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PROJECT TO LAUNCH MASTER'S DEGREE IN GERIATRICS FOR
PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
Bozhkova Maria Krasteva
PhD Deputy Director Medical College, Medical University - Plovdiv
ABSTRACT
A master's degree for attending to the needs of the elderly has been developed in specific modules that are oriented towards elderly people and gerontological care: Aging in a global context, ie theoretical foundations of aging, growing old gracefully, assisted living. The degree syllabus includes also general or core modules, which deal with research methodology, learning management skills and the study of informatics, which offers opportunities for changing the daily lives of elderly people. These core modules are: Research and innovation, ethical problems in elderly care, leadership and management, informatics.
Keywords: graduate programs, elderly people, health care.
The master's degree for attending to the needs of the elderly is designed to prepare students to:
• Make a critical analysis of social and health policies related to aging, develop and express informed opinions on issues of social policy for the elderly and the care for them.
• Detect, develop and formulate scientific research issues related to elderly people and their care, and plan modest research to offer solutions.
• Gain knowledge about European health system and social assistance based on values of equality, solidarity, access to good care for elderly people and universality, about various national health systems in Europe and the institutions of the European Union.
• Create theories and concepts in the field of aging and health in order to develop skills for evaluating health outcomes and health screening for clinical practice and / or empirical research and / or policy development.
• Acquire all leadership and management skills necessary for professional realization in different private and public organizations dealing with the elderly and providing care for this vulnerable group of people.
• Develop the necessary analytical skills to resolve important and complex social problems, and to increase students' competencies for effective work to achieve specific goals.
The modules in the syllabus:
Aging in a global context
Description of the module:
This module provides a thorough knowledge of the principles of providing care for the elderly in the context of global demographic changes. The module is focused on epidemiology, family structures, legislation and social policy in connection with an aging European Community. It also considers issues related to the practice of care provision for the elderly in the context of healthcare.
The theoretical underpinnings of aging
Description of the module:
This module examines the aging process, with particular attention being paid to the physiological, psychological and socio-cultural dimensions of the aging process. The module is presented in two parts: Part 1: Main physiological and psychological changes that occur with aging. Part 2: Social, cultural and ethnic dimensions of aging are to be discussed with a special focus on the social construction of aging and a link is made between critical theory and the aging process.
Research and Innovation
Description of the module:
This model consists of four training parts.
Part 1: Introduction to research - students are stimulated to explore and understand the nature of scientific research and are given an introductory training into research and innovation.
Part 2: Critical evaluation - helps to build a critical approach to the theoretical, methodological and ethical issues of scientific research.
Part 3: Methods and methodology - provides a theoretical framework through which students will be able to formulate and acquire good knowledge so that they can put innovations into practice.
Informatics
Description of the module:
The informatics module is divided into two parts:
• Informatics fundamentals
• Virtual environments
The first part introduces students to (1) key fundamental concepts of general health informatics and its application in gerontology, and (2) the concepts of how to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the quality of life of an aging population. The aim is to encourage students to make better use of computers and various web resources worldwide in the workplace and in life in general and how to promote the use of ICT to elderly people.
The second part of the module introduces students to some innovative approaches to the integration of virtual environments in healthcare and in everyday life of both students and the elderly. These technologies will help students gain a realistic experience of the problems they will face in real life.
Leadership and management
Description of the module:
The module «Leadership and Management» deals with concepts and management tools and their application in the field of gerontology. For example, special attention is paid to the interface, innovation management and disease management. The development of innovative services in the field of gerontology will be an important challenge in the future and would be considered in the module. Professional collaboration and teamwork are essential to meeting this demand. Furthermore, in order to manage institutions, agencies and families who care for the elderly, knowledge in the field of organizational development and staffing are needed: staff scheduling, planning education, employee motivation or team building are crucial for achievement high-quality working conditions and efficiency. These aspects can be assessed through the concepts and tools used for quality control. Models for evaluation and quality assurance through practical examples of gerontology are to be Introduced and discussed.
Objectives and outcomes of overall training:
Upon completion of the module students should be able to:
Discuss the principles of care for the elderly and describe the impact of epidemiographic and demographic changes in society.
Explain the emerging and changing family structures in Europe and the manner they affect the care of elderly people.
Detect emerging issues in an aging society and understand patterns of care that are used in the planning of services for elderly people.
Critically analyze the impact of legislation and social policy on how to provide care for the elderly.
Show how the voices of elderly people affect and influence the planning and delivery of services.
Discuss applying a critical attitude theories of aging and describe the normal process of aging.
Explain how theories of aging provide information on health care provision for the elderly.
Discover how theories of aging enrich our understanding and awareness of issues affecting elderly people.
To help students explore and investigate the nature of research, its connection with the natural and social sciences, health, education and / or social care.
Develop critical understanding of the range of theoretical, methodological and ethical issues related to the study of health, education and social care.
Understand the relative nature of separation of research into «qualitative» and «quantitative» approaches and their correlation with evidence-based policies and practices, measuring clinical effectiveness and evaluation of educational practices and the use of mixed methods.
Explore and analyze issues and innovations related to gerontological care.
Use and apply approaches of detections and analysis of complex internal and external factors necessary for making informed decisions.
Knowledge and skills of graduate students:
Understanding the impact that demographic changes and epidemiological factors have on the elderly people service provision.
Knowledge of family structures, emerging issues and the complexity of the work and responsibilities associated with caring for the elderly.
Demonstrate a thorough theoretical and conceptual knowledge and understanding of theories of aging and their relationship with the elderly and their care.
Knowledge and understanding through contemporary debate, critical analysis of lectures and insight and evidence from empirical research.
Knowledge and understanding will also provide the necessary basis for originality in developing and implementing ideas in the context of the specific professional role, and by conducting empirical research.
Application of knowledge, understanding and skills to solve problems in the implementation of the professional role, which involves direct work with elderly people and indirect employment through intermediary systems, such as policy development, management services or educating practitioners.
Understanding the importance of professional cooperation for ensuring quality of care.
Thinking about the challenges of working in professional teams and finding solutions to overcoming potential obstacles.
Putting knowledge to designing methods of evaluation.
Developing adequate plans for evaluation by examples from gerontology.
Upon graduation, students acquire:
1. Cognitive Skills:
Communicating with older people with their families and with significant people in their lives.
Maintaining interface with governmental and non-govenrmental organisations working with and for elderlyr people. Integrating knowledge of theories for the elderly to inform and guide the professional role.
Reflecting on a wide range of disciplinary, scientific and professional issues as well as social, cultural and ethical responsibilities related to the application of knowledge and their judgment.
Communicating theories for elderly people and the knowledge and logical productions set in these theories to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous manner.
2. Practical skills:
Ability to analyze and synthesize.
Ability to create new ideas (creativity).
Ability to adapt to new situations.
Critical thinking and self-criticism.
Acquiring learning skills to enable continual further self-study.
Acting in professional situations in ways that take into account the complex and changing nature of the environment of practice, so they can identify their own learning needs and objectives and define and / or negotiate their own learning tasks in response to these needs.
Engagement with elderly people to exchange ideas and experiences as a way of creating more opportunities for the latter.
Development of a virtual patient scenarios using ICT in everyday professional life.
Involvement of elderly people in the role of the ICT and virtual environments.
3.Communicated skills:
Effective and confidential communication skills.
Working in multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral teams.
Providing leadership in caring for the elderly and organizations dealing with elderly people.
Making a literature review by manual and electronic techniques. Keeping a research journal.
Involving elderly people in the research process and capturing the latter's voices.
Implementation and use of the framework and determining the appropriate tools and techniques for understanding and interpreting the rapidly changing arena of gerontological care.
Demonstrating the ability to develop strategies for supporting and managing innovation in a wide range of policies, policy making, management, educational and practical contexts.
Building a more creative and caring climate in the organization.
Developing a critical approach to evaluating the gerontological literature and its use as evidence in challenging cases for innovation and change in gerontology from a practical point of view of education, health or social care.
Developing assessment skills needed to check the practice, selection and implementation of a wide range of valid and reliable methods and approaches.
Self-development as a research-oriented practitioner, educator and leader in the field of gerontology.
Judging on merrits and demonstrating innovative ability to work within a role in disciplinary, organizational and institutional boundaries.
Involvement with other agencies pertaining to the research process.
Through the program, students are to acquire the following competencies:
• Ability to reflect on the ethical issues and commitment to professional ethics in dealing with elderly people.
• Ability to include organizational knowledge to take better professional decisions.
• Ability to plan and monitor the implementation of activities related to the provision of gerontological nursing.
• Ability to use scientific methods for research in the field of gerontological nursing.
After successful completion of the course students will be able to:
• Analyze concepts and theories to determine the nature of knowledge relative to the theoretical and practical fields of gerontology and discuss the relevance of these theories in the clinical setting.
• Discuss various approaches and models of care that are suitable for application to the elderly and assess the evidential basis for the provision of such care.
• Critically evaluate research literature on a specific basis, such as the delivery of care for the elderly; discuss methods and principles of quality indicators and improving the quality and use of these measures in health and social care; describe the nature of the changes and use these changes in gerontology; criticize the ethical implications of human actions and debate the use of moral theories into practical side of taking care of old people; discuss cognitive and humanistic theories of learning and the use of these theories in view of the assessment and evaluation of knowledge in the field of gerontology.
• Learn the latest news from the professional clinical practice and study their meaning and usage in gerontological nursing.
Students will have the skills to plan scientific research studies in the field of care provision for the elderly, paying particular attention to confidentiality, ethics, vulnerability, sensitivity and compassion necessary for the effective dissemination and evaluation of research projects.
Students will also be able to work effectively in evidence-based environment of gerontological care by analyzing research and policy making aimed at healthcare. They will have the necessary qualities to take on leadership roles in their
organizations to track and document the results and outcomes of care.
Students will be able to recognize and bring social and socio-cultural changes and the impact of these facts on the provision of care for the elderly, family life, the paradoxical relationship between disease and health. They will also be able to understand the complexity of social conditions for building their own identity.
Students will gain an understanding of the theoretical principles of a healthy lifestyle and quality of life of elderly people and the influence of environmental factors and other psychological and social factors on the elderly people's health. Students will be trained to work with people in the field of health promotion among elderly people.
As mentioned above, students in the degree in geriatrics will be able to explore the issues and concepts to support the use of information technology in healthcare and nursing care, understand the importance of the role of information and communication technologies in improving the quality of life of elderly people and will be able to use information technology in providing care for the elderly.
Career prospects
Upon successful completion of the intensive interdisciplinary curriculum, students will be prepared for a career in these areas and segments:
• Joint daily work with the elderly;
• Working in social and pension services
• Education, science and research
• Personal development, mediation, teaching and counseling
• Exercising influence on regional, national and international legislation and administrative bodies
• Pursuing a professional career in the nursing home as a planner of recreational activities and leisure.
• Leadership roles in institutions dealing with issues of aging. Long-term care and nursing care for the elderly
• Development of products and services in the healthcare industry designed specifically for elderly people.
Literature
1. Law for Health SG. 70/2004
2. Law on Medical Institutions SG. 62/1999
3. Law for Higher Education SG. 27/1995
4. Law for Health Insurance SG. 70/1998
5. National Health Strategy 2014 to 2020, Sofia 2013
