According to the Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines and ACEP (American College of Emergency Physicians) GEDA (Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation) criteria, a Geriatric ED requires interdisciplinary staff with training and education specifically relevant to the provision of emergency care of older adults.
An appropriately staffed and educated ED helps to optimize ED visits, delivering coordinated and effective care for high-risk patients, and avoids unnecessary admission by increasing community services or alternate care. Effective interdisciplinary teams in the ED may improve patient outcomes and reduce costs by ensuring appropriate care that is aligned with an older adult’s goals.
This list includes FREE online resources, courses, and certificates for occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, paramedics and others wishing to improve their skills and knowledge in emergency care for older adults.
Free Online Resources
Communicating with Older Adults: An Evidence-Based Review of What Really Works – Gerontological Society of America
Sign up for a free account to access this 35-page booklet with guidance on how to recognize and respond to vision, hearing, and cognitive deficits; questions to ask about an older person’s social supports and living situation; and much more.
Communicating with Older Adults (Video) – Gerontological Society of America
This short video offers tips for effectively communicating with older adults, including minimizing background noise and avoiding language that could be interpreted as condescending.
Elder Care Interprofessional Provider Sheets – Arizona Center on Aging, The University of Arizona Health Sciences
The Arizona Center on Aging offers one- to two-page summary sheets on dozens of geriatric care topics, including conducting family meetings, pharmacotherapy for anxiety in older adults, hearing aids, and low vision aids. The sheets include screening and assessment tools as well as treatment guidance.
Geriatric Fast Facts
Geriatric Fast Facts is a database of peer-reviewed information sheets on a wide range of problems faced by older adults, written by multi-specialty teams. Topics range from elder abuse to dizziness to low health literacy. Geriatric Fast Facts is funded by Wisconsin-based health care and education organizations, as well as research grants.
Physiotherapy and Older People – Physiopedia
This article describes the essential skills for geriatric physical therapists, highlights validated tools for assessing older adults and summarizes the guiding principles in geriatric physiotherapy. Physiopedia is a non-profit educational organization.
Transition between inpatient hospital settings and community or care home settings for adults with social care needs – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
This guideline is designed to help a wide range of health and social service providers improve coordination and communication when patients transition between hospitals and homes or community care settings. The practices and approaches in this guideline have been shown to improve patient safety and health outcomes.
Talking with your Older Patient – National Institutes of Health
This resource features several articles on communicating with older adults. Topics include talking to older adults from diverse populations in a culturally appropriate way, talking to older adults who are confused, promoting wellness, and more.
Continuing education courses
Geriatrics eLearning Courses – American Occupational Therapy Association
AOTA members have access to a variety of online modules designed to improve their skills and knowledge in assisting older adults with dementia, low vision, poor medication adherence and more common challenges in aging.
Geriatric EMS – National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
The NAEMT offers both a core and advanced geriatric EMS course for EMTs, paramedics, emergency responders, nurses, physician assistants and physicians. To find upcoming in-person course offerings, look for ‘GEMS’ in this list.
Geriatrics eLearning Courses – American Physical Therapy Association
APTA provides more than 10 courses designed to help physical therapists effectively intervene in common challenges among older adults. Course topics include supporting older adults after limb loss, the assessment and management of incontinence, preventing and managing skin wounds, and other complex care and age-related topics.
Supervisory Leaders in Aging Courses – National Association of Social Workers
Choose from 10 courses taught by leaders in gerontological social work, on topics including mental health in older adults, working with families, and translating evidence to practice. Courses are open to social workers as well as providers from related disciplines.
Certificates
Falls Prevention I and II – American Occupational Therapy Association
AOTA members can earn one or both digital badges in Falls Prevention. The courses explore the common reasons falls happen and how to prevent them, using the American Geriatrics Society and British Geriatrics Society Falls Prevention Guidelines, as well as the Person-Environment-Occupation and Model of Human Occupation models of occupational therapy.
Supervisory Leaders in Aging, Principles – National Association of Social Workers
This 10-course certificate is available for social workers and providers in related disciplines. Participants will enhance their own gerontological practice knowledge and hone skills to lead others in optimal service provision for older adults.
Specialist Certification: Geriatrics – American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists
Physical therapists can study individually or in a group before completing the 7-hour examination to be certified as specialists in geriatrics. Guidance and resources on how to prepare for the exam are available here and information about the certification process can be found here. The exam is offered annually in 300 testing sites around the world.
Geriatric Pharmacy Practice Certification – Board of Pharmacy Specialties
Board-certified geriatric pharmacists are trained to advocate for appropriate prescribing and work with providers to resolve medication-related problems in older adults. To be certified, pharmacists must pass the BPS Geriatric Pharmacy Certification Examination and complete two years of practice experience with 50% of their time spent on geriatric pharmacy practice.
