Document Type
Article
Publication Title
JOTE: Journal of Occupational Therapy Education
Abstract
As the older adult population increases, it is vital to educate and train healthcare providers as members of interprofessional healthcare teams who can work effectively with these individuals. Ageism is a potential obstacle to achieving this goal. The purpose of this pre/post-test design pilot study was to determine the impact of an interprofessional geriatric training experience on the attitudes of future healthcare providers towards interprofessionalism and working with older adults. Sixteen graduate level students from occupational therapy and clinical psychology programs completed four interprofessional sessions with older adults residing in a long-term care facility. Quantitative data were gathered from pre/post-test scores on three instruments: (1) Self-Perceptions and Older Adults Questionnaire; (2) A Refined Version of Aging Semantic Differential; and (3) Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale. Results of paired sample t tests indicated that participants described older adults significantly more positively and their perceptions about working with older adults became significantly more positive following the interprofessional geriatric training experience. Additional data were gathered regarding participants’ perceptions of the interprofessional training experiences at the conclusion of the study. This feedback regarding students’ perceptions of the interprofessional geriatric training experiences indicated that the majority of the participants found the experiences with the older adults to be valuable and that the interprofessional learning activities helped them better understand the older adults. The results of this pilot study suggest that even short-term interprofessional experiences may have the ability to positively influence the attitudes of future healthcare providers regarding older adults.
DOI
10.26681/jote.2018.020305
Publication Date
2018
Keywords
Interprofessionalism, occupational therapy education, ageism, older adults, clinical psychology education
ISSN
2573-1378
Recommended Citation
Knecht-Sabres LJ, Wallingford M, Lee MM, Gunn JF, Anaya EM, Getch SE, Krumdick ND, Workman GM. The Impact of an Interprofessional Geriatric Training Experience: Attitudes of Future Healthcare Providers. JOTE: Journal of Occupational Therapy Education. 2018; 2(3). doi: 10.26681/jote.2018.020305.
