Tracey L. Gendron

Cultural Competence Training for Healthcare Professionals Working with LGBT Older Adults.

The population of the aging lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community is significant and growing rapidly. As LGBT individuals age and begin to move into healthcare communities, they are fearful of apathy, discrimination, and abuse by healthcare providers and other residents. Person-centered cultural competence and sensitivity among service providers is necessary in order for LGBT individuals to share the same quality of life as other members of the aging community. Programming developed to educate healthcare professionals and aging-services providers on issues related to aging as an LGBT adult must be thoughtfully evaluated to show both efficacy and impact.

Promoting the Development of Professional Identity of Gerontologists: An Academic/Experiential Learning Model

Graduate education in gerontology has an essential role in providing the foundational knowledge required to work with a diverse aging population. It can also play an essential role in promoting best-practice approaches for the development of professional identity as a gerontologist. The primary goal of this study was to determine what factors predict the professional identity and career path of gerontologists. In addition, the study explored how experiential learning influenced professional identity for newcomers to the field and for those experienced in an aging-related field (“professional incumbents”). Graduates (N = 146) of Association for Gerontology in Higher Education-affiliated graduate programs participated. Professional identity as a gerontologist was predicted by length of time in the field, age, satisfaction with coworkers, and satisfaction with opportunities for advancement. Experiential learning contributed to professional identity in important but different ways for newcomers to the field and for professional incumbents. The inclusion of an academic/experiential learning model within graduate gerontology programs promotes the development of professional identity and career path for all graduate students.

LGBT Elders in Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care Facilities, and Residential Communities

This article examines the opportunities and challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elders who are aging in the long-term care continuum. From independent and community living, to adult day services, assisted living and nursing facilities, LGBT elders may face discrimination from administrators, direct care professionals, neighbors, and other residents/participants. Ironically, enduring a lifetime of fear and discrimination has many positive factors for LGBT elders’ resiliency, self-esteem, and social networking. Further, LGBT individuals are now increasingly accepted into “mainstream” society. It is, however, important to understand that that the current cohort of LGBT elders may not only fear, but lack the funds to participate in, the long-term care continuum.

Challenging Gerontophobia and Ageism Through a Collaborative Intergenerational Art Program

Prejudices against older adults have been shown to reduce effective care delivery and impact long-term health outcomes for older adults. In an effort to combat these prejudices, intergenerational—and often unidirectional—programs focus on challenging ageism. The PALETTE program takes this further to employ collaborative activities as a way to challenge the gerontophobia that often accompanies ageism. Promoting Art for Life Enrichment Through Transgenerational Engagement (PALETTE) is an innovative program for interprofessional undergraduate and graduate students that combines intergenerational arts activities with formal education on aging, ageism, and gerontophobia. Having demonstrated success in changing the attitudes of students, PALETTE serves as a model for an internationally replicable program that has the potential to improve person-centered care while educating future generations of older adults about positive, optimal aging.

The Thin-Youth Ideal Should We Talk About Aging Anxiety in Relation to Body Image?

College students’ attitudes about the pervasive thin ideal have been well-studied, but the relationship between the thin ideal and youth ideal in young adults forming life-long health attitudes is understudied. This cross-sectional study examined body image, aging anxiety, ageism, and gender in a sample of 485 undergraduate students. Results from this study demonstrate associations among components of objectified body consciousness (surveillance, shame, and control), body image avoidance, aging anxiety (fear of older people, psychological concerns, physical appearance, and fear of losses), ageism, and gender. Educational efforts that address body image in relation to aging anxiety and ageism are discussed.

Who Is Likely to Commit to a Career With Older Adults

Gerontology, as an academic discipline, provides professionals with the conceptual knowledge and the skills necessary to address the complexities of working with a diverse aging population. We know little about what attracts professionals to the aging field and what maintains commitment to these careers. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of career motivation, job satisfaction, anxiety about aging, and professional identity in relation to career commitment among those working with older adults. Participants (N = 756) were recruited through organizations and institutions serving older adults and responded to an online survey. Participants’ motivation for working with older adults, level of job satisfaction, and exposure to formal gerontological education significantly predicted career commitment. In addition, aging anxiety mediated the relationship between job satisfaction and career commitment. This study sheds lights on perspectives of professionals working with older adults and highlights areas for future gerontological research and training.

A Theory of Relational Ageism: A Discourse Analysis of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging

Purpose The widespread use of ageist language is generally accepted as commonplace and routine in most cultures and settings. In order to disrupt ageism, we must examine the use of ageist language and sentiments among those on the front line of providing advocacy, services, and policy for older adults; the professional culture of the aging services network. The recorded video segments from the sixth White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA) provided a unique opportunity to examine discourse used by professionals and appointed representatives in the field of aging within a professional sociocultural context. Design and Methods A qualitative discourse analysis of video recordings was used to analyze the 15 video fragments that comprised the recorded sessions of the 2015 WHCOA. Results About 26 instances were identified that captured statements expressing personal age, aging or an age-related characteristic negatively in regard to self or other (microageism), and/or statements expressing global negative opinions or beliefs about aging and older adults based on group membership (macroageism). A theoretical pathway was established that represents the dynamic process by which ageist statements were expressed and reinforced (relational ageism). Implications Numerous instances of ageism were readily identified as part of a live streamed and publically accessible professional conference attended and presented by representatives of the aging services network. To make meaningful gains in the movement to disrupt ageism and promote optimal aging for all individuals, we must raise awareness of the relational nature, expression, and perpetuation of ageism.

Lessons Learned From a Program Evaluation of a Statewide Continuing Education Program for Staff Members Working in Assisted Living and Adult Day Care Centers in Virginia

The number of older adults residing in assisted living facilities (ALF) and utilizing adult day care services is expanding with the increasing population of older adults. Currently, there are no standardized requirements for continuing education for assisted living and adult day care service staff at a national level. Given that 62% of states within the United States require continuing education for ALF staff and/or administrators, a more formalized system is needed that provides evidence-based gerontological training to enhance the quality of care and services provided to older adults. This article describes the challenges and lessons learned from conducting a program evaluation of a Statewide Training and Continuing Education Program for Assisted Living Facility and Adult Day Care Service staff in Virginia. Survey evaluation data from a 6-year period was examined and a formative program evaluation was conducted. The findings from the survey evaluation and formative evaluation are discussed as are the lessons learned.

Mental Health Counseling of LGBT Elders

This chapter discusses the complexity of mental health among older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. Mental health issues for LGBT older adults can potentially involve the long-term impact of stigma and discrimination, and the changing view of sexual orientation and gender identity as pathology to non-pathology. This chapter will address both the risk and protective factors that are relevant to mental health counseling of LGBT older individuals, will discuss the history of research and practice related to mental health, and will provide recommendations for creating culturally competent evidence-based training programs for mental health service providers working with LGBT older adults. As well, the chapter provides an overview of specific issues relevant to the LGBT community including depression and anxiety and body image concerns. Interdisciplinary perspectives to service delivery for LGBT older adults are highlighted.

Making the Case for Transgenerational Learning: Research

ABSTRACT This article evaluates existing programs designed to bring together groups from different generations, through a literature search on intergenerational learning programs in accordance with the intergroup contact theory. The theory, as described by Allport (1954) and Rothbart and John (1985), asserts that in order to reduce prejudice and achieve the positive effects of intergroup contact, each of the following conditions should be met to some degree: (1) support of established authority or institution; (2) cross-group contact facilitated regularly over time; (3) equal status within the situation; (4) common goals; (5) intergroup cooperation; (6) behavior of minority group members not consistent with their stereotype; and (7) cross-group contact facilitated in a variety of social contexts. It is the authors’ hypothesis that transgenerational engagement in the academic setting is achieved when an activity or program meets all of the aforementioned criteria.