Session Objectives Overview of HPPAE (field) & Gero-Ed Center (classroom) models to curriculum change Complementarity of two approaches within programs that had funding from both initiatives Barriers to integration of class & field Strategies to address barriers Strategies to ensure sustainability Implications for gero social work & other fields of practice

Impact of HPPAE 2669 students in aging field education 72 social work programs, 33 states 750 field agencies 80% of graduates in aging- focused agencies 18 months post graduation

Impact of the Gero-Ed Center Worked directly with 300 faculty Reached approximately 10,000 students 181 grants to 163 programs across all states

Background 36 programs had both HPPAE & Gero-Ed Center funding Assumption of optimal conditions for integration of class & field curriculum To what extent has integration occurred?

“Ripple effect” of two approaches Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts? Where did integration occur: required vs. specialized gero curriculum? What partnerships promoted integration of classroom & field? What can we learn for future partnerships?

rfortune@albany.edu

UA NOT have a gero specilization UA NOT have a gero specilization. Only concentrations are micro and macro. HPPAE students met one or other requirmenet but take courses in both. Only two courses, seminar, and field are gero.

Faculty workshops on what it is like to age… loss exercise profound for some Workshops and then position paper conceptualizing generalist practice and integenerational family practice well received and stimulated faculty intellectually but did not “stick” Faculty do agree to include aging in all generalist courses Started with 3 core gerontology faculty (none of whom taught in area!). They and project pushed to involve other faculty in aging research and/or service delivery. At height, had 11 faculty who were incoprporating aging in their scholarship BUT bulding scholarly success not so good without continued incentives and mentors (senior faculty die)

Modules: as “do it yourself” as possible Modules: as “do it yourself” as possible. Interview all faculty re what they would want, then provided it tailored to their course. Successful in increasing aging content Developed opportunities in many generalist field placements, e.g., work with grandparents of school children, include older members of families in family decision-making. Not sustainable without continued effort. Most sites revert to traditional site-specific practice. Modules for advanced MSW courses in specialized area. Modules and development similar to generalist: interviews, provide as much as wanted. Because we don’t have substantive specialization, targeted diverse popular courses. Most faculty continue to use modules BUT have never become comfortable doing it themselves. We still provide or recruit guest lecturers. Brown Bag for recruiting students, ed faculty and community members. Select “sexy” crossover topics to draw people interested in the sexy topic to aging. E.g. Caged Elderly about aging prisioners Do you know whaere your parent is tonight? About elderly and AIDS Spirituality and aging Medical problems for aging transgendered persons

Presence: see earlier slides No one now questions value of aging in curriculum. Faculty like having our students because they become sophisticated at micro-macro HPPAE and all its offshoots involve community: agencies including non-traditional; field instructors; pracititoners; CEOs; several grassroots orgs. Study of impact – ananlyze content in generalist syllabi over 3 years (pre and during project). Aging content increase without loss of content in other “special” areas Quality program

Faculty more receptive to aging and use resourvces but not comfortable doing it themselves. If we did not “stay in their faces” would probably drop it. New more likely to incorporate (because not have syllabus they are comfortable with). However, with advanced courses, got only full-time faculty, worked very closely with them. Lot of turnover with adjuncts and they not themselves well trained in aging. Stipends not essential but have become much more important recently because student more likely to work and not have time for projects. Need lots of time for fundraising but can double as PR and relationship-building. Do need infrastructure support and that is very hard to recruit.

Partnerships NOT regular relations with field agency Partnerships NOT regular relations with field agency. Requires really involving community in decision making, then sustaining with meaningful contributory activities (guest lectures, committees, luncheon). They have changed curriculum, competencies, pressured university to sustain funding for school, etc. Strong program with both. Need solid curriculum to support superior specialized curriculum. We NOT add courses but strengthen aging for all Empahsis on developing student leadership.

Wayne State University School of Social Work Integration of Gero Field & Classroom Education: Reconsidering the Possible Wayne State University School of Social Work Cheryl Waites Wayne State University School of Social Work

WSU School of Social Work Located within an urban research university in Detroit Michigan Diverse student body and metropolitan area BSW, MSW, PhD programs Interdisciplinary Gerontology Graduate Certificate Program Social Work Faculty Research in Gerontology WSU, Institute of Gerontology

Three Overlapping Projects HPPAE - Field BEL –Service-Learning CDI – Classroom Foundation Curriculum

Create An Aging Buzz Increase interest in working with older adults among students (BSW and MSW) Field agencies wish to be part of the HPPAE BEL students provide meaningful service to the community Real-world experience integrated into courses Curriculum infusion in master syllabus (BSW and MSW) Aging course oversubscribed each semester

Funding Attracted more students to working with older adults Strengthened our relationship with partner agencies Provided faculty time during the summer to work on projects Provided resources to spotlight “Careers in Aging” – Created an aging buzz

Barriers and Strategies Student lack of interest in working with older adults Faculty interest and buy-in Built a strong HPPAE program that prepared students to work with diverse older adult population Effective leadership and support from administration Discussed experiential learning at faculty meetings Sensitive to faculty overload with the addition of yet another project Sensitive to course overload so curriculum infusion and experiential learning activities were embedded in course assignments already established.

Strategies: Creating a BUZZ or Spotlight Three projects working together WSU and Agency Partners participated in panel presentation for “Careers in Aging Week” event to publicize HPPAE and social work careers in aging “A Round Table Discussion on Infusing Aging Content into WSU SSW Curriculum: Voices from the Field of Aging. Brought together students, lead teachers, director of field education, aging services providers from the community, DAAA board members, staff and the President & CEO HPPAE students recognized each spring during graduation luncheon serving to attract other students to be part of this prestigious program 22

Sustainability HPPAE partner agencies offering stipends Program will continue without stipends Students are attracted to being part of HPPAE and Gerontology Round table discussion event keeping the discourse going Aging content infused into the master syllabus HPPAE, BEL, CDI and Gerontology Graduate Certificate program, will collaborate with the Institute of Gerontology to promote a “Careers in Aging” campus wide event School has added an experiential learning component to the BSW Introduction to Social Work Course Older adult Home visiting Project – Interdisciplinary team project – practice application for BSW and MSW students HPPAE partner agencies offering stipends Program will continue without stipends Students are more attracted to being part of HPPAE and being prepared to practice in this important area Round table discussion event keeping the discourse going Aging content infused into the master syllabus HPPAE, BEL, CDI and Gerontology Graduate Certificate program, will collaborate with the Institute of Gerontology to promote a “Careers in Aging” campus wide event School has added an experiential learning component to the BSW Introduction to Social Work Course Older adult Home visiting Project – Interdisciplinary team project with the Scholl of Social Work, School of Medicine and the College are Pharmacy and health Sciences

Redefining the Possible BSW Student Prior to this project, one student discussed how he felt when he encountered older adults in his own words: they were “somewhat disgusting with their wrinkled bodies” and he stated he could hardly look at them. After completing the BEL project he continues to volunteer at the site coming up with new ideas to engage older adults in activities - playing cards going for a walk, or showing him new things. This student fully intends to work with this population upon graduation and is currently doing research on grief and loss Redefining the Possible

Redefining the Possible Build awareness - Spot-lighting Gerontology Build a strong program Create a Buzz about Gerontology and Careers in Aging Get buy-in from key constituencies Work together toward a common goal

Recommendations Ensure students get a well rounded education related to older adults: include experiential learning, course infusion, and a field experience Break down the myths of working with older adults Create opportunities for students to interface with aging professionals Establish community partnerships for aging education

Integration of Gero Field & Classroom Education: Reconsidering the Possible Deborah P. Waldrop, LMSW, PhD University at Buffalo School of Social Work

Overview UBSSW integration of Gero field & curriculum How Gero-Ed+ HPPAE facilitated the integration Barriers & strategies Sustainability Redefining what is possible Recommendations

Change over time… …is like water dripping on rock (Hooyman, N., 2006).

UBSSW Integration of Gero field & curriculum Ignited the change effort: Required UBSSW HPPAE students to take Aging Populations & their Families (SW 706) Curriculum review/change process: SW 706 became an “Advanced Topics Analysis” course “Mainstreamed” aging Use of community partners as “master teachers” & agencies as “classrooms in the field”

How Gero-Ed & HPPAE helped Gero-Ed Brought the conceptual use of “the intersection between aging and [ ]” to life… HPPAE students became my “ambassadors for aging” Strategize with interns about making assignments for every course “aging-focused”-they teach my colleagues Gero-Ed website teaching resources HPPAE became the “go to place” for aging

Barriers: Marathon vs. sprint The number of students who enter our program with the desire to work with children, teenagers or people who have substance use or trauma histories Competing faculty interests Competing curricular interests No Center on Aging or nexus of disciplines Limited job opportunities in WNY Expectations (!!!)—mine, students', community Missed/Failed opportunities

Strategies: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” School leadership: Curriculum re-design involved a “leveling” course; co-coordinated, provided materials Next Generation: Gero-Doctoral students teaching HBSW Be present: Orientation, Field Fair Lessons learned: NO (!!!) monthly reporting….Find surprising-not mundane ways to inform faculty Podcast series

Sustainability: Luck is involved Utilize your University Development Office Community Health Foundation of WCNY Build strong & enduring relationships with community agencies Showcase & involve community partners in seminars, networking events Geriatric workforce Initiative

Redefining the possible What would a new-age model of Gero- social work education that integrated classroom & field look like? “[I]dwell in possibilities” Program/community specific-a must! One size does not fit all…Use of: Community advisory boards-including elders Planning & delivery—more off than on campus Agency commitment/give-back Possibilities?? Interdisciplinary-community seminars Simulated clients

Recommendations Teach non-aging courses Give guest lectures Create a “speakers bureau” Keep track of films; documentaries + first run for suggestions Accept invitation(s) to serve on the Board(s) of Directors of aging-related agencies

Keep School Administration Aware, Informed Invite the Dean to lunch with the cohort Have an end-of-year event; share the results during your annual meeting w/the dean Have your interns make audio recordings of: Hi Dean Smyth, The best part of the HPPAE program was…

Accept opportunities for publicity UBSSW HPPAE Cohort VI 2011-2012 Current issue of the UBSSW Alumni publication

Create, nominate, facilitate & celebrate student awards UBSSW award winners, 2007 Rose Weinstein Scholar Award, UB Emeritus Center HDF, HPPAE Associate

Pick dedicated partners, nurture & celebrate those relationships School, Consortium and Agency partners

Be hopeful, optimistic, opportunistic and dedicated! How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving & tolerant of the weak and the strong, because one day you will have been all of these. ~ George Washington Carver