Student Introduction to Aging

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Student Introduction to Aging

• Created by the UW-Milwaukee Center on Age and
  Community and the Milwaukee Aging Consortium.
  Made possible by a grant from the Faye McBeath
  Foundation.

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Community Learning in Aging Orientation

• Benefits of working with older adults
• What to expect when working with older adults
• Making the most of your experiential learning
  opportunity

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Benefits of Working with Older Adults

• Experience
• Exposure to the work environment
• Help people
• Learning opportunity
• Career development
• Fun and rewarding experience

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What Do You Call Older People?

• Elder/Elderly
• Mature American
• Senior Citizen
• Senior
• Golden-Ager
• OLDER ADULT is the Preferred Term

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Why Work with Older Adults?

• More people are living longer than ever
• Older people are not getting the help they need
  or deserve
• Opportunity to do pioneering work
• New jobs are available every day
• Very rewarding experience

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Quotes About Working with Older Adults

• Give service a chance. If you think I dont
  have the time, just try it. If I hadnt been
  involved in service learning, Im not so sure Id
  be as involved in the community as I am now. It
  was my first step.
• Older adults are JUST like us. They were young
  too and did all the same dirty things we do.
• The key to the program was the length of time
  students came. By coming just a few hours a week
  for a couple of months, a relationship was able
  to built, instead of just volunteering coming
  and going quickly.

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Successful Aging

• Physical and biological
• Psychological
• Social

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Physical and Biological Aspects of Aging

• The rate of physical aging varies widely
• Physical aging is slow, gradual, life-long, and
  inevitable
• Most living things have life cycles of patterned
  biological changes
• Disabilities, sensory loss, and chronic diseases
  increase with age but dont always happen

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Physical and Biological Aspects of Aging

• Muscle, skin, and bone
• Taste
• Smell
• Sight
• Sound

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Psychological Aspects of Aging

• Psychological well-being is linked to physical
  and social health
• Most older adults are in good mental health
• Significant memory loss is not normal
• Wisdom is not automatic
• Some experience dementia and/or Alzheimers
  Disease

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Psychological Aspects of aging

• Deficits can be prevented and reversed through
• Positive human interactions
• Remaining active and engaged
• Regular exercise

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The Effects of Alzheimers and Dementia

• Apraxia
• Abstract thought
• Attention
• Judgment

• Hearing
• Memory
• Language
• Perception

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Communicating with Someone who has Dementia

• Approach people calmly, cheerfully, and with
  respect
• Remember the KISS method Keep it short and
  simple
• Slow down verbal communication
• Make eye contact
• Practice, practice, practice

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Social Aspects of Aging

• People bring with them their unique historical
  and cultural experiences as they age
• Older people are more diverse than any other
  group
• Most older adults are socially engaged
• The roles, social status, and norms of age groups
  vary among cultures

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Tips for Positive Interactions with Older Adults

• Get involved dont just observe
• Approach people
• Treat people with respect
• Find the best time of day to do activities
• Know who and when to ask for help

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Making the Most of Your Experience Here

• Think about your role and what you want to
  accomplish
• Be professional
• Communicate

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Think About Your Role Here

• Before
• During
• After

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Be Professional

• Dress appropriately
• Be on time
• Follow-through on your commitments
• Remember who youre representing
• Realize the potential costs of not being
  professional

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Keep the Lines of Communication Open

• Professors
• Supervisors
• Staff
• Co-workers
• Older adults
• Yourself

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Gaining additional experience

• Volunteering
• Service learning
• Internships
• Working
• Overview of other agencies and businesses that
  serve older adults

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Forms and Templates

• Service learning agreement
• Time tracking sheet
• Journal page template
• Site evaluation form
• Student evaluation form (used by supervisors)
• HIPAA regulations

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Special thanks to

• Family House, Inc.
• The Faye McBeath Foundation
• Indian Council of the Elderly
• Luther Manor
• Milwaukee Aging Consortium
• Milwaukee Area College Internship Consortium
• St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care
• UWM Center on Age Community and Service
  Learning Institute
• Wisconsin Geriatric Education Center