USING CONNECTED LEARNING THEORY GUIDED ADOPTION IN SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF 4MS AGE-FRIENDLY CARE

Abstract

Abstract As one of the HRSA funded Geriatric Workforce Enhancement recipients, the Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative worked with the Reynolds Institute on Aging Thomas and Lyons Longevity Clinic to implement Age Friendly care. An adult learning theory was used to develop trainings on the 4M’s of Age-Friendly Healthcare and to pursue Age-Friendly Certification from The Institute for Healthcare Improvement. The Connected Learning Theory is a proven method to reliably help a trainee’s adoption of new principles and ideas by connecting familiar relationships which are easily recognized. This theory supports various learner pathways and proposes that students learn best when they form familiar connections to the materials. In an effort to provide enhanced training to healthcare professionals who were already familiar with much of the content, associations were made between M&M’s candy with each of the 4Ms, What Matters, Mobility, Mind and Medications of Age-Friendly Care. Baseline and 6-months post training data on two Merit-Based Incentive Payment Systems (MIPS) measures, depression and falls risk screening, were used to evaluate outcomes. Staff were satisfied with the 4Ms Age-Friendly Framework and found it easily applicable to their older adult patient workflow. MIPS evaluation of data showed significant changes in depression screens with a 23% improvement and a 3% improvement in screenings for future fall risk 6 months after training. This clinic achieved Level I Age-Friendly Certification in June 2021. Although the staff were already specialists in geriatrics, the training increased application of the 4 M’s, improved staff acceptance, and improved knowledge via M&M connections.