The Development of an Indigenous Training Package in Life Education: Working with Older Adults

Abstract

This project involves a wide range of teaching and learning activities aiming to develop culturally and linguistically life education materials complementing for course SS4215, Working with Senior Citizens, and SS5831, and Issues in Social Gerontology. Through active participative learning strategies, 40 student participants will be recruited and involved with 6 frontline practitioners to identify a number of key issues, (i.e. living with chronic illnesses, and poverty) confronted by the older persons in Hong Kong context. Through guest lectures, and direct interviews with older adults with special needs, student participants will articulate the psychological and social factors conducive to their chosen prevalent aging issues, such as depression, suicide, care giving, elder abuse, end-of-life care, just to name a few. Through experiential learning opportunities, the student will acquire the related knowledge base and attitudes to appreciate the life wisdom and resilience those older adults in various life challenging circumstances. In consultation with frontline practitioners, 6 case vignettes and related intervention plans and report their experiences and reflections using a 30-minute video-clips, a printed (and on-line) newsletter to the university community and social service providers. Feedback from the participants and service providers will be collected as evidences of its effectiveness"