 380 students assessed, said that this activity should be included in future classes of students. The majority of students rated it as one of the most educationally valuable activity in their past 3 years of college. Qualitative student comments indicated an increase in willingness to care for older patients in practice and comfort with aging patients. There appears to be clear value in bringing aging adults into the classroom when teaching clinical concepts related to aging.