Search Results

The continually rising percentage of the elderly population and the demand for geriatric nursing care are dramatically related. While it is true that most undergraduate programs prepare nurses for the care of geriatric patients, most receive limited academic preparation in the nursing curriculum (Williams & Mezey, 2000). This is particularly true in the Philippines where there is no stand-alone geriatric nursing course. This phenomenological study purports to capture the lived experiences of Filipino nursing students’ dilemmas in geriatric care. Five Filipino senior nursing students and three clinical faculty from a comprehensive university in the Philippines were purposely chosen for the study. A two-part instrumentation was used. The first is the robotfoto, a Dutch term which means a cartographic sketch of the subject (Kelchtermans & Ballet, 2002). The second was a semi-structured face-to-face interview that was recorded with the consent of the participants. The full texts were phenomenologically reduced using a repertory grid to observe both cool and warm analyses, which facilitates the identification of unique conceptual clusters. Findings of this study have described the elements that define student dilemmas in geriatric care. The emerged Students’ Dilemmas in Geriatrics Causality Quadrant (SDGCQ), which consists of (a) Foundational Deficit, (b) Psychological Deficit, (c) Relational-Attitudinal Deficit, and (d) Occupational Deficit, are valuable discussion points for needed reforms in the present-day nursing curriculum.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

As the elderly population increases, encouraging older adults to participate in lifelong learning has become a priority for many countries. Properly structured lifelong learning programs have consistently yielded numerous benefits to older adults; therefore, careful attention and effort should be exerted to ensure its effectiveness by involving the elderly stakeholders in the planning and implementation of these programs. This phenomenological inquiry described the various educational needs, benefits, and expectations of community dwelling Filipino elderly from a third age learning program. The results of the study provided a clearer understanding of the concerns of the elderly regarding the development of lifelong learning programs. Their responses were seen through three lenses of the Filipino elderly, collectively known as the Triadic Lenses of an Adult Continuing Education (ACED). The following are the lenses: The Lens of Needs, Lens of Benefits and Lens of Expectations.

First, through the Lens of Needs which is the selling point of the program, three types of needs emerged: (a) coping needs, (b) contributive needs, and (c) cultivating needs. Second is the Lens of Benefits which provides the sailing point of the program and can be categorized into two main themes: Inner Directed and Outer Directed. Lastly, responses were seen through the Lens of Expectations, which is the sealing point of the program, and two main themes were derived: Organizational Considerations and Individual Considerations. The results of this study can expectedly guide geriatric program planners in coming up with more relevant and functional third age educational programs for the elderly.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less