Arthur Van Stewart

A Course on Humanistic Creativity in Later Life: Literature Review, Case Histories, and Recommendations.

In addition to a literature review of later-life creative activity (as a continuation of previous work or at the onset of later life), the present study provides a blueprint for a course on humanistic creativity in later life. Selected exemplars of well-known creative individuals in the humanities are provided: (1) May Sarton (literature); (2) Marcel Duchamp (painting); (3) Leo w J ana ) ek (music) (4) Martha Graham (dance), and (5) Jessica Tandy (acting). This study includes specific recommendations for the incorporation of these materials into the gerontological curriculum.In addition to a literature review of later-life creative activity (as a continuation of previous work or at the onset of later life), the present study provides a blueprint for a course on humanistic creativity in later life. Selected exemplars of well-known creative individuals in the humanities are provided: (1) May Sarton (literature); (2) Marcel Duchamp (painting); (3) Leo w J aná ) ek (music) (4) Martha Graham (dance), and (5) Jessica Tandy (acting). This study includes specific recommendations for the incorporation of these materials into the gerontological curriculum.

PRIME TIME: THE INTEGRATION OF THE CONTENT OF A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER COLUMN ON AGING INTO THE GERONTOLOGY CURRICULUM

This paper provides suggestions for the curricular introduction of materials from a weekly newspaper column on aging (or similar local or nationally syndicated newspaper column - for our purposes, The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY) for a period of one year (October 5, 1997 to September 27, 1998). The study provides a content analysis of the column and presents numerous specific suggestions for the inclusion of its content into the curriculum, especially columns with course-related themes (e.g., medical problems, elder abuse, nutrition, and so forth) to show the relationship between theory and practice. In one exemplary activity, students wrote their own aging columns to develop their research and writing skills.

LIFE SPAN GERIATRIC INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM FOR PREPARING FUTURE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

Geriatric interdisciplinary teams are needed to provide holistic health care planning for older adults. However, few professional schools prepare health care practitioners to work as effective members of such teams. Thus, the LIFE SPAN geriatric interdisciplinary team curriculum was developed to give students faculty‐guided theoretical and experiential educational experience in team practice. The 16‐hr, 4‐week curriculum introduces the student to team dynamics, assessment, problem solving, and patient care planning from the perspective of multiple disciplines. It uses community links to create this educational interaction.

EGRIATRICS PARTNERSHIPS IN HEALTH CARE: THE LIFE SPAN MODEL

Health care professionals are expected to function as partners. However, most professionals are not prepared to work in teams or to develop organizational structures to support a team approach. We describe the development of a successful interdisciplinary partnership program in geriatric health care called LIFE SPAN. Nine factors that contributed to its success are analyzed: common goals, right timing, leadership support, expertise, breadth of ideas, compatibility of organizational design, team building, persistence, and sufficient financial resources.

USING A SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM AS A MECHANISM FOR NURTURING PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN GERONTOLOGY

In spite of a clear demographic imperative, the field of gerontology seems to have some difficulty recruiting sufficiently large numbers of bright, emerging professionals. The relative lack of interest in gerontology shown by students in the health professions is believed to have a number of causes. Among the factors that may discourage students are public and professional ignorance and misperceptions of the field, lower than average income earning potential, and negative characterizations and public stereotyping of elderly people and their problems. Although the dearth of young professionals expressing an interest in gerontology has been recognized for some time now as a problem in medicine and, to a lesser degree, in nursing, it is only beginning to be recognized in the field of dentistry. We discuss the use of an organized student research program that supplements the basic dental curriculum as an effective educational methodology to increase students’ interest in the field of gerontology.