Community and Web Based Health Education for

Diverse Elders: An Interdisciplinary Approach

William M. Susman, PT, PhD & Rebecca A. States, PhD

Division of Physical Therapy

Introduction Grant Title: Interdisciplinary Community-Based Health Education for Elders from Diverse Backgrounds.

A three-year Allied Health Project grant (#1D37 HP00838-01) awarded by the Health Resources & Services Administration to Long Island University – Brooklyn Campus (LIU-BC) for $292,438. Now in the final year.

Project Director: Rebecca States, PhD Project Co-Director: William Susman, PT, PhD

An Interdisciplinary Advisory Board directs the grant activities with participants from:

• Communication Sciences and Disorders

• Nursing

• Occupational Therapy

• Pharmacy

• Physical Therapy

• Respiratory Care

• Social Work

Several Objectives Will Address

Each Health Topic Community Education Modules (CEMs): Designed for community-dwelling, well-elderly have been presented in English & Spanish at Senior Centers in Brooklyn.

Multimedia Case Study Modules (MCSMs): One client will be followed over time for a given health topic. The case materials will be incorporated into an interdisciplinary, web-based, computer-conferencing module for use by students in health care and related disciplines at LIU-BC.

Web Site: Provides resources for elders and health care education programs by disseminating the products from the CEMs and MCSMs.

New Continuing Studies Course: Designed for health care professionals to learn interdisciplinary techniques related to health care education for the elderly.

Three Health Topics Three health topics of importance to elders reflecting the agenda of Healthy People 2010 have been addressed sequentially.

Dementia and Depression (Fall 2002)

Stress Reduction (Spring 2003)

Physical Activity (Fall 2003)

Community Service Organizations

Liaisons have been established with local community service organizations. The Senior Centers host the community education programs and help identify clients for the case studies.

New York City Department for the Aging, Bureau of Community Services

Brooklyn Interagency Council of the Aging

Spanish Speaking Elderly Council - RAICES

Eileen Dugan Senior Citizens Center

Ft. Greene Senior Citizens Center

Hope Gardens Senior Center

Times Plaza Senior Center

Wyckoff Gardens Senior Center

Community Education Modules Researched the content and available resources and acquired health education pamphlets from established agencies.

Generated presentations and interactive activities in English, and translated them into Spanish.

Created a mechanism for students from all participating disciplines to attend and assist with the CEM’s.

Conducted 33 CEM sessions with 805 clients attending:19 in English with 327 clients, 14 in Spanish with 478 clients.

53 students from six disciplines have participated to date from PT, OT, Nursing, Speech, Pharmacy, Social Work.

Another set of CEM’s is currently underway on the topic of Physical Activity, and will serve over 100 clients.

 

Client Evaluations: Dementia & Depression

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Lear

n?

Use In

fo?

Change

?

Discus

s?HCP?

Mor

e In

fo?

Other

No

Yes

Evaluation Questions:Learn? Did you learn anything about today’s topic?Use Info? Will you use any of the information covered today?Change? In the next week, will you change your behavior as a result of today's session?Discuss? In the next week, will you discuss the issues raised with friends or family?HCP? In the next month, will you discuss the issues raised with any of your health care providers?More Info? Would you like more information related to today's topic?

Characteristics Of Clients Completing Evaluations

NO. of EVALS

AVERAGE AGE

GENDER ETHNIC BACKGROUND

M F Black White Hispanic Other*

TOTALS 288 73.4 64 230 74 38 44 133

PERCENTAGE 21.8 78.2 25.6 13.1 15.2 46.0

* This category includes people who did not want to provide the information.

Client Evaluations: Stress Reduction

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Lear

n?

Use In

fo?

Chang

e?

Discus

s?HCP?

Mor

e In

fo?

Other

No

Yes

Development of the GERIE Web Site:“Geriatric Educational Resources for

Instructors & Elders” Researched interdisciplinary health care web sites, those that offer case studies and education for health professionals, and those that provide health education for older adult consumers.

Researched and purchased technology to provide streaming video for the web site.

Developed an overall structure, and style guidelines, for the web site.

Generated initial list of web resources for use on the site.

Developed structure for, and have begun to build, the web page related to the CEMs, including:

Power Point presentations; outlines for client activities; evaluation forms for clients, students and community center administrators.

Video elements to show physical and social environment and to show techniques that assist in conveying the information to clients.

Future Activities During Fall 2003 we are running the first MCSM, and presenting CEMs on the topic of Physical Activity.

The web site is being built to include the products of the CEMs, MCSMs, and streaming video clips.

The Continuing Studies Course and the second MCSM will be presented in Spring 2004, and we expect to publish the website then.

Continuing Studies Course for Health Professionals

Title: Development of Community Health Education: Conceptual and Practical Considerations.

Demonstration of the GERIE web site, and discussion of planning for community education programs.

Interactive interdisciplinary panel on identifying topics and educational approaches relevant to the targeted community and clients.

Hearing directly from invited elder clients.

MCSMs: New Developments An interdisciplinary panel discussion was conducted to show a mock client and daughter interview, and demonstrate team communication with participants from PT, OT, RC, Nursing, Speech and SW.

The panel discussion was used to create an interdisciplinary, multimedia, educational module using theWebCT computer conferencing platform:

• Students are put in small WebCT groups with participation from PT, OT, RC and Nursing in each group and with a faculty mentor from one of the disciplines.• Students view the interdisciplinary panel, and have moderated discussions on interdisciplinary practice, professional roles and conflict.• Student teams also collaboratively develop a plan of care for one case study of an older adult client.

A series of videotaped interviews with older adult clients also continues for the three health topics. These will be integrated into a second MCSM on interdisciplinary care of older adults.