Encouraging Rural Youth Entry into Geriatric Healthcare Professions through Long-Term Care Pre-Career Placements

Youth entry into the geriatric healthcare professions supply pipeline and attitudes about older people are positively impacted by the Area Geriatric Education Scholars (AGES) pre-career program. High school students are trained and placed in summer learning experiences at long-term care (LTC) facilities serving elderly residents throughout Michigan's rural, underserved Upper Peninsula (UP). Five years of AGES success can be attributed to an effective collaboration of partners including UP schools of healthcare professions, LTCs, high schools, universities, hospitals, telehealth network, HOSA, workforce skills alliance and funders.

Since 2006, 127 high school juniors and seniors from 14 counties representing 29 high schools annually have served 1800+ elderly LTC residents through AGES placements at 16 sites. After AGES, students report more favorable attitudes about older people and preparation for healthcare careers. AGES' orientation covers career paths, geriatric health issues (e.g. Alzheimer's Disease), LTC practices, health professions schools, technology (e.g. medical simulation and telemedicine), professionalism, empathy and philanthropy. For seven summer weeks at paid LTC placements, students job shadow nurses, physicians, physical therapists and social workers, assist with basic care , provide one-on-one companionship and lead group activities.

Satisfaction with AGES is very high among students, partnering LTCs, educators and funders per survey results. AGES student-alums matriculate to university-level healthcare professions tracks, attend medical and nursing school, work as CNAs at their former AGES sites concurrent with college study and become active in their communities. They assist with AGES research, program design and outreach.

AGES is sponsored by the Upper Peninsula Health Education Corporation.