In 2006, the Division spearheaded an initiative to bring together geriatrics fellowship programs in the NY Metropolitan to develop and share psychosocial education. The work of the NY Metropolitan Area Psychosocial Consortium to Strengthen Education in Geriatric Fellowships is grounded in the belief that the provision of effective and compassionate psychosocial care is an essential and vital component of quality health care for older adults. The goal of the Consortium is to develop a viable educational program and resource center specifically designed for geriatrics fellows, which highlights psychosocial issues affecting elder care, shares inter-institutional resources and energizes geriatrics fellowship program directors and faculty to collaborate on creative and practical psychosocial curricula development.
Each year the Consortium brings together approximately 50 geriatric fellows from 20 medical academic institutions to build effective communication skills in a relevant psychosocial topic area. Previous topics in the past have included:
- Integrating spirituality into geriatric patient care
- Improving psychosocial care to grieving older patients
- Medical and criminal aspects of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation cases
- The importance of health literacy in geriatric psychosocial care
- The physician-older patient-caregiver relationship: A team approach
- The physician-older patient relationship: Building communication skills to improve psychosocial care and outcomes
- Understanding multicultural issues in geriatric practice using a palliative care approach
- Understanding sexuality and sexual history taking
Consortium geriatrics fellowship program directors and other health care faculty involved with fellowship training work throughout the year to collaboratively develop successful strategies, curriculum and tools to enhance psychosocial educational modules.