Online Learning Modules for Social Work and Health Care Professionals

Today, the aging population is more diverse than ever in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, language, acculturation, socioeconomic levels and education. In order to serve all people amidst these changing demographics, the care provided by health and social service programs must also change to address the specific needs of older adults.

These online learning modules are designed for health care professionals, students and faculty in many disciplines including medicine, nursing, social work, pharmacy and physical therapy.

The principles of professional mastery, insights into research theory and practical application guided the creation of these unique tools and resources to support lifelong learning

Each module includes a number of components:

• presentations (from experts in their line of research or excellence of practice, and citations from current research articles)
• video clips and story-telling (interviews with clinicians and experts in this field)
• real-life case examples (from research journals and experiences of clinicians)
• self-evaluation pre- and post-tests (to help you identify possible gaps and direct your learning)

You will be able to print out presentation slides and written materials.

We hope that after reviewing, reflecting on and practicing these materials you will develop your own understanding of the importance of culturally competent and effective work with diverse, older populations.

Each module will take approximately 2 hours to complete.

What technology do you need to access these materials?

In order to view the materials in these learning modules, Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Acrobat Reader will need to be installed on your computer. (Click on the links to download these free software programs.)

A School of Social Work project in collaboration with the Minnesota Area Geriatric Education Center and Center on Aging, University of Minnesota.