2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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?

6. “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?

8. 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.

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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

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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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.

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

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

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

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

30. 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”

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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

37. 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…

38. Accept opportunities for publicity
UBSSW HPPAE Cohort VI
Current issue of the UBSSW Alumni publication

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

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

41. 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