Include whether or not you believe demographic factors, such as geography, population, age, or ethnicity, will (or should) influence the disciplines that your classmates chose. Why? Your reply posts should be 100 to 150 words, with a minimum of one supporting reference included.
Response 1
The purpose of this post is to discuss why a multidisciplinary approach to gerontology is needed and to identify and provide a rationale for the top five disciplines that should be included on a multidisciplinary team. All stakeholders can benefit from a multidisciplinary approach to any field, but especially gerontology. Alkema and Alley (2006) explain that a multidisciplinary approach highlights the ability of different disciplines to cooperate. This can lead to better patient care, healthcare cost reduction, and overall job satisfaction for providers. Kung et al. (2019) found that when providers have adequate resources for their patients they are less likely to experience burnout. Gerontology is not a well-defined discipline, in part because every discipline has to incorporate gerontology, as Alekam and Alley (2006) suggest, gerontology is an integrative study area where it is essential to understand the interconnections of multiple disciplines. Instead of being looked at a small part of each discipline, I think gerontology should be seen as an umbrella of which all other disciplines are a part. For example, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Program speciali
zing in geriatrics, and so other disciplines should also offer specialization in geriatrics. Eventually, they will be specialized and educated providers and different disciplines that can come together and enrich the field of Gerontology.
One provider alone cannot know all there is to know about Gerontology. However, one provider can know where to find resources for their geriatric patients. Some disciplines that are essential to the collaborative care of geriatric patients include physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social workers, home health aides, and pharmacists. Physical therapy and occupational therapy are two disciplines that can be provided at home and can focus on improving or maintaining the elderly’s independence, mobility, safety, and fall prevention. From my own experience as a Home Health Nurse, medical social workers can help a patient navigate insurance coverage, facility placement, identifying and obtaining basic resources such as food, utilities, health insurance, caregivers, and transportation. Another important discipline, especially in Gerontology is the pharmacist, who can be an incredible resource for both the patient and the provider in making sure drug safety and polypharmacy are addressed. To provide all of these services alone would be nearly impossible for one provider, but a multidisciplinary approach to care can improve the quality of care delivered to the patient and ease the burden on providers.