Gerontologic education for allied health professionals.

The number of elderly in the population is increasing considerably, and by the mid-21st century the projected number will reach 80 million. Such a large increase places a great demand for experts in all allied health professions to be prepared to provide age-specific health care services to this cohort. This article introduces an alternative approach called modularization of gerontology courses, to include adequate and discipline-specific gerontologic education into the many and varied curricula of the allied health schools. J Allied Health. 2003; 32:18-26. THE INCREASING NUMBER of the elderly population and maturation of baby boomers into old age has been well documented.1 The number of elderly persons has increased dramatically, and according to estimates of population projections, the number of elderly persons will reach 40 million by 2010, 69 million in 2030, and nearly 80 million by 2050.(2) Currently, census data indicate that individuals 65 years old and older are the fastest growing segment of the American population. The greatest percentage of increase is among those 85 years of age and older. Population diversity is also increasing. According to the Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2000, whites represent 73% of the total population. The number of whites is growing, but they will account for a progressively smaller percentage of the total population. Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders all are increasing their numbers rapidly. By 2030, the above-mentioned population categories will account for more than 40% of the total population in the United States (Hispanic Americans have gained majority status in California).3 The number of elderly within these categories will increase considerably by 2030. These changes will have profound consequences for the health care workforce, and their training, education, and services they provide to prospective clients. An important implication of the U.S. population growing older and more diversified is the disparity in health care and service utilization. These mere images of such a large and diverse number of elderly in the population are adequate to motivate many in positions of authority to be prepared for training and educating students for providing services to this cohort. Because many of the problems of elderly persons are health and disability related, there is a need for culturally competent health practitioners to provide necessary services to this cohort. Under these rubrics, almost all allied health students and professionals can benefit from gerontologic education. Concomitant with growing older is increasing use of a long list of services needed by elderly persons. The most sought after service is quality health care, with competent health care providers at the helm.4 By virtue of their age, elderly people, especially the oldest-old cohort (>= 85), have a higher need for health care services, many of which are provided by the graduates of allied health professional academic programs. According to the Department of Health and Human Services,1 accounts of self-reported health by elderly persons (>= 70 years old) indicate that older adults consider themselves to be in worse health (28%) than other cohorts in the population (Table 1). Other health and health care issues frequently reported by elderly persons may include the problems listed in Table 2. Although the presence of such large reported numbers of illnesses, diseases, and disabilities by the elderly cohort is not the only factor for the growth and expansion of allied health and auxiliary professions, we cannot refute the fact that the growth and expansion of the health care workforce in the United States is highly correlated with the number of elderly persons in the population, especially elderly who have needs for or benefit from restorative therapies. The Department of Labor projects that the prospective number of allied health jobs will continue to rise in accordance with the growth of the elderly population, especially in the areas for elderly with disabilities or limited functioning abilities. …