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2020/2021

Well Aging

Code: 102858 ECTS Credits: 3
Degree Type Year Semester
2502442 Medicine OT 2 2
2502442 Medicine OT 3 0
2502442 Medicine OT 4 0
2502442 Medicine OT 5 0
2502442 Medicine OT 6 0
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Lydia Giménez Llort
Email:
Lidia.Gimenez@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Prerequisites

The student must have acquired a basic level of knowledge of basic psychological processes.
Students must also have a knowledge of English that allows them to handle teaching material in this language.

Objectives and Contextualisation

ENVELLIR BE - HEALTHY AGING The UN has declared the Period 2020-2030 the Decade of Healthy Aging, making the following declaration: "Older people will be the central axis of the initiative, which will unite governments, civil society, international organizations, professionals, institutions academics, the media and the private sector to improve the lives of older people, their families and the communities in which they live. 'Following these guidelines, the overall objective of the course is to provide an introductory overview of multidisciplinary gerontology, teaching students how to achieve a good old age from the knowledge and understanding of the individual and social aging process, in its different aspects: from molecular biology to life habits, in a multidisciplinary approach (biological, psychological and sociological). The course covers basic contents that complement each other, bringing students closer to aspects of innovation. aging ion and new European and international guidelines. In addition, in particular, the course offers two specialized seminars so that students can deepen bio-psycho-social actions that aim to improve the health and quality of life of older people and their caregivers, as well as update themselves in the latest advances in psychogeriatrics, this year specially addressing the post-COVID-19 pandemic scenario. These contents are developed taking into account relevant transversal competences to tackle aging and old age, such as the gender perspective, transculturality and a good part of the rest of the 17 goals for the sustainable development of the UN to change our world, which now Furthermore, it ages and requires that health professionals know how to approach it to guarantee, as far as possible, healthy aging at the individual and social level.

Competences

    Medicine
  • Accept one's role in actions to prevent or protect against diseases, injuries or accidents and to maintain and promote health, on both personal and community-wide levels.
  • Critically assess and use clinical and biomedical information sources to obtain, organise, interpret and present information on science and health.
  • Demonstrate basic research skills.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the causal agents and the risk factors that determine states of health and the progression of illnesses.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the importance and the limitations of scientific thought to the study, prevention and management of diseases.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the manifestations of the illness in the structure and function of the human body.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the principles of normal human behaviour and its alterations in different contexts.
  • Demonstrate, in professional activity, a perspective that is critical, creative and research-oriented.
  • Empathise and establish efficient interpersonal communication with patients, family-members, accompanying persons, doctors and other healthcare professionals.
  • Engage in professional practice with respect for patients' autonomy, beliefs and culture, and for other healthcare professionals, showing an aptitude for teamwork.
  • Formulate hypotheses and compile and critically assess information for problem-solving, using the scientific method.
  • Identify and measure the affective and emotional components of human behaviour and their disorders.
  • Listen carefully, obtain and synthesise relevant information on patients' problems, and understand this information.
  • Maintain and sharpen one's professional competence, in particular by independently learning new material and techniques and by focusing on quality.
  • Obtain and prepare a patient record that contains all important information and is structured and patient-centred, taking into account all age and gender groups and cultural, social and ethnic factors.
  • Obtain and use epidemiological data and assess trends and risks for decision-making on health.
  • Organise and plan time and workload in professional activity.
  • Perform a general and a system-by-system physical examination appropriate to the patient's age and sex, in complete and systematic way, and a mental evaluation.
  • Put forward suitable preventive measures for each clinical situation.
  • Recognise and take action in life-threatening situations and others that require an immediate response.
  • Recognise the effects of growth, development and ageing on individuals and their social environment.
  • Recognise the role of complexity, uncertainty and probability in decision-making in medical practice.
  • Recognize one's role in multi-professional teams, assuming leadership where appropriate, both for healthcare provision and for promoting health.
  • Use information and communication technologies in professional practice.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Account for the relationship between pain and comorbidity and its impact on assessment, diagnosis and treatment, especially in mental disorders such as schizophrenia, cognitive impairment and dementia.
  2. Account for the relationship between psychology and the immune system.
  3. Argue for and detail specific preventive measures in the area of physical and mental health at different stages in life.
  4. Argue for future strategies in various areas of mental health, from a scientific perspective.
  5. Assess the participation of several professionals in professional practice, in any context.
  6. Attend to research in various areas of mental health: Social psychology, addictions, ageing, child and adolescent psychiatry, neuropsychology, neuro-imaging techniques and alternative therapies.
  7. Cite the major neural mechanisms of anxiety, depression, brain ageing and dementia, schizophrenia, aggressive behaviour and addictive behaviour.
  8. Define the basic features of nursing intervention in paedopsychiatry and psychogeriatrics.
  9. Demonstrate basic research skills.
  10. Demonstrate, in professional activity, a perspective that is critical, creative and research-oriented.
  11. Describe psychological alternatives to prevent certain deficits associated with ageing.
  12. Describe social and family intervention in paedopsychiatry and psychogeriatrics.
  13. Describe stress: concept, causes, mechanisms and short- and long-term effects.
  14. Describe the epidemiology in paedopsychiatry and psychogeriatrics.
  15. Describe the influence of the group and circumstances on an individual's behaviour.
  16. Describe the main communicative skills for a clinical interview.
  17. Describe the neuropsychology of ageing.
  18. Detail the process of neuropsychological assessment and the most important techniques and measures.
  19. Develop reasoned and critical science-based argument in the field of mental health.
  20. Discuss findings from reliable studies and argue for future strategies in various areas of mental health, from a scientific perspective.
  21. Distinguish resource use in paedopsychiatry and psychogeriatrics.
  22. Distinguish the clinical expression of mental disorders in the elderly.
  23. Draw up a plan to promote healthy behaviours in different types of patients and circumstances.
  24. Establish links between behaviour patterns, personality and health.
  25. Explain multidisciplinary intervention in the field of mental health.
  26. Explain scientific advances with regard to ageing.
  27. Explain the emotional disorders of childhood, adolescence and old age.
  28. Explain the physiology of ageing and the changes that take place.
  29. Explain the process for conducting a diagnostic assessment in the field of children's mental health and mental health in old age.
  30. Formulate hypotheses and compile and critically assess information for problem-solving, using the scientific method.
  31. Identify adaptive and non-adaptive lifestyles for physical and mental health.
  32. Identify characteristics of appropriate communication with patients and between professionals.
  33. Identify pathological grief, its characteristics and strategies for developing and resolving it.
  34. Identify psychiatric emergency situations in paedopsychiatry and psychogeriatrics.
  35. Identify the biological, psychological and social mechanisms of mental disorders in childhood/adolescence, adulthood and old age, and aggressive behaviour, addictive habits and anomalies in sexual behaviour.
  36. Identify the stages of grief and the factors that influence the process of coping with loss and death.
  37. Illustrate lifestyle strategies for good ageing.
  38. Incorporate the guidelines of the medical code of conduct into the practice of medicine in the field of mental health.
  39. Know the pain pathways, and the perception and emotional expression of pain in childhood/adolescence, adulthood and old age, in both normal and pathological conditions.
  40. Know the principles of iatrogenesis and the therapeutic window of drugs in situations of fragility and psychogeriatrics.
  41. Maintain and sharpen one's professional competence, in particular by independently learning new material and techniques and by focusing on quality.
  42. Map out the information to be compiled in a process of medical, psychological and psychiatric assessment.
  43. Organise and plan time and workload in professional activity.
  44. Predict individual risk variables for physical and mental health.
  45. Recognise situations of aggressive behaviour risk in a medical context.
  46. Recognise the clinical manifestation of affective disorders and anxiety disorders.
  47. Recognise the main neural and endocrine mechanisms of stress-related problems and identify the physical and psychological triggers of harmful stress.
  48. Recognise the main neural and endocrine stress mechanisms.
  49. Set up a medical record that integrates the information needed in psychological and psychiatric assessment.
  50. Understand social and cultural context of ageing.
  51. Understand the role of active listening in the clinical interview.
  52. Use information and communication technologies in professional practice.
  53. Use scientific thought in discussions of physical and mental health.
  54. Use scientifically sound clinical and biomedical information sources.

Content

Theoretical and practical classes cover the basic contents (indicated in bold) that complement each other, bringing students closer to aspects of innovation in aging and new European and international guidelines (indicated in italics). In addition, in particular, the course offers two specialized seminars to delve into bio-psycho-social actions to improve the health and quality of life of older people, and update on the latest advances in Psychogeriatrics, this year aimed at the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-pandemic period.

 

Theoretical classes (18 hours)

1. Introduction to gerontology. More years, better Lives. COVID-19

2. Individual and social novelty of aging. Ageism & Smart aging.

3. Biological theories of aging. Rare diseases and premature aging.

4. Multidisciplinary approach to the physiology of old age: from senescence to old age. Neuroimmunoendocrine crosstalk in health and disease.

5. Health, disease and well-being. Disabilities, self-esteem and caregivers. Health challenges, Gender-specific medicine & Personalized medicine. Post-COVID-19.

6. The styles and habits of life and old age. Healthy aging. ADemuz. IoT (Internet of Things) and TICs for a better aging.

7. The psychology and sociology of aging. Extended working life & Inequality, Silver economy, Purple Angel and World Rocks against dementia. COVID-19 and post-pandemic.

8. Family, love and sexuality in old age. Caring responsabilities. Sex of angels. Sexual diversity.

9. Aging and death Nursing home medicine and Palliative care in COVID-19 and post-pandemic.

 

Classroom practices (6 hours)

1. Intergenerational relationships. Storytelling

2. Ageism and resilience. Help Age International, Guide to Good Treatment for the Elderly. Individual and social resilience, COVID-19.

3. Geriatric assessment scales, QoL quality of life and personal autonomy: Parkinson's, disease and illness. CuidaDora Project. Smart house.

4. Workshop on cognitive stimulation and exercises for the elderly. Lalala Project. Attention. Meditation techniques.

5. Pain and cognitive damage, especially in dementias: PAIC, physical and emotional pain.

6. The taboos of death, mourning, loneliness and suicide in old age. Mourning groups; COVID-19

 

Specialized seminars (2 hours)

1. Bio-psycho-social actions to improve the health and quality of life of older people.

2. Update on Advances in Psychogeriatrics and COVID-19 (IPA, International Psychogeriatry Association, 2020).

Methodology

This course is offered 100% virtual.

The course will be available if it meets a minimum of 10 enrolled students.

The professor responsible for the subject at the faculty level is: Lydia Giménez Llort - lidia.gimenez@uab.cat

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
LAB PRACTICES (PLAB, ONLINE) 6 0.24
LECTURES (TE) 18 0.72
SPECIALIZED SEMINARS 2 0.08
Type: Supervised      
ONLINE LECTURES (MOODLE) 10 0.4
Type: Autonomous      
WORK LABOR / PERSONAL STUDY / READING OF ARTICLES / INTEREST REPORTS 37 1.48

Assessment

The system for evaluating the acquisition of competences is organized with the three modules: Theory (theoretical classes and specialized seminars), Practice and Research Work.

The evaluation activities will be scheduled according to the academic calendars established for this course.

Attendance and active participation in class (virtual and / or forums) and the correction of the exercises carried out in the theory and practice modules as a continuous evaluation add up to an overall rating of 30%.

The theoretical and practical contents are also evaluated by means of an examination of 15 restricted questions (35% of the final grade) and the oral defense of a work in which the students develop in more depth one of the innovative aspects of aging that are addressed in the subject (35% of the final grade).

Obtaining a minimum grade of 5 for each of the assessment activities is an essential requirement to pass the course.

Students who do not take the theoretical and practical assessment tests or do not submit the work will be considered as not evaluated, exhausting the enrollment rights of the subject.

The evaluation process includes recovery systems. In order to participate in the students' recovery test, the weight of those equivalent to a minimum of two-thirds of the total grade for the course must have been previously evaluated in the set of evaluation activities.

In the event that a student fails and their average grade is less than 5, the resulting average will be that of the final grade grade.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attendance and active participation to lectures and trainings - Continuous evaluation 30 0.5 0.02 3, 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 50, 51, 40, 39, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 12, 17, 16, 18, 22, 20, 21, 19, 23, 49, 42, 24, 29, 26, 28, 25, 27, 30, 32, 33, 31, 36, 35, 34, 37, 38, 41, 43, 44, 48, 47, 46, 45, 53, 54, 52, 5
Evaluation written through objective tests: tests of short questions essay 35% 0.75 0.03 3, 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 50, 51, 40, 39, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 12, 17, 16, 18, 22, 20, 21, 19, 23, 49, 42, 24, 29, 26, 28, 25, 27, 30, 32, 33, 31, 36, 35, 34, 37, 38, 41, 43, 44, 48, 47, 46, 45, 53, 54, 52, 5
Submission and oral dissertation of a work 35% 0.75 0.03 3, 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 50, 51, 40, 39, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 12, 17, 16, 18, 22, 20, 21, 19, 23, 49, 42, 24, 29, 26, 28, 25, 27, 30, 32, 33, 31, 36, 35, 34, 37, 38, 41, 43, 44, 48, 47, 46, 45, 53, 54, 52, 5

Bibliography

Longevidad. Tratado integral sobre salud en la segunda mitad de la vida. (2004). Salvador-Carulla L, Cano Sánchez A, Cabo-Soler JR., Ed. Med. Panamericana.

Software