Reilly Jo Marie, Chandramohan Devika, Yonashiro-Cho Jeanine
Department of Family Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
Department of Family Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA | University of California, Irvine, Department of Family Medicine, Orange, CA.
PRiMER. 2025 Feb 24;9:6. doi: 10.22454/PRiMER.2025.121114. eCollection 2025.
The Age-Friendly Student Senior Connection (AFSSC) is a graduate-level interprofessional (IP) health student service-learning effort launched early in the COVID-19 pandemic to connect older adults to students providing both social support and health resources to seniors through dyad phone calls between IP health students and community-dwelling elderly. Our study aimed to examine changes in students' attitudes toward older adults after participation in the program.
IP graduate health students were paired with community-dwelling older adults to engage in weekly remote interactions over a 6 to 10-week period. Students completed a postparticipation online survey that included an open-ended qualitative question about program impact on challenging or reinforcing their preconceived notions about older adults. We used descriptive statistics to characterize participants, and conducted thematic content analysis to inductively explore student-reported lessons learned.
Students reported that program participation challenged their preconceived notions of older adults and aging. Commonly identified themes included resilience, continued activity, and social interactions among older adults, observations about health conditions, and the early impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults.
Study findings demonstrate the positive effects of the AFSSC on health professions students' attitudes toward and perceptions of older adults. Student participation in intergenerational service-learning programs may reduce negative elderly stereotypes by challenging preconceived notions and improving student understanding and appreciation of older adults.
“老年友好型学生与老年人联系项目”（AFSSC）是一项研究生层次的跨专业（IP）健康专业学生服务学习活动，在新冠疫情早期启动，旨在通过IP健康专业学生与社区老年人之间的一对一电话交流，让老年人与学生建立联系，学生为老年人提供社会支持和健康资源。我们的研究旨在考察学生参与该项目后对老年人态度的变化。
IP健康专业研究生与社区老年人配对，在6至10周的时间里每周进行远程互动。学生完成了一项参与后的在线调查，其中包括一个开放式定性问题，询问该项目对他们关于老年人的先入之见是具有挑战性还是起到强化作用。我们使用描述性统计来描述参与者的特征，并进行主题内容分析，以归纳探索学生报告的经验教训。
学生报告称，参与该项目挑战了他们对老年人和衰老的先入之见。常见的主题包括老年人的适应力、持续活动和社交互动、对健康状况的观察，以及新冠疫情对老年人的早期影响。
研究结果表明AFSSC对健康专业学生对老年人的态度和认知产生了积极影响。学生参与代际服务学习项目可能通过挑战先入之见、提高学生对老年人的理解和欣赏来减少对老年人的负面刻板印象。
