Development of Geriatric Curricular Content Within a Physical Therapist Assistant Education Program

Abstract

Background and Purpose. The number of older adults within the population of the United States (US) will increase dramatically within the next several decades, and a significant number of these older individuals will require physical therapy services. There is a concern that physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) will not be adequately prepared to deliver the best possible care to these older adults and those that are prepared will be few in number. Data suggests that PTAs may be more involved than PTs in the day-to-day care of the older adult, especially in skilled nursing facilities. There is little guidance on geriatric content within PT and PTA education programs, and research shows variability in depth of content and approach to geriatric education within physical therapy education programs. Few programs appear to offer dedicated units of geriatric instruction, with most integrating geriatric content across the curriculum. There does not appear to be similar research of PTA programs, but it can be assumed that geriatric content is delivered in similar ways in PTA programs. The purpose of this case report is to describe one approach to geriatric education for the PTA that offers a dedicated unit of instruction on aging and physical therapy for the older adult. Case Description. The PTA program of a small urban community college undertook a complete program review that resulted in a revision to the sequence of courses within the program and a critical look at the content of each course. As part of this review the geriatric unit that had been in existence since 2000, was moved from the first to the second year of the program. This move allowed for greater focus on geriatric specific content and less time spent on instruction in basic skills, which had been the case when the course was offered in the first year. The course was also sequenced in the program in such a way to prepare students for the first full-time clinical education experience. Outcomes. Student reports supported the changes and recognized that the content in the geriatric unit built on previous knowledge and provided a greater understanding of the many issues faced by the older adult. Feedback from clinical instructors has also been supportive of the changes made in the program, although it is not clear whether these changes are directly related to the enhanced geriatric content or to changes made to the program as a whole. Discussion and Conclusion. Although the data is limited, it does suggest that a dedicated unit of instruction in geriatric physical therapy, placed appropriately within a PTA program, not only serves to prepare students to be more successful during clinical education, but also increases awareness of older people in society and the role that physical therapy can play in health, wellness, disease, and at the end of life.