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Despite the increasing demand for, and shortage of, well‐prepared geriatric social workers, there is currently no replicable geriatric social work field training model. The Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium (GSWEC) was developed as the United States' first regional consortium in geriatric social work field training geared to preparing leaders in the field of aging. GSWEC unites four graduate social work programs, five aging service organizations as Centers of Excellence, and 12 associate agencies in order to integrate graduate academic and field curriculum in geriatric social work, based on the continuum of geriatric care. The methodology involves a Systematic Research Synthesis to identify features of successful educational consortia. Bailey and McNally Koney's Community‐Based Consortia Development (CBCD) framework was selected to describe the features of GSWEC. The CBCD model is described and the literature is synthesized by the seven CBCD components: leadership; membership; environmental linka...

This cross-sectional study assessed undergraduate attitudes toward older adults and attitude endurance 3 to 18 months after aging coursework. Survey respondents included 349 students who took an aging elective and 430 comparison students. Aging-elective students indicated more positive attitudes than comparison students. Attitudes did not vary across 3 groups staggered by time elapsed from completing the course until testing (3 to 18 months). 4 variables accounted for the variance in attitudes toward elders at a statistically significant level: majoring in biology, having frequent or occasional contact with unrelated older adults, taking an aging course, and post-course knowledge of aging.

This study assesses undergraduate knowledge of aging, distinguishing between types of deficits (ignorance vs. misinformation) and content areas as delineated by a biopsychosocial framework. Knowledge is examined as an outcome oftaking an aging elective, while accounting for course rating and knowledge retention. A diverse body of UCLA undergraduate students who took an aging course (n = 349) and a stratified random comparison group (n = 430) took Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz and scored 14 and 12 items correct, respectively. Undergraduates (n = 779) showed a good knowledge of aging in the psychological-cognitive domain, but consistent with previous findings, they exhibited deficits primarily in the social-demographic realm. Taking an aging course was significantly related to better overall knowledge of aging (correct) (p  .0001), and fewer don't know responses (p  .0001). Course rating and shorter timing until testing were also significantly related to better knowledge.

Undergraduate student interest in aging was examined in relation to age, gender, and contact with older adults. Interest in aging is conceived of along a continuum, ranging from initial interest-taking an aging course-to substantial interest as evidenced by academic and career interest. Undergraduate students who have taken an aging course (n = 189) and a stratified random comparison group (n = 261) self-assessed their interest in aging. Background information, including the frequency and duration of contact with older family and non-family individuals, was reported. Being female (p < 001) and having frequent contact with older family members (p < .01) significantly explains initial interest in aging. Initial interest in aging (i.e., taking an aging course) significantly contributes to substantial interest in aging (p < .0001) i.e., taking more aging courses, majoring in gerontology, working or planning to work with older adults. Contact with older adults positively affects undergraduate interest in aging...

This study assesses undergraduate knowledge of aging, distinguishing between types of deficits (ignorance vs. misinformation) and content areas as delineated by a biopsychosocial framework. Knowledge is examined as an outcome of taking an aging elective, while accounting for course rating and knowledge retention. A diverse body of UCLA undergraduate students who took an aging course (n = 349) and a stratified random comparison group (n = 430) took Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz and scored 14 and 12 items correct, respectively. Undergraduates (n = 779) showed a good knowledge of aging in the psychological- cognitive domain, but consistent with previous findings, they exhibited deficits primarily in the social-demographic realm. Taking an aging course was significantly related to better overall knowledge of aging (correct) (p/= .0001), and fewer don't know responses (p/=.0001). Course rating and shorter timing until testing were also significantly related to better knowledge.