Do Laboratory Experiences Change College Students’ Attitudes Toward the Elderly?

Service Learning with Rural Older Adults

“…Some studies reveal that personal and professional experiences with older adults are associated with interest in working with this population. Personal experiences such as having lived with an older adult person (Gomez, Young, & Gomez, 1991;Reed, Beall, & Baumhover, 1992;Robert & MosherAshley, 2000), having cared for an older person (Adelman, Fields, & Jutagir, 1992;Gomez, Young, & Gomez, 1991;Michielutte & Diseker, 1984), or having had a close and positive personal experience with older persons (Bessiner, 1990;Carpenter, 1996;Kane, 1999;Shoemake & Rowland's, 1993) are associated with interest in gerontology. Other studies document that after having either personal or professional contact with older adults, students do not always develop a positive attitude about older persons, nor do they always express an interest in working with this population upon graduation (Brown & Roodin, 2001;Paton, Sar, Barber, & Holland, 2001;Valeri-Gold, 1996).…”

Factors Influencing College Students to Choose Careers Working With Elderly Persons

“…Several studies have examined attitudes toward the elderly and whether such attitudes are related to career aspirations (Angiullo, Witbourne, & Powers, 1996;Davis-Berman & Robinson, 1989;Downe-Wamboldt & Melanson, 1990;Greenhill, 1983;Rose-Colley & Eddy, 1988;Wilderom et al, 1990). Laboratory experiences, courses in gerontology and exposure to elders have all been found to have a positive impact on attitudes (Angiullo, et al, 1996 Mosher-Ashley & Ball, 1999;Shoemake & Rowland, 1993.) However, positive attitudes alone are not likely to encourage one to work with older adults.…”

How Experiences in a Nursing Home Affect Nursing Students’ Perceptions of the Elderly

“…This change could have occurred because students observed the limited resources of many nursing home residents: Typically, they have few possessions to share; many are losing touch with their social environment; and they are often placed in a nursing home because they are unable to care for themselves, let alone others, in their homes. In a previous study in which college students were in contact with well elderly, the means for "helpful" and "knowledgeable" did not show significant changes (Shoemake & Rowland, 1993). This brings up a disturbing aspect of using the nursing home for a practicum in a nursing curriculum.…”

“…A two-stage instrument was used to collect demographic information; data on the students' perceptions of elderly persons; and information on their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions in working with the nursing home residents (Shoemake & Rowland, 1993). Students completed a pre-test at the beginning of the course and a post-test upon completion of the course.…”

“…For example, researchers have studied attitudes of pharmacy students (Shepherd & Erwin, 1983), medical students (Intrieri, Kelly, Brown, & Castilla, 1993), physical therapists (Wong, 1993), nursing students (Downe-Wamboldt & Melanson, 1990;Eddy, 1986;Gomez, Otto, Blattstein, & Gomez, 1985;Gomez, Young, & Gomez, 1991), youth (Sanders & Pittman, 1988;Sisk, 1987), and college students (Shoemake & Rowland, 1993). Palmore (1982) stated, "Most people have mixed feelings about various aspects of old age and tend to rate old age positively on some dimensions and negatively on others" (p. 341).…”