Ageism: Still Fighting the Battle in 2023
The session will detail the history of ageism in the United States, discuss research on ageism and outline approaches to change behaviors and attitudes of staff and trainees working in the PA/LTC setting. Different types of ageism will be discussed, including institutional, inter-personal, and self-directed ageism. The effects of ageism on physical and mental health will be described. The session will discuss actions that a medical director or other leader in the PA/LTC interdisciplinary team can take to combat ageism. Strategies for teaching trainees and sparking discussions about ageism will be demonstrated. Techniques to identify unconscious bias and create culture change will be illustrated.
Learning Objectives:
At the completion of this session, learners will be able to:
- Define ageism and unconscious bias for staff and trainees in the PALTC setting.
- Describe the physical and mental health consequences of ageism for seniors.
- Demonstrate strategies and leadership techniques that can elicit culture change for staff and trainees in PALTC.
- Utilize strategies and techniques listed in Learning Objective 3 to impact ageism in our communities.
