An evaluation of the GeroRich program for infusing social work curriculum with aging content

Area of Science:

• Social Work Education
• Gerontology
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• National shortage of social workers skilled in elder care.
• Growing need for gerontological expertise in social work practice.
• Identified reasons for low interest in gerontological social work.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine the effectiveness of the Geriatric Enrichment in Social Work Education (GeroRich) Program.
• Assess GeroRich's role in infusing gerontological content into social work curricula.
• Evaluate the impact on faculty engagement and student exposure.

Main Methods:

• The Geriatric Enrichment in Social Work Education (GeroRich) Program involved 67 U.S. social work programs.
• Implemented a curriculum change process to integrate gerontological content.
• Utilized common outcome measures to assess program effectiveness.

Main Results:

• GeroRich effectively increased gerontological content in foundation social work curricula.
• The program successfully engaged faculty in the curriculum change process.
• Students were significantly exposed to gerontological content, with minimal variation across program types or locations.

Conclusions:

• The GeroRich Program model proved effective in enhancing gerontological education.
• The curricular change model may be applicable to other educational enrichment efforts.
• Addressing the shortage of gerontological social workers through education is feasible.