A Resident-Focused Older Adult Social Engagement Curriculum to Change Assumptions and Perceptions of Aging

Background Social isolation and loneliness (SIL) are strongly associated with poor health outcomes among older adults; however, graduate medical education often limits dedicated geriatrics clinical training, leaving residents ill-prepared to care for older adults. Engaging residents with older adults in nonclinical environments could change perceptions on SIL and aging and improve care for older adults. Objective To develop and evaluate a social constructivism-based curriculum for interns centered on nonclinical engagement with older adults, aimed at enhancing empathy and understanding of SIL. Methods Twenty-nine internal medicine interns at an academic medical center in Oregon participated in mandatory educational sessions on SIL and completed structured outreach calls to older adults at elevated risk of SIL from 2020 to 2021. On completion of these activities, interns' self-reflection essays about their experiences were analyzed to identify key themes and changes in their perceptions and attitudes. Results Analysis of interns' self-reflection essays yielded 7 major themes, including changes in their understanding of SIL and attitudes toward older adults, often prompted by older adults' resilience and resourceful coping strategies. Other major themes included lessons learned about SIL, factors affecting SIL, and intended changes to future practice. Conclusions By creating opportunities for interns to reflect on biases and engage with the realities of older adults' lives, our curriculum led to a shift in interns' perceptions toward a more thoughtful understanding of aging and SIL and intentions to integrate a more complex understanding of aging and SIL into their future work.