Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society - 1st World Congress on Healthy ...

Organised by:
Co-Sponsored:
<strong>Malaysian</strong> <strong>Healthy</strong> <strong>Ageing</strong> <strong>Society</strong>

TOWARDS A NEW GERONTOLOGY
FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY:
FROM SICK CARE TO WELL CARE
Cullen T. Hayashida, Ph.D.
Kapiolani Community College
Honolulu, Hawaii USA

MAJOR TRENDS FOR 21 ST
CENTURY
Security – Terrorism
Energy and Resource
Population <strong>Ageing</strong>

ELDER SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE

ADDRESSING WORKFORCE SHORTAGE:
POTENTIAL STRATEGIES
‣ Increase Fertility
‣ Increase Funding to enhance Worker Pay
‣ Import Foreign Workers
‣ Promote Emigration or Relocation of Elderly
‣ Increase Consumer – Personal Responsibility
‣ Promote End of Life Care
‣ Increase use of Technologies
‣ Build Supportive Age-Friendly Communities
‣ Increase & Improve Paraprofessional Training
‣ Increase Family Caregiver Training
‣ Promote Active <strong>Ageing</strong>

GERONTOLOGY TRAINING NEEDED
What is the role of Gerontology Education to
address the workforce shortage issue?
Are students interested in ageing? If not, how do
we create more interest in gerontology in higher
education?
How can higher education become more
effective at addressing needs of the older adult
population?

HOW EFFICIENT IS OUR ELDER CARE
WORKFORCE TRAINING SYSTEM?

U.S. NATIONAL EXPERIENCE
AGHE – Association for Gerontology in Higher Education
is a professional educational organization promoting
gerontology education in higher education in the USA.
Decline in institutional membership from 270 (2004) to
135 (2010)!
Challenges: Crowded curriculum, Lack of interested or
trained faculty, Limited student interest, Low levels of
reimbursement, and Youth oriented culture with <strong>Ageing</strong>phobia.
AGHE’s Strategy:
Require Accreditation, Standardize Curriculum
Linkage between Programs – non-credit, community
college, baccalaureate and graduate programs

Contradictory Trends in
Gerontology Education in U.S.A
“…while there is a declining enrollment in
community college credit-based gerontology
programs, the private sector professional
certifications are becoming more popular
and gaining industry status and client
confidence”
Linda Wiener, 2007

HOW IS AGEING
TAUGHT?
4 THEMES

I –ELDER CARE TRAINING
WITH SICK CARE THEME
<strong>Ageing</strong> as Pathology: Sick Care perspective. Long-term
Care, Chronic long term disability. 5 D’s: Decline,
Deterioration, Decay, Dependence and Death? Or the 3-
Ps: Pain, Pills and Passing
<strong>Ageing</strong> is largely defined in academia and public policy in
terms from a biomedical perspective that emphasizes
dependency, loss and decline.
Solutions: Biomedical. Maximize independence in the
least restricted environment. Anti-ageing.
Concepts:
Nursing home
Death and Dying, Hospice Care
Chronic care self management
Activities of Daily Living

II –ELDER CARE TRAINING WITH
LIFE LONG LEARNING THEME
Training as personal enrichment, personal growth,
self development and wellness. Promotion of the
Multi-faceted Dimensions of Wellness
Training: Osher Lifelong Learning Program, Road
Scholar/Elder Hostel Program, Continuing
Education programs, Community Schools for
Adults, YMCA, YWCA, and other non-profits
Goal: Individual well being but for what purpose?

III – ELDER CARE TRAINING AS
SUB-SPECIALTY IN TRADES
Non-Credit training affiliated with trade or
professional associations
Trade Associations
Growth of practical training
Over 50 types identified, many more being created
Certification but no standards,competencies?
Often not coordinated with traditional
educational institutions, community colleges,
universities

Activity Director
Adult Services Specialist
Assisted Living/Senior Housing
Administrator
Aquatic Fitness Therapist
Business and <strong>Ageing</strong> Specialist
Animal Assisted Activity Therapist
<strong>Ageing</strong> in Place Specialist
Certified Eden Associate
Certified Social Work in Gerontology
Certified Diabetic Educator
Certified Grief Counselor

Certified Health Education Specialist
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor
Certified Senior Advisor
Certified Substance Abuse Program Administrator
Daily Money Manager
Disability Management Specialist
Home Modification Specialist
Older Adult Personal Fitness Trainer
Geriatric Care Manager
Home Inspector Professional
Home Organizer Consultant
Hospice and Palliative Care Professional

IV –ELDER CARE TRAINING
WITH ACTIVE AGEING THEME
Active <strong>Ageing</strong> is the process of improving
opportunities for health, participation, and
security in order to enhance quality of life as
people age. (W.H.O. 2002)
Growing theme – international and national
conferences, journals, curriculum development
BUT no degrees or national certifications
Considerable work needed to create the
concepts, evidence, competencies, certification
and degree programs

ACTIVE AGEING
Purpose/
Meaning/
Legacy
Work/Creativity
Soul Work
Passion Work
Learning/Leisure
Leisure Work
Humor/Support /Relations
Social Work
Housing/Finance/Transportation
Livelihood Work
Exercise/Health/Diet
Body Work

• The paradox on modern society is that it provides the
stability and affluence for us to grow old while denying
older people any suitable role (Dr. Bill Thomas).
• The evolving concept of Active <strong>Ageing</strong> suggest concept
beyond physical fitness or life enrichment to create
meaning and purpose and value to the community.
Generativity, returnment, legacy, purpose,
intergenerational solidarity, intergenerational
sustainability, Okaeshi, Dana – selfless giving
• Can we make Sustainability an Intergenerational
Responsibility of Older Adults who have been given 20-
40 bonus years to live?
ACTIVE AGEING
FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

Intergenerational
Conflict or Support?
Elderly = 15% of Population but use 40% of U.S.Budget;
Children = 25% uses 8.5% of U.S.A. Budget

MAJOR ISSUES TO
INCREASE THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF
GERONTOLOGICAL
EDUCATION

SICK CARE
Long-term care
Life Expectancy
Chronic illness, Pain
Geriatric pathology
Dementia
Retirement
LTC Insurance, Medicaid
Caregiver Burden
Family Stress and obligations
Youth oriented Anti-ageing
medicine
WELL CARE
Active <strong>Ageing</strong>
Active Life Expectancy
Values: Forgiveness, Gratitude, etc.
Exercise. Chronic Disease Self Management
Exercise, Advocacy, Age Friendly Communities
Returnment, Generativity, Age as Asset
Productive <strong>Ageing</strong>, Age as Economic
Opportunity
Grandparenting, Mentoring
Legacy, Purpose
Lifelong Learning, Encore careers; Death with
dignity

1.Create excitement in young students by
viewing age as an economic opportunity
2.Create awareness that older adults are
the world fastest growing natural
resource!
- Boomers can create Encore Careers
with purpose, income

Standardization
Age as Asset &
Economic
Opportunity
Credit vs
Non-Credit
Well Care
Articulation

THE WORK AHEAD
Marketing and Promotion in mass media,
cultural festivals, celebrating best practices
and role models
Collaborative Academic Work: Journals,
Conferences, research, Associations
New concept development and theories
Certificates, Standards, Programs and Degrees

GOAL FOR GERONTOLOGY:
ADDING PRODUCTIVE LIFE TO YEARS