Show Face The Is Although most Americans will resist the aging is Everyone's doing It's the world's greatest group BUT American for the most sees it Youth is the The population shows popular music blares advertising promotes it and fashions reflect Even those no longer young in years can still be young at The irony of these facts has not escaped four University of Utah graduate students who are working to erase the of old particularly among the residents of 16 Salt Lake area nursing I THE STUDENTS are part of a unique program funded by the Utah State Division of Family the University of Utah Graduate School of Social Work and Salt Lake City's Neighborhood a United Way Now in its fourth the program offers a five-level service package to nursing home staff members and don't use the term explains Sherry field work supervisor for the University CONNOTES illness or and that isn't the case with most It's just one of the many things that build negative impressions about nursing homes and their Using a multifaceted the program is designed to be supportive and supplementary to the nursing home says a member of the social work DURING the summer four interns worked 40 hours weekly for three months at various nursing Their experience has led to a ringing endorsement of the program's effectiveness and a stinging indictment of cultural Society often gives status to nursing home residents and places a stigma on a second-year a condition that has been bred into our CY get sold with the idea that youth is where it's so people don't want to work with the More than once I've had an elderly person can't understand why you want to spend your time with which always brings me up And I I want to spend my time with you because you're ANOTHER perspective comes from Ken a Navajo student who says his own culture looks to the aging as who can us The idea of is the crux of the five services available in the U resident individual staff and WORD implies that these people once knew how to says Keith concerned with reviving those abilities and strengthening their Resident councils may range from simple involvement in activities to nearly autonomous government within the nursing INTERNS also are involved in individual counseling which may be requested for a resident by the nursing home owner or or by the resident In the area of staff interns usually act as consultants to an owner or staff member in conducting training But Reese is the first to admit that progress takes she the problem of aging must be dealt with at its roots-society's focus upon are different populations in terms of she they aren't different |