AGING TRAINING IN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES RESEARCH

IN INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGED, INTERACTIONS BETWEEN A RESIDENT AND DIRECT-CARE STAFF MEMBERS CAN GREATLY AFFECT THE RESIDENT'S HEALTH. IN THE LONG-TERM CARE INDUSTRY, THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO TRAINING PACKAGES SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ADDRESS STAFF-RESIDENT INTERACTIONS AS KEY TO MAINTAINING THE HEALTH AND INDEPENDENCE OF AGED RESIDENTS. THE AIM OF PHASE I RESEARCH IS TO SYSTEMATICALLY APPLY EXISTING KNOWLEDGE TOWARD THE PRODUCTION OF A USEFUL IN-SERVICE TRAINING PACKAGE THAT TEACHES DIRECT-CARE STAFF BASIC INTERACTION SKILLS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH AND INDEPENDENCE OF INSTITUTIONALIZED AGED RESIDENTS. LONG-TERM PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE TO FIELD TEST THE TRAINING PACKAGE AND ESTABLISH ITS EFFECTIVENESS. PHASE I GOALS WILL BE ACHIEVED BY THE EFFICIENT USE OF EXISTING RESEARCH AND THE INNOVATIVE MERGING OF TECHNOLOGY FROM THE FIELDS OF GERONTOLOGY, SOCIAL WORK, PSYCHOLOGY, ANDADULT EDUCATION. THE DEMAND FOR AN IN-SERVICE TRAINING PACKAGE THAT TEACHES INTERACTION TECHNIQUES TO NONPROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS IN SHORT, CLEAR, AND CONCISE WAYS THAT CAN BE USED IN DAILY WORK ROUTINES HAS BEEN VOICED BY RESEARCHERS, PROFESSIONALS, AND DIRECT-CARE STAFF ALIKE.