Objective
There is growing recognition that students training to provide care for older adults
need to be trained in all settings where older adults receive care, including retirement
communities. The purpose of this study was to allow medical students to see older
patients living and participating in activities in the long-term care setting and
examine the effects that this experience had on the students.
Methods
Medical students were assigned to write an open-ended reflection paper about a community
health experience. Forty-eight students wrote their reflection papers on their experience
in a continuing care retirement facility. Three independent reviewers examined these
reflective narratives for common themes.
Results
After analyzing the students' narratives, 6 themes emerged: (1) The initial exposure
to dementia, (2) confronting death and dying, (3) the diversity of care and services
for the elderly, (4) the cost of care for the elderly, (5) seniors can lead active
lives if given the opportunity, and (6) the rewards of the health care team-patient
relationship.
Conclusion
The students' reflective narratives provide valuable insights into how medical students
view retirement communities, the physician's role in the care of geriatric patients,
the importance of interdisciplinary health care, the cost of care for elderly patients,
and their views on dementia and dying. Through this experience, students received
valuable lessons about taking care of older adults in the community that their interactions
with patients in the hospital and ambulatory medical offices had not provided.
Keywords
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References
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 09, 2010
Footnotes
The authors have no conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 American Medical Directors Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
