JACSW Participates in Interprofessional Development Program
As the Baby Boomer generation continues to age, there will be a growing demand for geriatric healthcare services. It will be increasingly important for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and social workers to take an interdisciplinary approach to providing care to our nation’s aging population.
Training and Resources for Practitioners
In response to this growing need, ENGAGE-IL has been developed as an interprofessional geriatrics workforce enhancement program, funded by a three-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The training program enhances multidisciplinary clinicians’ competencies to provide patient- and family-centered care for older adults, promote patient safety, and support and empower families and caregivers.
All seven health sciences colleges at UIC are involved in this program, including the Jane Addams College of Social Work. ENGAGE-IL includes free online geriatric training that is certified for continuing education for Social Workers as well as professionals in Occupational Therapy, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy.
Christopher Mitchell, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Academic Program Development and Assessment at Jane Addams College of Social Work, is spearheading the effort at Jane Addams College as co-investigator. He has co-written two of the 32 online training modules.
Dr. Mitchell says of the program, “As the needs of the aging population become increasingly complex, Engage-IL is a valuable resource to prepare social workers and other healthcare providers to utilize interprofessional collaboration as a key element of comprehensive care.”
To raise public awareness and improve understanding of dementias, ENGAGE-IL created a free mobile app: Dementia Guide Expert for families. Since its launch in December 2016, the app has been viewed and downloaded thousands of times in five countries including the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, Brazil and Southeast Asia.
Training Opportunities for Students
ENGAGE-IL also includes a student training program, and first-year JACSW students Josh Bryant, Meagan Luhrs and Jane Kauffman have been selected for a summer internship program. As part of a cohort of 10 health sciences students, they will spend eight weeks gaining exposure to different aspects of working with an aging population, including giving presentations at senior centers and shadowing professionals at Chicago organizations.
Ultimately, the goal is to get students from a variety of disciplines accustomed to working together toward one goal: improving care for aging adults.
“I think the Engage program will really help solidify my identity as a social worker,” said JACSW student Josh Bryant. “And it will prepare me to function better in interprofessional care. It’s important that we take a look at who these people are, figure out what their history is and, ultimately, serve them better.”
“I’m happy to see things in this area shifting,” Bryant added. “We’re seeing a lot more focus on geriatric care now that the baby boomer population is beginning to age, and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to really establish myself as a social worker in geriatric care.”