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What’s New in Being Old?
Jane Strommen & Dena Kemmet
November 7, 2012
Why Should Extension Focus
On Gerontology Now?• North Dakota’s age distribution will shift
from 2010 to 2025 largely due to the aging
of the baby boom population
• From 2010 to 2025, residents ages 65 and
older are projected to expand by 52% -
50,583 residents
• In 2025, residents ages 65 and older are
projected to be 18 percent of the total
population (up from 14 % in 2010)
Source: Center for Social Research
What’s New (in Extension) in
Being Old?
• Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTFC)
• Stepping On- fall prevention training
• Universal Design Education
• Grandparenting Education
• Adopt-A-Grandparent Toolkit
• Information & Services
There are only four kinds of people
in the world -
Those who have been caregivers
Those who currently are caregivers
Those who will be caregivers,
And those who will need caregivers.
- Rosalynn Carter
Powerful Tools for Caregivers
• In the six weekly classes, caregivers develop a wealth of
self-care tools to:
– reduce personal stress;
– change negative self-talk;
– communicate their needs to family members and
healthcare or service providers;
– communicate more effectively in challenging
situations; recognize the messages in their emotions,
– deal with difficult feelings; and
– make tough caregiving decisions.
Program Origins and
Development
• PTFC was developed over 3 years of pilot
testing, refinement and evaluative research to
assess the program’s effectiveness.
• The program has been offered for over 12 years.
• Currently, over 1,700 Class Leaders have been
trained in 32 states. Since the program’s
inception, PTFC materials have reached over
70,000 caregivers.
Curriculum Shown to Improve:
• Self-Care Behaviors: (e.g. increased
exercise, relaxation and medical check-
ups)
• Management of Emotions: (reduced
guilt, anger, and depression)
• Self-Efficacy: (increased confidence in
coping with caregiving demands)
• Use of Community Resources:
(increased utilization of local services)
Class Leader Requirements
• A co-leader with whom to teach the
6-week caregiver class
• Group facilitation skills
• Experience working with family caregivers
• Attend Class Leader training – 2 full days
• Teach at least two caregiver class series
within the first year
Local Class Leader Training
• Trained facilitators from Iowa State
University Extension Service will be
delivering a 2-day workshop in Fargo next
spring. Tentative dates: May 14 & 15
• If you are interested in learning more
about the training, please complete the
sign-up sheet during this meeting.
• Website: http://www.powerfultoolsforcaregivers.org/
Great Caregiving Resource
• Recommended Reading:
Share the Care: How to Organize a
Group to Care for Someone Who Is
Seriously Ill
by Cappy Capossela &
Sheila Warnock
Stepping On
• 7-week falls prevention class
– incorporates behavior change theory
– found in research to be effective in reducing falls
among older adults by about 30 percent.
• ND Department of Health recently provided
training to 20 individuals to lead classes in the
state.
Universal Design
Universal design is about creating or
remodeling a home that is adaptable,
flexible, safe, and easy-to-use for all
residents and visitors, regardless of
age, size, or ability.
Universal Design
• Most adults want to age in
place and remain in their own
homes as long as possible.
• North Dakota has a rapidly
aging population, especially in
rural areas.
• Most frail older adults will be
challenged to age in place
without a successful fit between
their home environment and
their needs. When a fit does
not occur, physical differences
become barriers to living
independently.
Universal Design Features
• Step-free entrance
• Main living areas on entry floor level
(kitchen, full bath, & bedroom)
• Wide doorways and hallways
• Lever door and faucet handles
• Multi-height kitchen countertops
• Kitchen & bathroom cabinets/shelves that
are easy to reach
Design Features-continued
• Well-lit hallways & stairways
• A bathtub or shower with a non-slip bottom
or floor
• Blocking in the bathroom walls so grab
bars can be added as needed
• Secure handrails on both sides of
stairways
Universal Design Program
• Developed by Dr. Susan Ray-Degges,
NDSU Department of Apparel, Design and
Hospitality Management
• Includes PowerPoint, Home Modification
Checklists, and tons of resources!
• Program recently updated
• Suggestions for presentations
Grandparenting Education
• Nearly 6,000 children are living
with grandparents in North
Dakota
• Statewide, the number of
children living with grandparents
rose 62 percent between 1990
and 2000
• A series of educational bulletins
are being revised and/or
developed on a broad range of
grandparenting issues
Adopt-A-Grandparent Toolkit
• Bridges the gap between generations by
providing opportunities:
– for older adults to learn about current trends
– for students to learn about past trends
• Promotes a sense of well being and
satisfaction for older adults and a sense of
confidence in the younger generation
Toolkit Available
• Toolkit is available at the ND Partners in
Nursing Gerontology Consortium website:
http://www.ndsu.edu/pin/resources/
• Toolkit includes the following:
informational letter, recommended
procedure, teacher/leader letter template,
parent letter template, & participation and
photo form template
Information & Services
• NDSU Extension Gerontology Website –
coming soon!
– ND Aging and Disability Resource – LINK
Statewide: 1-800-451-8693
www.carechoice.nd.gov
– State Health Insurance Counseling (SHIC)
– State Aging Demographics
Future Plans
• Later-life transitions: family
communications, driving, housing,
caregiving, re-location, finances
• Care options and financial information
• Shorter handouts: memory loss, elder
abuse, nutrition, sight & hearing
• Working with communities-elder friendly
• Your suggestions are encouraged!!!!!
Questions?
Please contact us:
Jane Strommen: [email protected]
701-231-5948
Dena Kemmet: [email protected]
701-873-5195
