CADENZA Training Program

Background

• Rapidly aging population: health and social care challenges

• Elders have diverse and complex needs

cross-cut organizational and professional boundaries

requiring a coordinated inter-agency and inter-professional response

CADENZA

• HKJC Charities Trust : HK$ 380 million for 5 years

• A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors

- to promote innovative elderly services through inter-disciplinary co-operation

- to produce a new generation of leaders in gerontology

- …………..

CADENZA

Comprises 4 components:

• Public education

• Training for front-line care workers and professionals who work with elders

• A community model to promote inter-disciplinary elderly care

• Evaluation

Cadenza Training Program

• NSN funded with HK$ 74 million for 5 years as from 2008

• An interdisciplinary training program designed to provide general and professional education in gerontology for– General public– Informal caregivers– Professional social and health care workers

Objectives

• Increase public awareness of the health and social care needs of the aging population.

• Foster positive attitude towards aging.

• Equip informal and family caregivers with basic knowledge & skills in aged care.

• Enhance the professional expertise of social and health care workers in gerontological care.

Format

• Use of major themes in gerontology to define a continuum of training over the 5 years

Continuum of training

Understanding normal aging

Promoting healthy & successful aging

Managing chronic disease

Delivering effective social & health services

Building effective rapport with older people

Socio-cultura

l

Context of

Hong Kong

Health-care

context of

Hong Kong

Teaching & learning modes

• General public– Monthly roadshows– District-based seminars for the public– Web-site for public education– Educational leaflets and booklets– Yearly carnivals

Teaching and learning modes

• Informal caregivers– District-based course & workshops.– Supplemented with written & audio-visual

learning materials.– District-based self-help groups.

Teaching and learning modes

• Professional social and health care workers– Self-directed web-based courses– Face-to-face seminars and tutorials– Clinical practicum as appropriate

Human Resources

• An inter-professional Cadenza training team:

- social worker

- clinical psychologist

- physiotherapist

- occupational therapist

- nurse

+ administrative support

Participant Profile

For professional courses:

• Nurses

• PTs and OTs

• Doctors

• Social Workers

• Medical technologists

• Secondary school teachers

• Others eg. lawyers, priests

Evaluation Plan

• Accessibility of and satisfaction with the program

• Public’s attitude towards ageing and older people

• Attitude, knowledge and skills of professionals

Preliminary Insights re IPE

Essential elements for establishing IPE programs:

• Shared interest/ commitment: IPE is the norm rather than the exception

• Building horizontal bridges: formal and informal structures and opportunities for sharing

• Administrative support and resources

Preliminary Insights re IPE

Essential elements for establishing IPE programs:

• Training in collaborative skills

• Teachers qualified to teach IPE courses/ programs

• Partnership with community

• Rewards for collaborative endeavours

Last but not least…..

• Research to evaluate the impact of IPE and its contribution

both the process elements and outcomes