Creating a More Elder- Friendly Healthcare Workforce

NY Connects Genesee Care Options

Genesee County Office for the Aging

Genesee Community College

Solutions to Workforce Challenges

Goal: “Preparing an elder-friendly aging-sensitive nursing workforce in the Genesee-Orleans –Wyoming- Livingston region”.

Working Together: Genesee Community College Nursing Program and the Long Term Care Task Force, under the leadership of NY Connects Genesee Care Options/OFA, work together to develop and implement the GCC Geriatric Clinical Rotation.

Long Term Care Task Force Collaboration

GCC’s Lifespan Nursing Course: Geriatric Clinical Rotation and Gundersen-Lutheran Respecting Choices ACP Facilitator Training.

Long Term Care Task Force host agencies: agency visits and one on one well elder visits with nursing students.

Student Activities

Well elder home visits Assessment, health teaching

Community agency visits Respecting Choices

Individual and group presentations Long Term Care

Long Term Care Task Force Actions Collaboration with agencies Well elder client enrollment and

coordination Americorps Member Data Collection and Analysis

Well elder surveys Student pre and post tests

Creating a More Elder Friendly Workforce Change in Student Perceptions towards Older Adults

Surveys & Testimonials Surveys and testimonials from RN Students

validate the change in attitude and knowledge regarding their work with older adults.

Students particularly surprised by the range of community and home based support services available. Most only vaguely aware of prior to this experience.

Many stated that their perceptions of older adults changed and they would be more favorable in working with older adults in their nursing career.

Results 193 RN Students complete Geriatric

Clinical Rotation August ’08 through December ’09

Awareness of resources Perceptions of the well elder Value of ACP Health needs of older adults Collaboration within the community

Future – Sustainability of Initiative Curriculum development completed Working relationships with agencies

established and ongoing Involvement and recruitment of well elders Tracking and scheduling systems in place

Americorp Member Training Kit for implementation in other

nursing programs