Summary
Older people’s care: Developing knowledge and skills. In joining this course, we acknowledge your enthusiasm for older people’s care, and the wealth of knowledge and skills you bring. We hope you also bring a curious mind to learn more, and share your learning and experience with others on this module.
This module is designed for registered health care professionals who are actively involved in the care and support of older people. The module has a focus on the fundamentals in care and support of people, as they experience health and social issues associated with ageing and frailty.
Every effort is made to ensure the information contained in the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), and all other documentation provided by King’s Academy is correct at the time of publication. If you find any inaccuracies, please do let one of the module team know as soon as possible.
We will meet together in King’s Academy on 5 days, but we will be encouraging you to also read, listen, watch, reflect and learn more outside of these taught days.
This module aims to
- Enable students to recognise the unique care needs of older people, in health and illness. With a specific focus on the needs of older people with frailty.
- Facilitate students to apply a critical approach to undertaking a structured assessment, interpreting clinical data and using situational judgement to prioritise the care needs for the older person.
- Empower students to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary setting to plan, deliver and evaluate person-centred, evidence-based care for older people.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
- Critically evaluate the unique health and illness issues of older people living in contemporary society
- Compare and contrast a range of person-centred assessment tools and methods of evaluation in relation to commonly encountered health-related conditions of older people
- Identify strategies used to communicate and work in partnership with people, families, carers and members of the multi-disciplinary team.
- Identify social, ethical and legal issues, and the application of these in relation to the care of the older person.
There will be five focused study days. These will have taught elements, but each day will also contain group discussions on case studies which encourage critical analysis of the issues raised:
- Evidence Based Practice: Critical Skills Toolkit: Critically Write and Critical Reflection
- Self-reflection facilitated through group simulation and feedback
- National and local policies and guidelines
- Principles of legal and ethical frameworks underpinning care for the deteriorating person, including mental capacity, the Mental Health Act (2005) and safeguarding
- Roles, responsibilities and scope of practice of members of the nursing and multi-disciplinary team
- Working and communicating effectively with the multi-disciplinary team
- Ethico-legal considerations when caring for older people.
- Understanding the approaches to managing risks in the care of older people, including, safeguarding, people at risk of falls, those with cognitive impairment.
- Partnership working
- Dementia
- Frailty and frailty syndromes (delirium, falls, incontinence, immobility, and medication side effects)
- Cardiac issues: Heart failure
- Acute mental illness – delirium, personality disorders, mood and anxiety disorders and psychotic illnesses
- Preparing people for, and recognising end of life care needs
- Working in partnership with people to encourage shared decision-making, including families, carers and the multi-disciplinary team
- Processes, policies and procedures when transferring between care settings including community to hospital to care home
- Effective communication with older unwell people, their families, carers and multi-disciplinary colleague
Cohort Schedules
Depending on the Cohort you sign-up to, your face to face training dates are as follows
Cohort | Start | Finish |
Semester 1 | 20 Mar ’24 | 20 Jun ’24 |
Semester 2 | 21 Jun ’24 | 22 Sep ’24 |
Semester 3 | 23 Sep ’24 | 21 Dec ’24 |
Semester 4 | 22 Dec ’24 | 19 Mar ’25 |
Total 150 Hours
- 40 hours in classroom
- 110 hours guided independent study
Depending on the Cohort you sign-up to, your face-to-face training dates are as follows.
Cohort | Start | Finish |
Semester 1 | 20 Mar ’24 | 20 Jun ’24 |
Semester 2 | 21 Jun ’24 | 22 Sep ’24 |
Semester 3 | 23 Sep ’24 | 21 Dec ’24 |
Semester 4 | 22 Dec ’24 | 19 Mar ’25 |
Please Note:
Please note that the dates above could be subject to change so please mindful these dates could change slightly.