MAELD4100 Physiotherapy for Home-dwelling Elderly People Course description

Language of instruction: Norwegian

In this course, various perspectives on gerontology (normal aging) and geriatrics (age-related diseases) are explored to highlight how the living conditions of older adults residing at home influence their experiences, perceptions, activities, and participation. Central to the course are the concepts of healthy aging and aging in place, which focus on enabling as many individuals as possible to enjoy a healthy and active old age in their own homes, taking into account individual, societal, and cultural factors. The course emphasizes issues related to vulnerable and at-risk groups and concentrates on measures that can prevent frailty, maintain function and participation through early intervention and rehabilitation. Furthermore, it examines how older individuals can act as active agents in their daily lives to preserve health and functional ability in later years.

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences and hold authorisation as a physiotherapist.

It is assumed that the student has or will obtain access to physiotherapy work with older adults when taking the course.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can critically analyse and assess physiotherapy theories for older adults regardless of their ethnicity
• can analyse and assess movement, function, participation and health-related quality of life related to physiotherapy for the older adult
• can interpret and analyse theories about motor control and learning in the older adults
• has knowledge of safe, critical, and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence in academic work and professional practice

Skills

The student

• can apply relevant theories in the analysis of movement and function in older adults
• can apply and critically reflect on the use of standardised assessment instruments in clinical practice
• can analyse and discuss the results of assessments of older adults
• can apply research-based knowledge, experience-based knowledge including older adults’ knowledge and preferences

General competence

The student

• can critically reflect on the knowledge basis for physiotherapy for the older adults
• can communicate up-to-date disciplinary knowledge to collaborative partners and the population at large
• can identify and handle ethical dilemmas related to assessment and measures in physiotherapy

The course will use varied, student-active work methods. Work and teaching methods include lectures, seminars, self-study assignments and supervision. Teaching is session-based with two sessions lasting five days each, one of which is dedicated to self-study and supervision.

The following must have been approved for the student to take the examination:

• a minimum of 80 % attendance at physical seminar and sessions.

Individual project examination in the form of a given topic that is developed during the course. Scope: 2500 words (+/- 10%).

Resit examination: If the student is awarded the grade F (fails the written assignment), he/she will be given one (1) opportunity to submit a reworked version.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Grade scale A-F.

All answers are assessed by one examiner.

An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.

10 ECTS credits overlaps with FYSEL6010 Geriatric physiotherapy - knowledge-based 1 (20 ECTS credits) in the topic assessment.