2. What’s New in Being Old?
Jane Strommen & Dena Kemmet
November 7, 2012

3. Why Should Extension Focus
On Gerontology Now?
• North Dakota’s age distribution will shift
from 2010 to 2025 largely due to the aging
of the baby boom population
• From 2010 to 2025, residents ages 65 and
older are projected to expand by 52% -
50,583 residents
• In 2025, residents ages 65 and older are
projected to be 18 percent of the total
population (up from 14 % in 2010)
Source: Center for Social Research

4. What’s New (in Extension) in
Being Old?
• Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTFC)
• Stepping On- fall prevention training
• Universal Design Education
• Grandparenting Education
• Adopt-A-Grandparent Toolkit
• Information & Services

5. There are only four kinds of people
in the world -
Those who have been caregivers
Those who currently are caregivers
Those who will be caregivers,
And those who will need caregivers.
- Rosalynn Carter

6. Powerful Tools for Caregivers
• In the six weekly classes, caregivers develop a wealth of
self-care tools to:
– reduce personal stress;
– change negative self-talk;
– communicate their needs to family members and
healthcare or service providers;
– communicate more effectively in challenging
situations; recognize the messages in their emotions,
– deal with difficult feelings; and
– make tough caregiving decisions.

7. Program Origins and
Development
• PTFC was developed over 3 years of pilot
testing, refinement and evaluative research to
assess the program’s effectiveness.
• The program has been offered for over 12 years.
• Currently, over 1,700 Class Leaders have been
trained in 32 states. Since the program’s
inception, PTFC materials have reached over
70,000 caregivers.

8. Curriculum Shown to Improve:
• Self-Care Behaviors: (e.g. increased
exercise, relaxation and medical check-
ups)
• Management of Emotions: (reduced
guilt, anger, and depression)
• Self-Efficacy: (increased confidence in
coping with caregiving demands)
• Use of Community Resources:
(increased utilization of local services)

9. Class Leader Requirements
• A co-leader with whom to teach the
6-week caregiver class
• Group facilitation skills
• Experience working with family caregivers
• Attend Class Leader training – 2 full days
• Teach at least two caregiver class series
within the first year

10. Local Class Leader Training
• Trained facilitators from Iowa State
University Extension Service will be
delivering a 2-day workshop in Fargo next
spring. Tentative dates: May 14 & 15
• If you are interested in learning more
about the training, please complete the
sign-up sheet during this meeting.
• Website: http://www.powerfultoolsforcaregivers.org/

11. Great Caregiving Resource
• Recommended Reading:
Share the Care: How to Organize a
Group to Care for Someone Who Is
Seriously Ill
by Cappy Capossela &
Sheila Warnock

12. Stepping On
• 7-week falls prevention class
– incorporates behavior change theory
– found in research to be effective in reducing falls
among older adults by about 30 percent.
• ND Department of Health recently provided
training to 20 individuals to lead classes in the
state.

14. Universal Design
Universal design is about creating or
remodeling a home that is adaptable,
flexible, safe, and easy-to-use for all
residents and visitors, regardless of
age, size, or ability.

15. Universal Design
• Most adults want to age in
place and remain in their own
homes as long as possible.
• North Dakota has a rapidly
aging population, especially in
rural areas.
• Most frail older adults will be
challenged to age in place
without a successful fit between
their home environment and
their needs. When a fit does
not occur, physical differences
become barriers to living
independently.

16. Universal Design Features
• Step-free entrance
• Main living areas on entry floor level
(kitchen, full bath, & bedroom)
• Wide doorways and hallways
• Lever door and faucet handles
• Multi-height kitchen countertops
• Kitchen & bathroom cabinets/shelves that
are easy to reach

17. Design Features-continued
• Well-lit hallways & stairways
• A bathtub or shower with a non-slip bottom
or floor
• Blocking in the bathroom walls so grab
bars can be added as needed
• Secure handrails on both sides of
stairways

18. Universal Design Program
• Developed by Dr. Susan Ray-Degges,
NDSU Department of Apparel, Design and
Hospitality Management
• Includes PowerPoint, Home Modification
Checklists, and tons of resources!
• Program recently updated
• Suggestions for presentations

19. Grandparenting Education
• Nearly 6,000 children are living
with grandparents in North
Dakota
• Statewide, the number of
children living with grandparents
rose 62 percent between 1990
and 2000
• A series of educational bulletins
are being revised and/or
developed on a broad range of
grandparenting issues

20. Adopt-A-Grandparent Toolkit
• Bridges the gap between generations by
providing opportunities:
– for older adults to learn about current trends
– for students to learn about past trends
• Promotes a sense of well being and
satisfaction for older adults and a sense of
confidence in the younger generation

21. Toolkit Available
• Toolkit is available at the ND Partners in
Nursing Gerontology Consortium website:
http://www.ndsu.edu/pin/resources/
• Toolkit includes the following:
informational letter, recommended
procedure, teacher/leader letter template,
parent letter template, & participation and
photo form template

22. Information & Services
• NDSU Extension Gerontology Website –
coming soon!
– ND Aging and Disability Resource – LINK
Statewide: 1-800-451-8693
www.carechoice.nd.gov
– State Health Insurance Counseling (SHIC)
– State Aging Demographics

23. Future Plans
• Later-life transitions: family
communications, driving, housing,
caregiving, re-location, finances
• Care options and financial information
• Shorter handouts: memory loss, elder
abuse, nutrition, sight & hearing
• Working with communities-elder friendly
• Your suggestions are encouraged!!!!!

24. Questions?
Please contact us:
Jane Strommen: jane.strommen@ndsu.edu
701-231-5948
Dena Kemmet: dena.kemmet@ndsu.edu
701-873-5195