EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF AGEISM IN PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS WORKING WITH OLDER ADULTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE

A. Powell-Versteeg¹, RS. Ward¹, R. Perkins², L. Edelman², K. Supiano²

¹University of Utah, Physical Therapy, Salt Lake City, United States, ²University of Utah, Nursing, Salt Lake City, United States

Background: Over 54 million people living in the United States are 65 years of age or older. Adults over the age of 85 are the fastest-growing age demographic in the world, Is the 85 years the fastest growing or is the 65 and older the fastest growing? Advancing age is the biggest risk factor for developing Parkinson’s disease (PD). Older adults living with PD require expert and compassionate healthcare providers who understand the complexity of aging with a degenerative neurological condition. Despite this growing demand, there remains a bias (ageism), in general, among healthcare providers and students.

Purpose: Exposure of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students to age focused, experience-based learning (ExBL) interventions may decrease ageism and increase the supply of clinicians who are skilled in geriatric care.

Methods: This pilot project examined DPT student’s knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about older adults and interest in geriatrics during a PD Boot Camp using an integrated, age focused ExBL framework, the IMPACT Model, which was developed to address barriers to DPT student’s intent to specialize in geriatric care. Third year DPT students who signed up for this pilot study participated in a two-week intensive PD Boot Camp. Participants worked in pairs with an older adult living with PD to create an intensive exercise protocol and to provide education for disease management. A purposive sample of third-year DPT students who completed Phase I pre-/post-test questionnaires (n=5), including a demographic questionnaire, the Facts on Aging Quiz, and results from an Implicit Association Test on age. Phase II interviews (n=9) used to discern knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about aging, as well as intentions to work in geriatrics. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. The project was approved by the Internal Review Board of the University of Utah.

Results: In Phase I, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed no significant change in student’s scores on aging knowledge, attitudes, or professional interests, respectively: (Z=1.0, p=0.3, Median=34 pre-test; 37 post-test), (Z=1.0, p=0.317, Median= 4 pre-/post-test). In Phase II, four themes were identified: (1) Priming Effect—prior experiences and knowledge shaped current perceptions; (2) Supportive Learning Environments—feeling safe to make mistakes fostered self-efficacy and meaningful connections; (3) Cognitive Reframing—shifting perceptions resulted from reflecting after the PD Boot Camp; and, (4) Integrated Professional Identity—students recognized new geriatric-focused knowledge and skills were learned.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the IMPACT Model promoted engaged learning between participants and older adults and had a positive impact on the participant’s self-efficacy and professional identity as capable clinicians when caring for older adults with complex illness.

Implications: The PD Boot Camp, and measures used in this study, provided an appropriate framework and steps forward for physical therapy educational programs to develop meaningful, collaborative, and feasible learning opportunities that can result in student’s life-long interest in geriatric care.

Funding acknowledgements: Unfunded

Keywords:
Ageism bias
Education
Older people

Topics:
Education
Older people
Neurology: Parkinson's disease

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: University of Utah

Committee: Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Ethics number: IRB #00150911