The Impact of TimeSlips on Undergraduate Students in Service Learning With Older Adults

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Sabine Heuer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Attitudes Toward Older Adults ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Attitude Shift ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Journal Entries

Purpose Future speech-language pathologists are often unprepared in their academic training to serve the communicative and cognitive needs of older adults with dementia. While negative attitudes toward older adults are prevalent among undergraduate students, service learning has been shown to positively affect students' attitudes toward older adults. TimeSlips is an evidence-based approach that has been shown to improve health care students' attitudes toward older adults. The purpose of this study is to explore the change in attitudes in speech-language pathology students toward older adults using TimeSlips in service learning. Method Fifty-one students participated in TimeSlips service learning with older adults and completed the Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS) before and after service learning. In addition, students completed a reflection journal. The DAS data were analyzed using nonparametric statistics, and journal entries were analyzed using a qualitative analysis approach. Results The service learners exhibited a significant increase in positive attitude as indexed on the DAS. The reflective journal entries supported the positive change in attitudes. Conclusions A noticeable attitude shift was indexed in reflective journals and on the DAS. TimeSlips is an evidence-based, patient-centered approach well suited to address challenges in the preparation of Communication Sciences and Disorders students to work with the growing population of older adults.

scholarly journals UTILIZING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH TO INFORM COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR OLDER ADULTS: A SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S537-S538
Author(s):  
Amanda E Barnett ◽  
Sara Olinger
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Community Resources ◽  
Home Visitor ◽  
Aging Societies ◽  
Theory Research ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Engaging undergraduate students with aging-focused community resources is critical for preparing students to work with older adults and make positive contributions to aging societies. During the fall, 2018 semester, undergraduate students in a human development course on middle and late adulthood partnered with a county aging and disability resource center (ADRC) in Wisconsin to evaluate and update several of their existing programs and resources using empirical research. Upon completion of this project, students synthesized course material to meet all course learning objectives such as: (1) critically analyze physical, psychological, and sociological processes of aging across categories of difference (e.g. cultural, ethnic, class); (2) evaluate social policies and their multigenerational implications for midlife and older adults; and (3) construct a personal position on aging that integrates theory, research, and policy to demonstrate a sensitive and competent approach to working with midlife and older adults. Students researched, wrote reports, and presented to ADRC staff on the impact of social isolation on older adults, best practices for home visitor and transportation programs serving older adults, cognitive competency tools and best practices for utilizing memory assessments, grief supports and groups for family caregivers, and best practices for supporting veterans as they age. The outcome of these projects are research-based recommendations for any ADRC to consider when developing and implementing related programs. All stakeholders (students, professor, and ADRC staff) were satisfied with the process and outcomes of the project. Strengths and challenges of carrying out such a collaborative project will be reviewed.

Facilitating Age-Conscious Student Development through Lecture-Based Courses on Aging

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Russell ◽  
Éric R. Thériault ◽  
Amber Colibaba
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Development ◽  
Attitude Change ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Personal Connection ◽  
Students Attitudes

Abstract Ageism is pervasive and socially normalized, and population aging has created a need to understand how views of aging and of older people, typically considered to be people over the age of 65, can be improved. This study sought to understand how undergraduate students’ attitudes towards older adults and the aging process may be influenced after completing a typical, lecture-based undergraduate course on aging that lacked service-learning components. Two undergraduate student cohorts (n = 40) at two Canadian universities participated in semi-structured focus groups/interviews, describing how the course may have impacted their perceptions of the aging process and of older adults. An iterative collaborative qualitative analysis demonstrated that course content stimulated a deeper understanding of the aging process, prompting a reduction in and increased awareness of ageism, and enhanced personal connection with aging, ultimately facilitating the development of an age-conscious student. Lecture-based courses focused on aging may be sufficient to facilitate positive attitude change among undergraduate students towards older adults and the aging process.

Undergraduate Students' Attitudes Toward, and Personality Correlates in Relation to, Older Adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 1741-1748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Mansfield-Green ◽  
Nakita-Rose Morrisseau ◽  
Paul M Valliant ◽  
Joseph M Caswell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Personality Factor ◽  
Personality Correlates ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Attitudes Toward Older Adults ◽  
Personality Factor Questionnaire ◽  
Students Attitudes

Attitudes toward older adults have been implicated as a variable likely to influence quality of life and care later in life. Given the trend toward an increase in the proportion of the population aged over 65 years in Canada, it is imperative to understand these attitudes. Prior researchers have indicated that personality traits are likely to influence individuals' attitudes. Therefore, we examined attitudes toward older adults and the personality correlates associated with these attitudes. Participants (N = 171 undergraduate students) completed the Kogan's Attitude toward Old People Scale and the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire. Overall positive attitudes toward older adults were observed. Evaluation of the data showed that positive attitudes were associated with elevated 16PF scores, specifically, for rule-consciousness, warmth, emotional stability, and tension, with women exhibiting particularly high levels of warmth. Additional findings related to exposure to older adults and perceptions of the older persons themselves are discussed.

scholarly journals Evaluating Service-Learning with Older Adults on Undergraduate College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 943-944
Author(s):  
Sharon Merkin
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Community Service ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Mean Differences ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction: Students in the Frontiers in Human Aging course at UCLA participate in service-learning (SL) with older adults. In 2020, completion of SL coincided with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We evaluated the impact of SL on student attitudes on aging and community service in the context of the pandemic. Methods: Students were assigned to senior residential and daycare programs for 18-20 hours of SL. A retrospective pretest-posttest survey asked about attitudes and interests before and after SL and how the COVID-19 pandemic affected these perceptions; 73 (of 103) students responded. Mean differences before and after SL were tested and differences were assessed within groups reporting COVID-19 effects. Results: SL improved students’ attitudes and ability to engage with older adults, knowledge about aging concepts, interest in future work with older adults, attitudes on community service, social well-being and feelings of usefulness (p<0.001). There was no significant change in overall anxiety about aging (p=0.1), however, students showed increased anxiety about losing independence and finances when older (p<0.05). At least 50% of students reported that the COVID-19 pandemic increased their awareness of needs of older adults (81.9%) and decreased connection to their peers (50.7%); the impact of SL remained unchanged by these effects. Conclusion: Despite the overall benefits of SL, increased anxiety about aspects of aging suggests the need to address these concerns. While the COVID-19 pandemic did not seem to affect the impact of SL, this event did seem to influence perceptions about aging and social integration.

scholarly journals Effects of participation in an aging game simulation activity on the attitudes of allied health students toward older adults

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverly Henry ◽  
Carolinda Douglass ◽  
Irene Kostiwa
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Allied Health Students ◽  
Attitudes Toward Older Adults ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Game Simulation ◽  
The Impact

The Aging Game simulation activity was designed to improve medical students’ attitudes toward older adults. This study was conducted to determine if the Aging Game, adapted for use with allied health students, could yield positive results in the students’ levels of anxiety about aging and attitudes toward aging. The modified Aging Game was implemented at a large Midwestern university with 156 students from three allied health areas – nutrition and dietetics, physical therapy, and long-term care administration. All students actively engaged in the simulation activity and completed pre- and posttest questionnaires containing the Anxiety about Aging Scale (AAS) and the Aging Semantic Differential (ASD) measures. Results indicated most students had low anxiety about aging and positive attitudes toward older adults both before and after the Aging Game activity. Changes in the students’ pre- and posttest scores on AAS and/or ASD measures were mixed, with small differences in average scores. The demographics of the sample group for this study may partially explain the effects the simulation experience had on these allied health students. That some students took on a more negative attitude toward older adults after the simulation could be attributed to a more realistic view of the difficulties and challenges of aging. Also, the shortened timeframe of the Aging Game simulation may have affected the students’ reactions to the activity. Future activities to complement the simulation, such as reflective writing and interaction with older adults, may improve the impact of the Aging Game on the attitudes of allied health students.

scholarly journals Curricula Innovation to Positively Influence Preference for Working With Older Adults: A Review of the Literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 546-546
Author(s):  
Christine Brewer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Education ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Education Interventions ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Few nursing students show preference in working with older adults. The purpose of this study was to review the U.S. nursing education evidence-based literature to determine curricula innovation to positively influence preference for working with older adults. CINAHL, Medline, Ovid Emcare, PsychInfo, and PubMed databases were searched for relevant U.S studies published between 2009 and 2020 using the search terms “nursing students”, “geriatrics OR gerontology OR older adults OR elderly OR aging”, “career OR work”, and “choice OR preference OR attitude”. Nine studies were eligible for inclusion. Nursing education may play a role in influencing how students perceive and prefer to work with older adults. Promising interventions include stand-alone gerontology courses, intergenerational service-learning experiences, and clinical experiences with community dwelling older adults. More evidence-based research with larger sample sizes are needed to determine effective nursing education interventions to improve nursing students’ attitude and preference for working with older adults.

scholarly journals INSTAPALS: FACILITATING INTERGENERATIONAL CONTACT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S808-S809
Author(s):  
Ashley Lytle ◽  
Nancy Nowacek
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Intergenerational Relationships ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intergroup Contact Theory ◽  
Social Exchanges ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Aging Anxiety

Abstract Using the traditional framework of Pen Pals, Instapals was a project that facilitated 1-to-1 intergenerational relationships through daily exchanges on Instagram for 30 days. Although communication channels have exploded in the past 10 years in large part to social platforms and digital technologies, the diversity of daily social interactions has decreased. More and more, society has become siloed by age, interest, and belief. Building off intergroup contact theory, Instapals was designed to encourage positive intergenerational contact between younger (undergraduate students) and older adults (individuals 65+) and challenge ageist beliefs. Intergenerational social exchanges occurred both on Instagram and during three in-person meetings. Among undergraduate students, attitudes and stereotypes toward older adults and aging were assessed at three timepoints (before meeting their older adult partner, during a mid-point evaluation, and at the end of the project). Quantitative analyses demonstrate a decrease in aging anxiety, a decrease in psychological concerns about the aging process, and a greater endorsement of positive perceptions toward one’s older adult partner. Qualitative analyses of written responses from students (collected before meeting their older adult partner and at the end of the project) revealed that the Instapals project helped students challenge ageist attitudes and stereotypes and was perceived to be a positive experience overall. Implications suggest that positive intergenerational contact can be facilitated and enhanced through the use of technology. Future research should explore whether attitudes, stereotypes, and self-perceptions of aging changed among older adults as well as other technological mechanisms for facilitating intergenerational contact.

scholarly journals Impact of an Online Sleep and Circadian Education Program on University Students’ Sleep Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 10180
Author(s):  
Caitlin R. Semsarian ◽  
Gabrielle Rigney ◽  
Peter A. Cistulli ◽  
Yu Sun Bin
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Stages Of Change ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
The Impact

University students consistently report poor sleep. We conducted a before-and-after study to evaluate the impact of an online 10-week course on undergraduate students’ sleep knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours at 6-month follow-up. Data were collected via baseline course surveys (August–September 2020) and follow-up surveys distributed via email (February–March 2021). n = 212 students completed baseline surveys and n = 75 (35%) completed follow-up. Students retained to follow-up possessed higher baseline sleep knowledge and received higher course grades. At the 6-month follow-up, sleep knowledge had increased (mean score out of 5: 3.0 vs. 4.2, p < 0.001). At baseline, 85% of students aimed to increase their sleep knowledge and 83% aimed to improve their sleep. At follow-up, 91% reported being more knowledgeable and 37% reported improved sleep. A novel Stages of Change item revealed that 53% of students’ attitudes towards their sleep behaviours had changed from baseline. There was a reduction in sleep latency at follow-up (mean 33.3 vs. 25.6 min, p = 0.015), but no change in the total Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score. In summary, completion of an online course led to increased sleep and circadian knowledge and changed sleep attitudes, with no meaningful change in sleep behaviours. Future interventions should consider components of behavioural change that go beyond the knowledge–attitudes–behaviour continuum.

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