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Colorado State University - Pueblo

Colorado State University at Pueblo’s overall goals were to embed and infuse gerontology content across the curriculum and thus create meaningful experiential learning opportunities at all levels of coursework and at all practice levels. All but two courses were impacted by this goal. The program provided the knowledge content necessary to begin interactions, to challenge and change the attitudes or values of our students, if needed, and to provide opportunities for students to develop their skills through person-to-person interaction. The experiential activities that were developed ranged from oral history projects, examination of social welfare policies, a memory book project, aging stations, guest speakers, and experiences in care centers and senior centers.

Courses that Included Experiential Activity:

  • Introduction to Social Work
  • Social Welfare Policy
  • Human Behavior and the Social Environment
  • Practice with Individuals
  • Practice with Groups
  • Practice with Organizations
  • Community Practice
  • Diversity
  • Social Work Research
  • Field Placement
  • Introduction to Social Work Practice

Gero Practice Behaviors:

  • Assess and address values and biases regarding aging.
  • Conduct a comprehensive geriatric assessment (bio-psychosocial evaluation).
  • Identify the availability of resources and resource systems for older adults and their families.
  • Advocate on behalf of clients with agencies and other professionals to help elders obtain quality services.
  • Use empathy and sensitive interviewing skills to engage older clients in identifying their strengths and problems.
  • Identify issues related to losses, changes, and transitions over their life cycle in designing interventions.
  • Identify and develop strategies to address service gaps, fragmentation, discrimination, and barriers that impact older persons.
  • Assess and address any negative impacts of social and health care policies on practice with historically disadvantaged populations.
  • Relate social work perspectives and related theories to practice with older adults (e.g., person-in environment, social justice).
  • Conduct a comprehensive geriatric assessment (bio-psychosocial evaluation).
  • Establish rapport and maintain an effective working relationship with older adults and family members.
  • Promote use of research (including evidence based practice) to evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of social work practice and aging related services.
  • Advocate on behalf of clients with agencies and other professionals to help elders obtain quality services.
  • Adhere to laws and public policies related to older adults (e.g., elder abuse reporting, legal guardianship, advance directives).
  • Respect and promote older adult clients’ right to dignity and self-determination.
  • Provide outreach to older adults and their families to ensure appropriate use of the service continuum.