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Skidmore College

The overall goals of the Skidmore College BEL project were to expose students to the advantages of intergenerational relationships, educate students about housing options for older adults, and teach them strategies for developing rapport with older clients. BEL project activities included:

  • Student interviews of an older adult mentor and his mentee from a mentoring program that serves youth from disadvantaged backgrounds;
  • Intergenerational events addressing music and art held at congregate senior housing with residents and youth from a local mentoring group; 
  • Focus groups with residents at the congregate senior housing site to explore program development and sustainability of the events;
  • Tour of housing options for older adults; 
  • Conducting videotaped oral histories of nursing home residents and community-dwelling older adults; 
  • Development of aging-specific field placements for senior social work majors; and 
  • Development of a needs assessment for community dwelling older adults with low incomes.

Courses that Included Experiential Activity:

  • Introduction to Social Work
  • Human Behavior & The Social Environment
  • Practice with Individuals
  • Practice with Groups
  • Practice with Organizations
  • Community Practice
  • Social Work Research
  • Field Instruction

Gero Practice Behaviors:

  • Use empathy and sensitive interviewing skills to engage older clients in identifying their strengths and problems.
  • Establish rapport and maintain an effective working relationship with older adults and family members.
  • Provide outreach to older adults and their families to ensure appropriate use of the service continuum.