An environmental scan of aging-related micro-credentials: implications for gerontology and gerontologists.

The purpose and rise of formal academic programs in gerontology at colleges and universities has been well documented over the last fifty years. What has been less well-documented is the rise of alternative pathways to gerontology training and gerontological competence, including micro-credentialing. Micro-credentials (MCs) are intended to provide quick-to-complete, competency-based education around specific topics to demonstrate relevant skills to employers. Little is known about the prevalence of micro-credentialing related to gerontology. To address this gap, we conducted an environmental scan of existing aging-related micro-credentialing opportunities. We identified 89 MCs with an explicit aging focus, applied strict inclusion criteria (narrowing the sample to 54 MCs included in the analysis), and examined the characteristics of the MCs' scope and nature. Most MCs focused on aging-related health/disease conditions, highlighting the decline mentality underlies such training. Future efforts should entail analysis of the competencies addressed by MCs as it is critical to ensure alignment between gerontological MCs and established gerontological competencies and standards and to differentiate MCs from formal academic programs.

Exploring college students' attitudes toward older adults: A description of methods used by the gerontological literacy network.

Recognizing the pervasiveness of negative societal attitudes toward aging and older adults is critical, as research indicates how older adults are viewed subsequently influences how they are treated. The Gerontological Literacy Network (GLN) is a multi-university collaboration established to address ingrained beliefs that underlie ageism and gerontophobia. The GLN developed a data-gathering protocol that uses drawing as a foundation to assess the gerontological literacy of college students. The protocol includes drawing what aging means, writing a paragraph describing the drawing, indicating the age at which someone is "old," and writing words associated with "old person" and "grandma/grandpa." Results from 1,609 protocols confirm that college students have negative views of aging as depicted in drawings of negative emotional states, illness, physical decline, and death. The presence of positive representations of aging (e.g., smiling) reveals the heterogeneity of perceptions and suggests the potential to achieve more accurate perceptions through educational interventions. This article provides an overview of the protocols and suggestions for future efforts related to gerontophobia and ageism.

Exploring Beliefs about Aging and Faith: Development of the Judeo-Christian Religious Beliefs and Aging Scale.

This paper reports on the development of a novel 10-item scale that measures beliefs about aging as well as religious-based beliefs about aging. The Religious Beliefs and Aging Scale (RBAS) shows acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.74) and is bolstered by a strong correlation (r = 0.70) with the Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality. Exploratory factor analysis elucidated two belief subscales: Afterlife (i.e., how age is experienced in the afterlife; α = 0.897) and Punishment (i.e., aging and dementia as a punishment for sin; α = 0.868). This scale can be used in research regarding end-of-life planning, ageism, and self-care practices.

Dementia Caregiving Outcomes: The Impact of Caregiving Onset, Cognitive Impairment and Behavioral Problems.

With a projected increase in the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias, family caregiving is steadily increasing. Caring for an individual with AD is characterized as a "career," and within this career are a number of key transitions, including the onset of caregiving. Research reveals a number of negative emotional health outcomes for AD caregivers, including depression and role overload, but less research has examined the influence of key transitions on the emotional adaptation of caregivers. The purpose of this study is to examine how different patterns of caregiving onset (gradual and abrupt) impact emotional health outcomes for AD caregivers. This study also explores how care-recipient cognitive impairment and behavioral problems moderate these relationships. Cross-sectional, quantitative data from 100 caregivers completing self-administered surveys were used. A series of one-way ANOVAs and multiple regression analyses were conducted to address study aims. Results indicate that care-recipient cognition and behavioral problems moderated the relationship between caregiving onset and emotional health outcomes for caregivers who experienced a more abrupt entry into the caregiving role. Results suggest the importance of considering different onset transitions and moderating factors within the caregiving career to target clinical interventions. Implications for social work practice are discussed.

Stakeholder Engagement to Enhance Interventions for Family Caregivers of People with Dementia: A Case Study of Care to Plan.

Family members are prominent providers of necessary care to persons with dementia. The psychological, emotional, and social costs of care have led to the development of interventions to support these families. Although evidence supports the effectiveness of dementia caregiver interventions, few have been implemented into practice. Stakeholder involvement may increase the potential for interventions to be integrated into community contexts. Utilization of community advisory boards (CABs) have been identified as a successful strategy to engage stakeholders in research and intervention development. Yet, little is known about the use of CABs when developing and refining interventions in dementia care. This article presents a case study of a CAB intended to inform the development and translation of an online dementia caregiver resource: Care to Plan. Qualitative thematic analysis of transcripts from seven CAB meetings over a 3-year period identified two major categories. First, the CAB process: who participated, how meetings were conducted, and issues that arose. Second, Care to Plan improvement: how CAB members provided key stakeholder perspectives resulting in changes in language, functionality, substance, and dissemination. Findings demonstrate how CABs can inform gerontological social work when facilitating the development, translation, and implementation of meaningful, community-based resources for dementia caregivers.

The rote administrative approach to death in senior housing: Using the other door.

Understanding death in long-term care (LTC) facilities and the preexisting standards and policies pertaining to the death experience in LTC is essential. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 administrators of CCRCs and data analyzed through content analysis. Results of the current study reveal that administrators spoke of approaching death in their facility similar to any other procedural task, removal of the residents' bodies varied by community, and coordination responsibilities ranged from maintenance crews to management. Notification practices for residents and staff were also inconsistent. Differences existed in internal cultures on providing forms of respect. These practices were standard for some facilities while others were flexible to accommodate family requests. The majority of the sites did not offer additional training on death and dying for staff members. Findings suggest the need for consistency regarding how senior housing administrators approach the death of a resident and provide support for staff members.

Do trajectories of at-home dementia caregiving account for burden after nursing home placement? A growth curve analysis.

Transitioning to the nursing home setting is a complex process for family caregivers of older adults with dementia. While nursing home placement (NHP) can alleviate certain caregiving responsibilities, new stressors can also emerge. In the present study, the researchers examined how care-related factors can change leading up to NHP and how these factors influence caregiver outcomes following NHP. A sample of 634 family dementia caregivers (n = 634) were surveyed at three six-month intervals prior to NHP and once during the 12 month period following institutionalization. Growth curve modeling revealed dynamic changes in certain factors leading up to NHP (e.g., caregivers' perceived health), while other factors remained stable (e.g., caregiver burden). Several factors emerged as significant predictors of caregiver burden following NHP, including pre-placement burden and adult day service utilization. For geriatric social workers, these findings may be useful in assessing family caregivers, and in the development and utilization of appropriate interventions.