Course to prepare next generation of healthcare professionals for unique needs and care challenges of older patients

A new geriatric training course developed by The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences in partnership with Baycrest Health Sciences is using simulation to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals for the unique needs and care challenges of older patients.
The week-long program, called “Working With Seniors: A Primer for Healthcare Providers”, combines flexible learning formats—such as e-learning modules—with simulation experiences. Learners can interact directly with seniors, observe and participate in scenarios, and wear a frail aging simulation suit.
“This partnership between The Michener Institute and Baycrest will better equip healthcare workers to provide care to seniors here in Ontario,” said Eric Hoskins, Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “This project aligns well with our province’s Seniors Strategy. As the number of seniors continues to grow in our province, ensuring that healthcare workers are fully trained to care for them will ultimately mean even better access to healthcare.”
Michener says the curriculum is designed to provide students with first-hand perspectives and experiences of the challenges that seniors often encounter during medical appointments.

“This initiative demonstrates the powerful role simulation can play in affecting positive change in the healthcare system,” said Susan Lenard, President and CEO of SIM-one—Ontario Simulation Network. “Simulation-enhanced training is increasingly being used to support better care for seniors across Ontario. The Michener-Baycrest course—and others like it—are better preparing healthcare professionals as they transition into the clinical and community-based setting.”
Results from the first cohort of 270 full-time students who took the program last summer were encouraging, according to the Michener Institute. Michener has now integrated the program permanently into its curriculum so that all students will enter their chosen career fields with basic competencies in working with seniors in a healthcare setting. Michener and Baycrest hope to extend the curriculum to Michener graduates and general entry-to-practice healthcare professionals in the future.