SDS 515/525/535

It is increasingly apparent that comprehensive interdisciplinary care is necessary in order to meet the complex medical and psychosocial needs of older adults. The course is designed to help graduate students to be not only skilled in their profession, but also to be able to work with other healthcare professionals as members of an interdisciplinary team to ensure that the multi-faceted needs of geriatric clients are met. The multidisciplinary nature of this course is emphasized by allowing members of different disciplines to participate in lectures and by allowing students to have open discussions with them to foster a truly interdisciplinary training environment.   
 
The course lectures are designed to introduce graduate students to the associated physiological and pathological changes with aging which can involve both the body and oral cavity. Additionally, psychosocial issues and various psychiatric and cognitive disorders will be presented and covered. Furthermore, students will be introduced to the nutrition and commonly used medications in elderly.