| There's a lot more to elderly caregiving than just | | | | card which assigns a task which they must fulfil. |
| wearing medical scrubs. Healthcare professionals | | | | Examples of such tasks are you are an 85 year |
| who work with the elderly need to understand | | | | old person with severe hearing loss and arthritis. |
| the physiological and psychological changes which | | | | You need to find someone to join you in a card |
| occur as people age. They must be sensitive to | | | | game. Or you are an 80 year old person with |
| the changing adaptations and needs in care which | | | | Alzheimer's and are disoriented and walk around |
| elderly patients may require. Loss of sensory | | | | asking everybody if they know where your |
| acuity can significantly affect the elderly person's | | | | mother is. Their denials frustrate you and make |
| quality of life, as well as impact upon the elderly | | | | you physically aggressive. Or you are a 70 year |
| person's ability to communicate and interact | | | | old whose husband of 50 years recently died, and |
| effectively with other people and their | | | | you are severely depressed, with no motivation |
| environment. The following simulation of aging can | | | | to do anything except stare into space. Or you |
| provide younger caregivers with an opportunity to | | | | are a 65 year old woman with Parkinson's |
| experience the process of aging and to | | | | disease, with a resting tremor in both hands and a |
| understand the impact which these changes can | | | | shuffle when you walk. Cut coupons from a |
| have on daily life and routines. | | | | newspaper and take them to the trainer. Or you |
| For some elderly people these changes impose | | | | are an 85 year old person with arthritis and |
| limitations upon their ability to perform such basic | | | | osteoporosis. Count out all of the pills in your pill |
| activities of everyday life as cooking, shopping, | | | | bottle and list how many pills there are of each |
| driving, bathing, dressing, walking, and even eating. | | | | type. Or you are 78 years old with severely |
| Each trainee in hospital scrubs is given two cotton | | | | impaired vision. Read a newspaper and do a |
| balls to place in their ears; a pair of gloves to put | | | | crossword puzzle. Or you are a 70 year old who |
| on their hands; a pair of rubber bands wrapped | | | | is missing a button on her floral print scrub top. |
| around two adjacent fingers of each hand to limit | | | | Sew it on. Or you are an 85 year old blind man. |
| mobility; a pair of sunglasses smeared with | | | | Close your eyes and try to find someone to help |
| petroleum jelly to simulate weakened vision; and | | | | you walk outside. Or you are 82 years old and |
| several dry beans placed in each shoe. The | | | | suffer from advanced dementia. You cannot feed |
| workshop trainer turns on a radio to provide a | | | | yourself, and you become aggressive when you |
| background noise of static, and turns off the lights | | | | feel frustrated. Find someone to feed you. |
| in the room. Trainees are then given an activity | | | | |