Faculty and clinical instructors play a critical role in the professional socialization of undergraduate and graduate students. The socialization process influences the attitudes, values, knowledge, and skills of students (Goldenberg & Iwasiw, 1993). Exposing students to caregiving topics can help them understand how caregiving impacts all parts of the lifecycle.
Caregiving can be infused into an existing psychology course or into multiple sections of an existing course. For example in a course on the psychology of aging, older adults’ sensory, physical and cognitive impairments, could be studied in terms of the demands for care they place upon family members. A caregiving lecture could also be incorporated into a course in developmental psychology to demonstrate how caregiving may impact children, adults, and families.
Caregiving is a relevant topic for courses on:
Adult Development and Aging
Behavioral Psychology
Child Development
Counseling Psychology
Cross-Cultural Psychology
Current Issues in Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Family Therapy
Gender Roles
Health Psychology
Military Psychology or Psychology of War
Neurocognitive Assessment and Treatment
Organizational Behavior
Pediatric Psychology
Psychology and Aging
Psychology of Diversity
School or Educational Psychology
Work and Family
Reference
Goldenberg, D. & Iwasiw, C. (1993) Professional socialization of students as an outcome of a senior clinical preceptorship experience. Nurse Education Today. 13, 13–15.
New Curricula
Courses specifically on caregiving can be developed. For example, Dr. William Haley, a psychology professor at the University of South Florida, created a graduate course on caregiving, entitled “Family Caregiving in Aging and Chronic Illness”. A sample syllabus can be found online. This course is also available as a web-based course for graduate credit at the University of South Florida.
Caregiving Lectures
A caregiving lecture could include the following topics:
The Mental and Physical Health of Caregivers
Health and Financial Costs of Caregiving
Family Burden and Communication
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Caregiving in Military Families: Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs
End-Of-Life Issues
Interviews with Caregivers
Positive Aspects of Caregiving
Reference
Goldenberg, D. & Iwasiw, C. (1993) Professional socialization of students as an outcome of a senior clinical preceptorship experience. Nurse Education Today. 13, 13–15.
Workshops
Faculty may also present workshops in their local communities for caregivers on how to take care of their loved ones in a sustainable fashion. Workshops can educate caregivers on topics such as:
Assisting with Activities of Daily Living
Avoiding Burnout
Balancing Caregiving Duties with Other Family Roles
Caring for Older Adults with Dementia
Challenges of Parenting a Chronically Ill Child
Educational Options for Children with Disabilities
Emotional and Legal Tasks of Preparing for End of Life
Financial Planning
How to Deal with a Loved One’s Behavioral Problems
How to Develop an Effective Family Caregiving Plan
How to Get the Most From Your Loved One’s Medical Visit
How to Recruit Siblings and Other Relatives for a Caregiving Plan
Self-Care for Caregivers
Time Management
Understanding Neurocognitive Assessment
Reference
Goldenberg, D. & Iwasiw, C. (1993) Professional socialization of students as an outcome of a senior clinical preceptorship experience. Nurse Education Today. 13, 13–15.
