Literature review
Although growing numbers of older adults and chronically ill persons already challenge the health care system, the numbers are increasing at a dramatic rate. Currently, more than 36 million people, or 1 in 8 americans (12%), are age 65 or older. The united states census bureau repored rapid growth of this population is expected to begin in 2011. Furthermore, the federal interagency forum on age-related statistics stated that by 2030, 71 million americans (20%) of the population will be age 65 or older. This population currently represents 35% of hospital stays, 73% of all ambulatory adult primary care visits, 34% of all prescriptions, and 90% of nursing home residency. The IOM conferred the key distinguishing feature of future generations of older adults will be their vast numbers. In addition to the growing number of older adults, there is also a shortage of nurses to meet this population’s increased need for services. There is a shortage of nurses as well as a lack of specialization in geriatrics.
Over the past 30 years, interactive games such as role-playing and board games have been used as ways in which to allow participants to experience the many normal age changes that occur and to endure common experiences in aging. “take a walk in my shoes” expands on these prior games by allowing participants to experiences ailments physically with the assistance of advanced simulation equipment. The concept of being able to physically experience the ailments makes the project unique from previous projects and tailors the experiential intervention of being an elder to the participants.
“take a walk in my shoes”
“take a walk in my shoes” expands on the strategies used in prior programs by having the nursing students translate and teach what they learned to others through a service learning project. Service learning projects are orchestrated by involving students in community service activities with specific learning goals. The specific goals for students participating in the project were to gain experience in public speaking and educating others, as well as to increase their understanding of older adults and their empathy for age changes and the experiences older adults commonly endure.