Competencies Menu

The nine older adult competencies in this website lead you from an initial focus on individual older adults, to a more complex focus on older adult and caregiver issues, and finally to a focus on system issues. Frameworks guide you throughout, by showing you the larger picture into which each smaller picture fits.

Menus of learning activities allow you to choose activities that are pertinent to your job setting and fit with your own individual learning style, or the learning styles of your students.   

• Increase own and others' awareness of attitudes, values, and expectations about aging and their impact on care of older adults and their families.

• Communicate effectively, respectfully, and compassionately with older adults and their families/caregivers.

• Use appropriate assessments for the functional, physical, cognitive, psychological, social, and spiritual status of older adults.

• Plan, implement, and evaluate care that is adapted to meet the individual functional, physical, cognitive, psychological, social, and endurance capabilities of older adults.

• Plan, implement, and evaluate care that assists older adults and their families/caregivers to meet personal goals, express preferences, maximize function, maintain desired level of autonomy and independence, and live in their chosen environment.

• Plan, implement, and evaluate care that promotes optimal aging.
   

• Guide older adults and their families/caregivers in making complex decisions that arise with aging.

• Work effectively within and across organizational systems to promote quality care for older persons.

• Advocate for health, social, and financial needs of older adults at the policy level.