Geriatrics and Gerontology

The course cover terms related to gerontology and geriatrics and expands the normal ageing process and provide an overview to the complexity in health and disease at older age. Different theoretical perspectives, including cultural perspectives, previous living conditions, socio-economic perspectives, and health and social services provided to older persons, will be included in the course to share light on ageing, health/diseases and life situations related to ageing. The course will provide in-depth knowledge in interdisciplinary geriatrics, geriatric methods and treatment and care.

Potential topics:

• clarification of concepts (gerontology and geriatrics)
• the relevance of life course- and the contemporary history for ageing - included interview of a persons' life style
• population growth/demographics and heath in older persons
• gerontology and geriatrics in a cultural perspective
• biological, psychological and social ageing
• health and health promotion in gerontology and geriatrics
• the importance of physical activity and life style for health and quality of life at older age
• integration of prevention and rehabilitation in daily life
• social networks and network theories related to health in older persons
• principles and theories for treatment and care
• the Norwegian welfare model
• public guidelines and legislation that regulate health services for older persons in special- and primary health care
• documentation of health care
• health promotion and other services for home-dwelling older persons with or without functional decline
• geriatrics (functional decline, falls, polypharmacy, delirium, incontinence)
• evaluation and assessments, including how to use relevant assessment tools
• interdisciplinary collaboration and interaction between service levels
• older persons and sexuality
• nutrition and nutritional deficiencies at older age
• tooth- and oral health
• the ageing process in adults with congenital or early acquired functional deficits
• force, violence, and abuse in a persons' home and in institutions
• care at the end of life
• Stroke and rehabilitation after stroke

Learning outcome after completing the topic:

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge about the biological, psychological, and social ageing process and how it affect older persons' daily life and health, and how aging can affect the development of morbidity in advanced age.
• has in-depth knowledge about theories to improve and maintain physical, mental, and social functions at older age
• has in-depth knowledge about the relationship between normal age-related changes, development of diseases, and symptoms of disease, and the consequences this complexity has for evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and follow-up of diseases and declines in health.

Skills

The student

• can analyse individual challenges from a community perspective
• can conduct a structured conversation and a survey and interview with use of relevant, existing tools
• can analyse professional issues in light of geriatric methods and care and argue professionally for consequences of different approaches for different service levels and areas

General competence

The student

• understand the heterogeneity in the group of older persons and understand the impact of individual adaptations to maintain and increase function at older age.
• has the ability to evaluate and argue, both professional and ethical, so that the older person with functional decline/disease and their caregivers interests are ensured in an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaboration.

Lectures, home assignments and group work.