Preparing Human Service Practitioners to Teach Older Adults. Information Series No. 209.

This paper overviews existing research on how one teaches the older person. It is aimed at the many persons who work with older adults, regardless of whether they are trained to teach older adults. Suggestions are outlined for the design and implementation of effective education for older persons. Several areas that are examined are (1) the history of adult learning (includes models, stages, and theories; memory and intellect; and learning needs and obstacles); (2) the adult education instructor (includes the teacher as facilitator; the teaching/learning process; and self-directed learning); (3) techniques of altering traditional modes of dispensing information and developing personal instructor approaches and styles (discusses interference, hesitancy, speed and pacing, and organizational and associational abilities); and (4) the need for further research. Appended materials contain some anecdotal experiences related to working with older adults and a list of relevant resources such as periodicals, professional associations, political groups, and professional training opportunities. (CT)