Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, John R. Burton Pavilion, 5505 Hopkins Bayview Circle, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010 Jul;58(7):1376-81. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02927.x. Epub 2010 Jun 1.
China has the world's largest and most rapidly growing older adult population. Recent dramatic socioeconomic changes, including a large number of migrating workers leaving their elderly parents and grandparents behind and the 4:2:1 family structure caused by the one-child policy, have greatly compromised the traditional Chinese family support for older adults. These demographic and socioeconomic factors, the improved living standards, and the quest for higher quality of life are creating human economic pressures. The plight of senior citizens is leading to an unprecedented need for geriatrics expertise in China. To begin to address this need, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHU) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) have developed a joint international project aimed at establishing a leadership program at the PUMC Hospital that will promote quality geriatrics care, education, and aging research for China. Important components of this initiative include geriatrics competency training for PUMC physicians and nurses in the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at JHU, establishing a geriatrics demonstration ward at the PUMC Hospital, faculty exchange between JHU and PUMC, and on-site consultation by JHU geriatrics faculty. This article describes the context and history of this ongoing collaboration and important components, progress, challenges, and future prospects, focusing on the JHU experience. Specific and practical recommendations are made for those who plan such international joint ventures. With such unique experiences, it is hoped that this will serve as a useful model for international geriatrics program development for colleagues in the United States and abroad.
中国拥有全球最大且增长最快的老年人口。最近发生的戏剧性社会经济变革，包括大量外出务工人员将其年迈的父母和祖辈留在身后，以及由于独生子女政策导致的“421”家庭结构，都极大地影响了传统的中国家庭对老年人的支持。这些人口和社会经济因素、生活水平的提高以及对更高生活质量的追求，给人们带来了经济压力。老年人的困境导致中国对老年医学专业知识的需求空前增长。为了满足这一需求，约翰霍普金斯大学医学院（JHU）和北京协和医学院（PUMC）共同制定了一个国际项目，旨在 PUMC 医院建立一个领导项目，为中国提供优质的老年医学护理、教育和老龄化研究。该倡议的重要组成部分包括对 JHU 老年医学和老年学系的 PUMC 医生和护士进行老年医学能力培训，在 PUMC 医院建立老年医学示范病房，JHU 和 PUMC 之间的教师交流，以及 JHU 老年医学教师的现场咨询。本文介绍了这一持续合作的背景、历史和重要组成部分、进展、挑战和未来前景，重点介绍了 JHU 的经验。为计划开展此类国际合作的人员提出了具体实用的建议。希望这些独特的经验能为国内外老年医学项目的发展提供一个有益的模式。
