Resource Center

An estimated 21% of U.S. households are impacted by caregiving responsibilities for older adults. Participate in this module to learn to identify risk factors associated with caregiver burden, how to utilize assessment instruments for identifying burden, and how best to employ resources to assist caregivers to develop coping skills to reduce burden. This module will enable you to support caregivers to become more confident and proficient in their caregiving capabilities, and reduce their strain and avoid burnout.

While most people prefer to live their final years in the familiar setting of their homes with their families and in their communities, most of the state and federal funding has been directed to caring for people in institutions. Participate in this module to learn the types of home and community based services available through federal and state programs. This module will enable you to assist older adults and their families in accessing those programs locally.

Nearly 40% of older adults report difficulty falling asleep and 30% experience nighttime awakening. Participate in this module to better understand age-related sleep changes and common types of sleep disorders in older adults. Learners will learn to assess sleep problems, utilize diagnostic testing and manage common sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, sleep movement disorders, circadian rhythm sleep disorders and REM sleep behavior disorders.

People are living longer and it is imperative that healthcare providers understand the aging process. Participate in this module to learn about the current theories about the physiologic process of aging, understand the effects of aging on major organ systems and differentiate normal aging from pathology.

Pain affects more Americans than diabetes, cancer and heart disease combined. Participate in this module to better understand the concept of pain, learn to utilize appropriate screening tools and management strategies based on age, health conditions and risks. This module will enable you to become familiar with both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches to pain management.

Poorly planned or executed transitions of care may result in patients’ readmission to hospitals, poor clinical outcomes and inappropriate use of services. It is imperative that practitioners understand and utilize a multidisciplinary transition of care model to ensure continuity of health care as patients transfer between different locations or different levels of care.

With the youngest of the U.S. baby boomers hitting 65 by 2029, the number of people with visual impairment or blindness is expected to double to more than 8 million by 2050, hearing impairments among those 75 years and older will be over 50% and the number of persons with dementia will triple to a projected 13.8 million. Participate in this module to learn about common visual and hearing impairments and cognitive decline among older adults.

Each person’s death is unique and each person has his/her own understanding, views and attitudes toward death. Participate in this module to learn about death and dying within a social, cultural and personal context. Participants will identify the signs of impending death, non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic approaches to managing symptoms during the dying process, become familiar with “The Conversation” for assisting with end of life decisions and appreciate the value of the clinicians’ “Pause” at the time of death.

The need to reduce the costs of care for the chronically ill has led to the exploration of ways to provide increasingly more complex care in the home, rather than extending hospital stays or institutionalization. Studies indicate that interprofessional home care teams are able to provide comprehensive patient-centered care to community dwelling medically complex older adults with comparable or better clinical outcomes.

A significant proportion (60-80%) of people prefer to die in their home, however few Americans (24%) have the opportunity to die at home. Participate in this module to learn the key elements and services of hospice and palliative care, and management of end of life symptoms. This module is designed to help multidisciplinary learners acquire communication skills to effectively deliver bad news, and discuss advance directives, including end of life decisions, using a shared decision making process.