Here, testing is an important component. Individuals and institutions who work with older people should implement regular testing procedures to ensure that they continually provide effective care services to the aging population. Such testing procedures should be targeted towards improvement and implementation on an organization-wide scale.
According to Niles-Yokum and Wagner (2011, p. 16), the targeted development and training for the gerontological workforce began as early as the 1970s, where the focus was mainly on researchers and educators in the subject are of gerontology. Today, this has developed to include special skills sets such as mental health interventions. There are also centers of excellence in gerontology to ensure the effective delivery of care services to the older population. This is an important implementation to ensure the quality of care for older people.
In terms of testing, these centers of excellence should be investigated for their scope and reach. If there is not a sufficient number of these centers, more should be implemented in target areas. Furthermore, excellence should also be the goal of care homes and other centers focused on providing care for the elderly. In addition to training personnel for various areas of elderly care, the services themselves should also undergo continuous testing for their effectiveness in providing the care that service users need. This is particularly the case in terms of optimizing both mental and physical health for older people.
The current focus of Title IV of the Older Americans Act is independence, health, and longevity as a result of care services. Before this focus, the title focused on education and training for personnel working with older people. With the current focus, education and training still remain an integral part, while also widening the focus to create optimal services that are in fact focused on the needs of service users rather than exclusively on the knowledge needs of service providers. The implementation of the new focus occurred by means of innovations such as the AAA network, an investigation into the future of senior centers, adult day programs, and consumer-directed programs. Specifically, the funding provided...
The focus has therefore become the actual needs of the older community rather than only a theoretical focus on the training and development of personnel. Concomitantly, this implementation also means that training and development can occur on a more targeted and effective basis (NCMHA, 2012).
In order to help older people make better use of the services that are available is information and referral services. While this was much more difficult in the era before computers and the Internet, today's information and referral services are much more easily accessible. A challenge is, however, that many older people are not sufficiently confident to use computers, have never learned, or are not encouraged to do so. In order to better implement the provision of information and referral services to older adults, it is vital that regular opportunities be created for them to learn. Like other community programs, computer and Internet training for older adults can be provided at community centers or institutions housing the elderly (Department of Health and Human Services).
In conclusion, the rapid expansion of the aging population means an increase in the needs of this sector of society. Their health, educational, and general care needs should be taken into account when testing is designed and new strategies implemented. The changes to the focus in Title IV of the OAA is an example of the implementation of strategies that are better focused on current needs and findings.
References
Department of Health and Human Services. (2012). Eldercare Locator. Retrieved from: http://www.eldercare.gov/Eldercare.NET/Public/Index.aspx
NCMHA. (2012). Working to Promote Excellence in Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Primary Care Services to Older Adults Across America. National Coalition on Mental Health & Aging. Retrieved from: ncmha.org.
Niles-Yokum, K. And Wagner, D.L. (2011). The Aging Networks: A Guide to Programs and Services. Seventh Edition. Springer Publishing Company.
