Shownotes
In this episode of "Looking Forward Our Way," hosts Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson welcome Jennifer Bechtel, the program manager for geriatrics and gerontology at Ohio State University's College of Medicine.
The discussion focuses on the challenges and opportunities in the field of gerontology, navigating healthcare for aging populations, empowering individuals to advocate for their own healthcare needs, and the importance of changing societal perceptions of aging.
They explore various aspects of gerontology, emphasizing the need for empathy-based training for medical professionals and advocating for improved healthcare services for older adults.
The episode begins with Bechtel sharing her connection to gerontology, stemming from her experience with her grandparents and her passion for hospice care. She delves into the need for communication and grief recovery support for older adults, setting the stage for a discussion about the challenges of building awareness and knowledge in geriatrics and gerontology within the medical community.
Throughout the episode, the conversation has valuable insights from Bechtel about the services provided by Ohio State University's College of Medicine office of geriatrics and gerontology. She discusses the university's goal of ensuring that medical professionals are equipped with knowledge and empathy to understand the unique needs of older patients, incorporating aging concepts into the medical school curriculum for a more positive and empathetic perspective.
One of the key focal points of the episode is the importance of recognizing and addressing issues of abuse and neglect in older adult populations. Bechtel sheds light on her work with the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging to educate case managers and emphasizes the significance of understanding and addressing emotional and financial abuse in addition to physical harm in the context of caregiving for older adults.
A major highlight of the discussion revolves around the program initiatives at Ohio State University, including the Aging Connections hub, which plays a pivotal role in providing information and resources for the university community and the public regarding aging-related topics. Bechtel shares details about the program's goals, such as redesigning the website to be more user-friendly and expanding resources to facilitate easier access to information about aging.
Additionally, Bechtel introduces the SAGE (Series in Applied Gerontology Education) program, which offers certificate courses in gerontology, aiming to equip healthcare workers with knowledge and skills for working with older populations. The conversation also touches upon the Buckeye Buddy program, promoting intergenerational understanding and appreciation by involving middle school students in interviewing older adults in the community.
The conversation highlights the importance of changing the perception of aging and celebrating aging positively. They underline the need for continuous communication, connection with multiple resources for assistance, and advocating for one's own healthcare needs.
The impact of COVID-19 on older adults and the medical community's response is also addressed, along with the looming demographic shift where the aging population is projected to outnumber the younger population in the United States by 2034.
Top 5 Takeaways
1. Advocating for oneself in healthcare settings: Understanding the importance of actively participating in conversations with healthcare providers and advocating for individual healthcare needs.
2. Changing the narrative on aging: Addressing societal perceptions and stigmatization of aging, and promoting a positive and celebratory perspective on the aging process.
3. Innovations in gerontology education: Highlighting educational initiatives such as the Series in Applied Gerontology Education (SAGE) program and the Buckeye Buddy program to foster intergenerational understanding and appreciation.
4. Career opportunities in senior care: Exploring career options related to senior care and considering opportunities beyond traditional career paths in healthcare through programs like "Careers That Love You Back".
5. Importance of early conversations about options in the healthcare field: Encouraging discussions about the healthcare field's concentration on older patients, policy, and reimbursement, and the need to prepare for the demographic shift where the aging population will outnumber the younger population.
Memorable Moments
00:00 Passion for grief recovery and hospice involvement.
06:23 Advocate for understanding, and empathy in medical care.
08:30 Preparing med students for aging population responsibilities.
12:23 Early conversations in healthcare careers are crucial.
13:42 Encouraging awareness of diverse career options.
22:15 A national presenter discussed aging statistics and successes.
23:32 Presentations led to meaningful World Cafe discussion.
28:41 Learning about resources for aging population programs.
33:09 Courses introduce knowledge in gerontology for various students.
34:29 Create elder care certification for health workers.
39:37 Service coordinators connect residents to available resources.
40:56 Designation program opens doors for service coordinators.
45:39 Advocate for your care, and connect to resources.
47:28 Access resources for geriatric assessments without delay.
52:35 Encouraging self-administered cognitive evaluation for older adults.
53:50 Change negative perception of aging, celebrate life.
Jennifer Bechtel is a native of Clintonville, and from a young age, she was greatly influenced by her grandparents, who served as her mentors. After attending Xavier University in Cincinnati and earning a degree in communications, Jennifer realized that she wanted to make a difference in the world. She discovered that it was possible to align her professional career with her passion for helping others. This realization has driven Jennifer to pursue opportunities where she can use her skills and talents to positively impact the lives of those around her.
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Recorded in Studio C at 511 Studios. A production of Circle270Media Podcast Consultants.
Copyright 2024 Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson
Transcripts
We are Looking Forward our Way from Studio c in the 511 Studios in the Brewery District to south of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Hi. This is Brett. Many of us are struggling to ensure our older relatives are provided excellent medical attention so their needs are met. However, this is not alWays the case. Today, we're going to delve into the research, the education, and the services provided by the Ohio State University's College of Medicine office of geriatrics and gerontology. Did you see how I added all the the's in there so I can get to that The Ohio State University?
Carol Ventresca [:Again again, my alma mater is featured on one of our podcasts. This is a part of Brett and I, are, are, what is it? I don't
Brett Johnson [:know if you call it a feud
Carol Ventresca [:No. It's not.
Brett Johnson [:Necessarily. It's just It's,
Carol Ventresca [:it's One upsmanship. One upsmanship. I get I get Ohio State and Otterbein and all of My DeSales
Brett Johnson [:I can't get any of my
Carol Ventresca [:And and yeah. And Brett keeps saying he's too far aWay from his school. AnyWay, thanks, Brad?
Brett Johnson [:Sure. Sure. Sure. Sure.
Carol Ventresca [:Thank you. We appreciate it from The Ohio State University. Let me introduce our guest expert today. Jennifer Bechtel is the program manager for geriatrics and gerontology at Ohio State. We're going to discuss the various programs that she supports and directs To ensure that our medical professionals of all ages are on track to serve older patients. Jennifer, thanks so much for coming to see us today.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Thank you both for having me. I appreciate it.
Brett Johnson [:Sure. Well, before we jump in, let's talk about you. Tell us about yourself, your background, how you came into this career field.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Well, I am a a Buckeye born and raised.
Carol Ventresca [:God, o h.
Jennifer Bechtel [:I o. Mhmm. There you go. Grew up in Clintonville before it was hip. So it was one of those scenarios that you know, 2 of the greatest people in my life, that are mentors were my grandparents. And so I was alWays very, very close with them. And I went to school in Cincinnati at Xavier And got my degree in communications. And at that time, it was kind of like I knew I had a really soft heart and I wanted to make a difference, but I didn't know You could actually match your professional career with something you're passionate about.
Jennifer Bechtel [:You know, the whole head smart, heart smart thing, For me, it was really important. I can't just do a job for the sake of making a paycheck. I have to feel like I'm making a difference. So it wasn't until I had The experience with hospice and my grandparents and seeing what an amazing example of how our health care system works well, That's what hospice truly is. And so, you know, the multiple disciplines working together for the sake of the patient and the family, That's where I was like, wait a minute. You know, how can I use my communications background to get people to think differently about hospice? It's not about death and dying. It's about Life and living. Mhmm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And so that's really where my passion started from, and it just became a quest of When I was working with the State Hospice Association then at the time, I became a certified grief recovery specialist. And I used Children's books and the concept of bibliotherapy to open up conversations with adults about how children grieve, how we all grieve. And so using those books as conversation starters really opened up people to the opportunity to Kind of accept hospice more because they're a partner in your healing in that. And so it then became a quest for, alright, If I was struggling with this when I was in school, you know, I wish somebody would have been around while I was in school to come in with presentations and say, here's a career opportunity. They didn't do career development back then like that. And so any opportunity that I have to say, This is a possibility for you, and it's a place that if you really wanna make a difference, you need to get involved with it.
Brett Johnson [:Mhmm. Yeah.
Carol Ventresca [:I I, when Jennifer and I first talked about doing this podcast, I mentioned to her that many, many years ago when I was at Ohio State working in continuing education. We used to do programs with gerontology and geriatrics, and they had it's It's been tough. It's been a tough area to try to build that knowledge and awareness Up to the rest of the medical community.
Jennifer Bechtel [:It yeah. It really is. And it's one of those, like especially when you look at it from, like, a state Perspective and the budget, you know, there's a lot of money that is poured into, education, post and secondary education. But there's just as much money that has to deal with, you know, Medicaid and where our dollars go to support that. And so trying to get Them to as you're Looking at the number of post secondary programs that universities offer for education, versus the number of gerontology programs that we have in the state. There's only 5 now, university wise that have a, you know, gerontology focus Across the state. And so you're really trying to find Ways to honor the information that needs to be taught as we're all aging. Mhmm.
Carol Ventresca [:You
Jennifer Bechtel [:know? Nobody's not doing it, so we have to figure out how to weave that into every aspect of our life And and make it be a more positive perspective instead of something to be feared. And it's not chronic illness. It's not frailty. It's life and living.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. As a and as opposed to Looking at the end, look at the journey throughout. Yeah. Mhmm. So let let me build a scenario here. We've all been through this. We go to a medical appointment. We wait in the lobby or the exam room for goodness knows how long.
Carol Ventresca [:We walk into that exam room. We're sitting there longer and longer. A doctor, you know, who looks like your granddaughter, Breezes in, breezes out within minutes. And you we sit there with this classy eyed look going like, what? It just happened. What's the goal of your office? Why is it important that medical professionals know and understand the needs of their older patients?
Jennifer Bechtel [:Well, again, we go back to that concept of, you know, you gotta treat somebody the Way that you wanna be treated. And Doctors are very knowledgeable and, for very good reason. They all those clinical terms that they throw at you, as a patient, you need to advocate for yourself, regardless of what your age is. And so if your doctor's telling you something that you don't understand, You know, we call it health literacy. And you really need to be able to understand what your diagnosis is, What your options are, and be able to say, you know, I don't understand. It's okay to not understand what's going on in that. But it's also one of those like, one of the focuses that I have is empathy based training for our physicians And trying to weave that more into every phase of the med school curriculum. Mhmm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Because they definitely have to cover, you know, the The nuts and bolts of, you know, what the neurological system is, what our muscle system is. But How we sprinkle aging and those concepts into everything that we are teaching within the med school curriculum, That's where you can get the students to kind of shift their mindset and say, you know, I never really thought of it that Way. Mhmm.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. I you you know, it's it's you said that in regards to advocating for yourself when you're in the doctor's office. It's almost like we need to flip it kinda going, You you feel that the doctor is, oh my gosh. The doctor. Okay. You know? You know? You feel, oh, thank you. Thank you. And kind of thing.
Brett Johnson [:It's like, Wait a minute. You're working for me, dude.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Right. And you and they're people too. Right. So it's one of the yeah. It's one of those that it's like, I get that you're an expert In what you know. Right. But I'm an expert in me. And so trying to get you to tell me, like, what you think the path should be, Give me all of the options because it's ultimately my choice to help figure out.
Jennifer Bechtel [: people's eyes is by the year: Carol Ventresca [:Mhmm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:So what are we doing to prepare for that? If we're already realizing and COVID was a big wake up call in many respects, But especially the Way that it impacted our older adult population.
Carol Ventresca [:And and how the medical community really had to scramble.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Right. Exactly. And so I think that's one of the things that using that as a as a paradigm and an opportunity for them to say, you know what? We survived it. We we did. And that's the only word that I have to describe it because it was a struggle trying to figure out what was gonna work on any given day. And we did the best that we could with what we had at that time. But here's the difference. We know that our population is gonna be changing.
Jennifer Bechtel [:We know that it's gonna be growing, like, by leaps and bounds. We know it's coming. So we can change that. And if we do not if we choose to keep those glasses not Looking and stay siloed, Then our aging population will be the next pandemic that we have to deal with. And that's not a world that I wanna live in.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Yeah. I like that notion that you you just brought up too that it is okay for us to ask the medical professional questions. I can remember my grandparents. One issue was not knowing English that well.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Right.
Carol Ventresca [:That Silent generation literally was silent. They did not question anything. My parents were a little bit better. I think my generation is going to be even more demanding and asking more questions, but it's gonna get even worse. So we may be aging, but we are gonna want More information in there. So the the medical community needs to to understand that. I do have to give a shout out for the Ohio State University's medical complex. I can remember growing up, nobody went to OSU Hospital.
Carol Ventresca [:I mean, they really didn't dare. You didn't walk out. They have done phenomenal work at improving the hospital. It's a mega city now over there. But It is. I I used to be able to get around pretty easily, and now I'm pretty lost when I go there. But, but they've done a really good job of building programs, building services, building expertise, Communicating on that social platforms and, by I mean, everywhere you go in the hospital, they got great little booklets and pamphlets and flyers and all that kind of stuff. MyChart's a phenomenal program, and they do that really well.
Carol Ventresca [:But, I still go in sometimes glassy eyed. I I did an appointment last week, and It was pretty interesting. You know? And I'm like, it's a good thing it wasn't an issue or an emergency because I kinda walked out of there just shaking my head going, oh my God, what just happened? AnyWay.
Brett Johnson [:It seems that organizations that serve seniors are scrambling for not just workers, but Those were dedicated to serving the population. How's the college focusing in on this issue promoting medical fields that concentrate on older patients?
Jennifer Bechtel [:Well and I one of the biggest things that we're doing is making sure that we have the conversations earlier on in in the curriculum and earlier on in curriculum and earlier on in the careers because, again, you know, not knowing what is an option out there is key. And What's really sad is you often hear, you know, with the with the health care field, that it's a calling. Especially in the nursing aspect, You hear that more so that, you know, it's it's a true calling. You do what you do because you're meant and and called to do it. Well, That's where it's a very different thing in working with an older population because it does not pay well, and I don't know why. And so that's the misperception of us needing to try and figure out what aspect of what we do professionally Can change that narrative if it's policy, if it's reimbursement, if it's education. Because If someone who can, can make more being a greeter at Walmart than they can being an STNA Caring for someone in the hospital system. That's wrong.
Brett Johnson [:That's kinda backwards.
Jennifer Bechtel [:It's very backwards.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah.
Jennifer Bechtel [:So trying to get, again, society to open their eyes to you know, we've wanted to, like, not address it. Again, it's the elephant in the room that is alWays going to be constant there. So trying to make sure that we can introduce These and and before I came to Ohio State, I worked for an organization, called Leading Age Ohio. And we had a program there called careers that love you back. And so you identify what the Role was in, like, an adult life plan community. If it was the cook, if it was the The activities director, and you dissected what it was gonna take schooling wise, what your skill sets needed to be, what your average Salary range would be and that Way, you could say when you're talking with students, you know, these are options for you to consider. Are you the kind of person that is Really easy to get along with. Are you the kind of person that wants to make a difference? Are you very analytical? You can go in and it's Like, just because you get your degree as an accountant doesn't mean you need to work in an accounting firm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Mhmm. You can be a CFO for a life plan community And walk down a hall and put a smile on someone's face. And, yeah, you can balance the numbers and and keep the organization of, You know, running and operating, but what does that it fuels your soul when you're able to see people and knowing that you're making a difference in their lives. So just Opening those opportunities.
Carol Ventresca [:It it sounds like a lot of the organizations, whether it's, housing, facilities for seniors or doctors' practices because it's tied to Medicare, there are limits in income Because there's limits on cost. Mhmm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Yeah. And so that's where it's kind of trying to figure out where the reimbursement factor what's What's the ultimate factor here? Is it the policy, what you're gonna be obviously, money drives a lot Of all of that. So from a Medicare and a Medicaid perspective, if you're dual eligible, which a lot of the older population might be, it's Trying to figure out a Way, and there's alWays a Way. And I think that's what we're trying to help identify is Ways to get the kind of care to advocate, you know, for even as, like I'm part of the sandwich generation. My mom, is 81 now. And she's she's doing really well, but it's also one of those that trying to help her Navigate the health care system at 81 is very different than me trying to advocate the system At 52 when I've got, you know, full insurance provided.
Brett Johnson [:Mhmm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:It's different options available for different levels of care, and it shouldn't be that Way.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. Yeah. It almost feels like our society or media you know, you can point your fingers at different Ways of demonized Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, you know, hey, boomer.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Right. Crap. Right.
Brett Johnson [:You know, that kind of stuff. It just like And and and and I I don't remember that when I was growing up in in regards to older adults of just, you know, stigmatizing them. Other than they're growing old and grandma grandpa's getting old. That's right. It was never this caustic, who do you think you are? That kind of feel to it.
Carol Ventresca [:Think about where our legislative bodies are providing information or Concepts that put people in fear. Oh, Medicare is going to run out of money, and we can't afford to pay more.
Brett Johnson [:Mhmm.
Carol Ventresca [:And on the flip Side of that coin is, well, why do they not deal with pharmacy issues the Way they do For veterans.
Brett Johnson [:Mhmm.
Carol Ventresca [:So that Medicare has the same option of of negotiating costs on pharmacy. Think of all the dollars they save there That could go into regular health care programs. It sounds like a no brainer to me.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Yeah. When you talk about no brainers, it's one of those That, I read a recent statistics through a study that Becca Levy, had done. And it was about 68 $1,000,000,000, were spent in Medicare, that it was Around ageism related issues. And so when you sit there and you think about A negative perception of aging that we have in our society. Again, it's not about Chronic illness. It's not about frailty. We need to shift that narrative. And Part of Becca's study was that if you can shift the Way you think about aging in a more positive Way, just your individual self, You will live an average of 7.6 years longer just by shifting the Way you think about it.
Jennifer Bechtel [:It's not that I don't deserve this or, you know, Aches and pains are a part of growing old. No. It's not. Just like depression's a part of getting old. No. It's not. Right. So what can you do now To offset that in a very positive Way and live a more productive active life.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Right. And we need to add Her book to our resource list for this podcast, and we will, put a lot of information, For our listeners to to get an idea of what's going on, the Becca Levy's book is wonderful. The other book I like is, Joanne Jenkins, who's the CEO of AARP, did the Disrupt Aging book, which is great. So if you're, you know, audience, if you're thinking about, career moves into, one of the support programs for, older adults. There's a lot of great things written out there that you may wanna check out. So okay. So, Jennifer, we talked about, you held an aging summit, An opportunity for university departments to learn more about each other, the programs, that they're using or that they have serving older adults, Discover what services were still needed and most importantly, what the community was saying that they needed.
Carol Ventresca [:Tell us a little bit about the summit, And has it have you seen some results from all of this?
Jennifer Bechtel [:Yes. It was, an amazing, day that We had in September of this year, on campus, and we had about a 100, representatives At the event, and it was, again, shifting the narrative to an age positive future. I bet it was all about collaboration, Education, research, all of the gems and jewels that Ohio State already has. And so, you know, me being just A few years into my career at Ohio State, you know, that was one of the things that I I quickly discovered is that There's so many amazing resources that Ohio State has, but I don't know what opportunities I can have to Collaborate with some of my colleagues in the College of Social Work that also talk about aging initiatives and, you know, what can we do? So I think for me, it was, You know, 10 years ago, Ohio State held a small aging summit. And it was to quickly identify some of those Programs that Ohio State might have. Program 60 was one of them, you know, talking about some of the research that was going on. But it hadn't been talked about. Aging hadn't been identified in those last 10 years.
Jennifer Bechtel [: nd I was like, wait a minute.: Jennifer Bechtel [:Here we are now, but let's do it from a very structured perspective. So I had a keynote National presenter from she was the inter, interim president and CEO of the American Society on Aging. And so she threw a whole lot of statistics, out to everyone just as that moment to kind of see where we are Versus where we're gonna be in the next 10 years, in the next 40 years as a society. And then we talked About some of the successes that were aging related on OSU's campus that have a more structured focus, like the Age Friendly Innovation Center through the College of Social Work, Through the Center For Healthy Aging and Complex Care out of the College of Nursing. And then I also invited Jenny Carlson For, she's the assistant director for the Ohio Department of Aging. And so I wanted the state perspective because I knew that they Just did their state plan on aging. And so if we talked about what's going on nationally, we talk about some of the successes that Ohio State has, But we know what Ohio or what the state of Ohio's focus is and how they're going to support aging. That's when I said, alright.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Here's some of the Presentations that we had, but the whole afternoon session was a setup for a World Cafe discussion that had all of the participants that were there during the day to answer 3 very important questions about what does an age positive society look like, What resources already exist here in Central Ohio or on campus To have an age positive focus. But then, most importantly, what what are we missing? Where are the opportunities that we have? And so The conversations that are developed around that World Cafe format kind of they had already heard the information from the presenters during the day, and so they're like, That was the opportunity for them to identify their why. You know, what role they have and how they can do it. If it's research oriented, If it's clinical oriented, you know, what can we do to shift that narrative? And so, I'm waiting for the final report. I worked with a marketing, company to kind of help organize all of the thoughts during that day so that that final report is something that we will take and present To the leadership of the different colleges within the university to help up the conversation around aging initiatives That we have in curriculum, research, policy, you name it. Wonderful.
Brett Johnson [:Okay. So the program Aging Connections is a hub of information for the university, faculty, staff, and students regarding aging opportunities. You know, what resources and activities have been created? Talk about that. Is it open to the public even?
Jennifer Bechtel [:Yes. That's the beautiful thing, and and it's only gonna Because of what happened at the summit and some of the conversations that I've had since the event happened, getting some students that we have, that are interested in aging to help redesign the website moving Forward, To even grow the the resources in there. And so the Aging Connections, it it the resources that are on there, it's aging.osu.edu is the website. And so the Aging Connections piece of it contains resources for different geriatric, syndromes is what they call it from a clinical perspective. You know, Some of the things that you may think of more with it if it's regarding falls and fractures, you know, the difference Between dementia, delirium, and depression in older adults. And so just being able to get that information to know What you can learn about versus what you can do about it proactively in that. And so some of the Resources and websites that I've connected it to because I know, for me, there's nothing I hate worse than going down a rabbit hole
Brett Johnson [:Mhmm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And trying to figure out, You know, where these resources exist. So that's what I did with the development of this website initially was to pull some of the resources that I know Are already out there and put it in an easier spot based off of different criteria that we have, if it's service related, if it's, You know, medical related. And so from the aging lens, just try to get people connected to what's out there and have them advocate for their own care.
Brett Johnson [:Okay. And so how do you measure the success of that then?
Jennifer Bechtel [:The simple fact when I get calls from people, coming To me to say, I found you on Okay. The website. Gotcha. You know, there's nothing more. And every opportunity that I have when I go out, and to do presentations, to do conversations, I connect people to it. Alright. That's a good resource. Exactly.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Because, You know, you can
Brett Johnson [:job a little bit easier than 2, honestly, for presentations.
Jennifer Bechtel [:It does. Because notes
Brett Johnson [:whatever it might be. Yeah.
Jennifer Bechtel [:You name it. And so it's one of those you know, My grandma alWays said, you can't grow if you don't know. So trying to make sure that you can get people Thinking about aging in a more positive Way. Like, let's get all the information out there for them, but have it in one spot. So, You know, Ohio State has a very trusted reputation, and so let's put those resources in an area that have already been vetted. So it's you know, you you can kind of bank on that Buckeye family taking care of you.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. That makes sense. Yeah.
Carol Ventresca [:Regarding the hub, do you see the departments Having those uh-huh moments where they already have programs and services that with just a tweak Can be better for older adults?
Jennifer Bechtel [:Definitely. It's it's one of those where, again, just If it's not part of the, Aging Connections hub right now, that's where Again, that report that I'm gonna take from the aging summit will open up the conversation to say, I'm all about learning what resources exist. So It's helped me understand. You know, what does your program do so that because I look through my entire life from the lens of The aging population. Right. I can sit there and listen to what the program is and figure out If there's an opportunity to have that conversation woven in earlier with an older adult population.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Having been on campus for 30 years and doing a special population of students, older adults, and continuing ed, I can think back and remember where there were programs on campus that were easy very easy to also serve Older students, and it wasn't until you start having those conversations with the particular faculty or department chairs that they had that moment. So I'm thinking that there are probably a lot of things going on on campus that with, you know, one little tiny minor tweak It's gonna be a phenomenal addition to the hub.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And exactly. And if just like, have you ever thought about you know, that's an opportunity to just get them to think About what the program could be Right. Not just what it is. Because everybody wants to grow awareness about what their program Can can do.
Carol Ventresca [:Exactly. Everybody's alWays Looking for new populations to serve. Well, guess what? That population is not only there, but it could Swarm right over you because there are so many.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. And that yeah. And we we talk about you're like you know, I think that's one of the things that I alWays put aging into the conversation because, especially in the health care field
Carol Ventresca [:Mhmm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:You've heard the terminology like social determinants of health Or making sure that we serve underrepresented populations. Well, aging touches every single one of those, but we've never called it out Has its own subset and unique demographic that we need to make sure is part of the conversation.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Right. Jennifer, you know there are likely many challenges to promoting services programs, medical initiatives to this Population of older patients. Tell us how your office helps to bridge those gaps in the needs of older patients through those the educational, Certificate programs, workshops, and trainings that your office provides.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Right. There's a few initiatives that we've got going on right now. And one of The we have a program called topics in gerontology. It's just several different learning modules. There's about 20 that are currently on there that cover different aspects of aging. And so we apply for continuing education credits for, like, Nursing home administrators or social workers. So those that are already working out in the industry can get another, Knowledge base for, you know, what it's like to work with an older adult population. And so, you know, some of the Things that we don't really think about because we've never really talked about them.
Jennifer Bechtel [:So, you know, issues of abuse and neglect in an older adult population, You know, scamming, that's a force form of abuse, and that's all included in those modules. So, again, you don't know what you don't know, but if you can Create those, modules for people to be able to do at any time that they want. It just gives them that opportunity to learn more about What aging, issues and challenges exist and what you can do to empower yourself to kind of age differently, you know, more proactively in it. And another program that we have is called, SAGE. It's The series in applied gerontology education. And so it's a combination of 3 graduate level semester based courses, but it's all online. And so one what's really unique about it is, you know, it's a spring, summer, and fall. And if you complete all 3 courses, then you get a certificate of completion in gerontology.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And who doesn't wanna put that on their resume that says, you know, you've got this baseline of knowledge in dealing with an older population. And so the courses are, you know, an introduction to what gerontology is. The summer course talks about, case studies when you're dealing with here's the population, that you're dealing with. And because of the different, students that are a part of that online course, we have both graduate level students on campus As well as professional students out in the community. And then some of our program sixty, component or, students Are also taking this course. And so when you're talking about working with an older adult population, I love it when some of the program's 60 learners are a part of the courses because that's the exact population we're talking about. So if I have a pharmacy student who's taking the course, Then my program 60 student is having that conversation with them about what it's like to have Your, you know, medications interact with each other, and it's kind of like, never thought of it that Way.
Carol Ventresca [:Able to open the bottle. Yeah. Exactly.
Brett Johnson [:Well, there's kind of real life Situation scenario right there in class.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. So it's a really, So, like, one of the goals that I have as well is to as I'm thinking about what can I do from an education perspective is To create, within the College of Medicine is in an elder care certification that we can have for All of our health care workers so that we get that baseline level of of, you know, caregiving knowledge Of but what it's like to work with an older adult population? And so when you cover the facets of gerontology from A physical, physiological, spiritual awareness. And in that, that's what is the core Components that you're putting in the certification program, it's just a really unique Way to kind of set yourself up for success And knowing that since our population's gonna be growing, that you've got that skill set to meet that need.
Carol Ventresca [:Mhmm.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. There seems to be almost a level of emotional intelligence going on here too of just that those addressing that age to understand, to empathize, if nothing else, to to almost break that, go over a generation. Because, yeah, a younger adult doesn't know how to speak to an older adult. I didn't when I was a 20 year old.
Jennifer Bechtel [:No. You just don't. But we didn't have cell phones back then either. So Yeah. You know, to know. But I and I think That's one of the things too is that realizing where we are in our society right now is because of some of the, advances that we've had have also created, a generation right now that isn't in, like, Isn't as in touch with their feelings about how to interact with somebody. I mean, it's one of those that you know, if Bullying existed where we got picked on as a kid. And, you know, back then, I was told, suck it up.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And so it's It's one of those scenarios where it's kind of like everybody's opinion matters, but not like everybody needs To be the whole whole participation trophy thing.
Brett Johnson [:You know? Right. Right.
Jennifer Bechtel [:You know? That's not the Way life is. Yeah. So why are we trying to make it that That's the Way life is. So, yeah, trying to get a a younger generation and, you know, again, using technology as a Way to Like, my mom's community has, middle school students come in and they call it the Buckeye Buddy program. And they interview The residents in her community. And, that Way, it gives the student a perspective to learn what it was like, you know, back in the And the depression. The old days. All these things that you, you know, talked about in history class.
Brett Johnson [:And how maybe how different it wasn't.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Exactly. Exactly.
Brett Johnson [:I think go to school. We don't have these Right.
Carol Ventresca [:So it's
Jennifer Bechtel [:one of those things, well, you don't understand. You were yes. I did. I still you know, I was I didn't have to deal with that. But and It's a human experience. And at the same time, because of that that savvy that they might have with technology, Then they're showing my mom what it's like to do a selfie or and that just connection that happens organically Is the most profound thing to witness when you're sitting there. And, you know, you can put the the academic Termonic and call it intergenerational programming. It's basically just appreciation for one another.
Carol Ventresca [:Well and and familiarity, breeds kindness and comfort and gets rid of the Fear Mhmm. That we have of people who are different than we are.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Exactly. Exactly.
Carol Ventresca [:And that happens just in in lots of scenarios, but this is a good one. Going back to the, the gerontal the topics in gerontology and the certificate program, are you getting a lot of, Inquiries from outside of the Ohio State community in Central Ohio to participate in those programs?
Jennifer Bechtel [:Yes. And, actually, it's what that's A great thing about having it be online, I actually just got an application yesterday, to the Sage program from somebody in California that wanted To participate in it. And so because it offers that opportunity for anyone beyond this Small island that we call Central Ohio. Mhmm. To be a part of it, it just adds to, you know, the dynamics of what is gonna be taught in that Particular course because of the makeup that you have with the student population.
Carol Ventresca [:Right?
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. Wow. Your office also partners with other agencies throughout the region and furthering not just the services for older adults, but also careers in gerontology fields. Can you mention some of those you are collaborating with in your current projects?
Jennifer Bechtel [:Yeah. The I do a lot of, collaboration with, an organization called the American Association For Service Coordinators. And their office is located here in Central Ohio, but they are a national organization, and service coordination is kind of, an Unknown treasure. Service coordinators are basically, dot connectors that work in affordable housing properties across the country To connect residents to resources that they have available to them. And so when you think about, a lot of, senior housing properties are older adults with fixed incomes in there. And so this is the population that they're that they're working with. And so we've developed a an accreditation, program with the American Association of Service Coordinators that If they complete these learning modules that are based off of the core competencies for what service coordination is, and it's a HUD funded program, that they have to have these certain level of expertise, to call themselves a a service coordinator. And When they complete the education and they take the exam and they pass it, then they can call themselves a professional service coordinator.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And so that designation program has helped to open a lot of doors for opportunities for service coordinators to get a higher level of recognition both internally within their organizations, but also, federally from a Policy and advocacy standpoint for Ask to then be able to go to HUD and say, we need more funding to support this amazing Program because service coordinators keep the residents in their homes instead of in the emergency rooms. And so because they've been able to connect them with home based community, programs that exist, they're not going to the ER for every emergency see that they may have. Mhmm. And so it saves dollars. And so when you can create those opportunities for them to know what exists And how it can benefit them. It's a really great Way to kind of make sure that that has An awareness and accreditation to it. And we've also worked, with the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging. There's a a part of their program is called, they're developing a c o triple a university is what they call it.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And a lot of the case managers that they have that worked for the Central Ohio, Area Agency on Aging, they Don't necessarily have a background in working with an older adult population, and then they're thrown into working with an older adult population. So creating the education and some of the modules through our topics in gerontology, Some of the presentations that we will do with their new hire staff, during 3 different orientation cycles throughout the year, Those are addressing what it is that they're gonna be sealing, you know, seeing when they're dealing with their, With their clientele, you know, issues of abuse and neglect and what it actually looks like. When you hear that word abuse, You know, it doesn't alWays mean physical harm.
Carol Ventresca [:Right.
Jennifer Bechtel [:It can be emotional abuse. It can be financial abuse. And just pointing out to them some of those things that they never really thought of in that Way. You know, it's kind of taking that knowledge of What you know are issues and challenges, but also opportunities for them to make that impact and to know
Brett Johnson [:how to do that. Taking it to next step.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Exactly. And
Brett Johnson [:seeing it, okay, when you hear that, ask another question.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Exactly. It doesn't right. Exactly. And so it's one of those like, I alWays, as a grief recovery specialist, you know, one of my favorite things that I learned was, like, if I ask you, you know, how how are you? And you're like, oh, I'm fine. Well, I can't let you stay with I'm fine because fine stands for feelings inside not expressed.
Brett Johnson [:Mhmm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:It's not an emotion. You know, you can be mad. You can be happy. You can be sad, but you can't be fine.
Brett Johnson [:Mhmm.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And so that's when you China. Exactly. China.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. Exactly.
Jennifer Bechtel [:You take it to the next level and say, are you really? You know? And be like, get to the core of what the The issue is because the more you can draw that information, knowledge is power. And that's when you know how to help and what next step you need Good day.
Brett Johnson [:Are you working with the other triple a's around the state of Ohio then, if any
Jennifer Bechtel [:Not directly. Okay. But yeah. But it's one of those that, again, Because, a few of the colleagues, that were part of the o four a, you know Mhmm. Were at the aging summit, Again, it was a it's a great opportunity for these conversations to happen after the fact, from that summit to be able to say, How can we partner? What can we do? Yeah.
Carol Ventresca [:And I have to give a shout out to all of our friends at CO Triple A. I as a member of the advisory council, It is a phenomenal organization. And like everything else we've talked about today, we will be putting together a list of all the resources that Jennifer's given us and that we've talked about, during this podcast. So listeners, be ready to see all this information on our website. Yes. So speaking of information, so my next question to you. There's a lot of information out there, But it is very difficult to convey this information to an older population. What would you It'd like to ensure we tell our audience about finding medical services and programs to assist older adults in our community.
Carol Ventresca [:And, We're concentrating on Central Ohio, but those tips may be also good for anybody outside of Central Ohio too.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Yeah. And so I think it's one of those that, like, You know what some of the more trusted resources are that you've heard, available out there. And so I think the biggest thing is, like, you've gotta advocate for what you want when it comes to your level of care. Don't just be okay with hearing a diagnosis, but not understanding all of the components of it And what your options are. And I think that's one of the key things of, you know, again, the importance of Making that Aging Connections hub that we have at Ohio State, a one stop shop opportunity for people to get connected To those resources that that we have available not only within Ohio State's community, but, You know, what are some of the national org organizations that I might wanna learn more about when it comes to, you know, Alzheimer's or Opportunities with, getting funding support like the through the, area agencies on aging. Like, We don't know what we don't know. And I think, you know, for me, it was I've worked in the aging space for over 17 years, But it wasn't until my mom needed to move after my dad's death, And we had to figure out what was next for mom that because I knew who to go to To get some of those answers about what's possible, it shortened the road. But our health care system is a very broken Navigation, if you don't know what opportunities exist out there.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And so don't be afraid to Reach out. Don't be afraid to, like, go onto, you know, the the wet the Wexner Medical Center website and just Google, You know, geriatrics and see what pops up. And just to see some of the amazing research and programs that already exist, You know, it's you don't have to go down those rabbit holes of, not getting the information and taking that long because I know, like, For me, my office handles education. I don't handle patient appointments. But I can't tell you how many calls I get from the community that is from a loved one who was just told by their mom's doctor that They need to have a geriatric assessment. But can I help them with their appointment? I don't schedule the appointments, but I can get you directly to the Clinic that I know that does the cognitive evaluations. Because when I had to go through that with my own mom several years ago, That is not a journey that you want to wait 3 to 4 months to begin. You need to have answers now in that.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And so Any chance I have to connect someone from the community about what resources exist in there, as an opportunity to shorten That journey for them to get the answers that they need to advocate for their own health care, that's what I'm there for.
Carol Ventresca [:It it seems that so many of our seniors are alone though. You know, your mom has you, and you can figure out that system. Chances are pretty good the seniors aren't listening to this podcast, but they may have friends, family, neighbors who No. They need some help. We in the state of Ohio, the office on aging has an ombud's program For anybody in a nursing home.
Brett Johnson [:Mhmm.
Carol Ventresca [:I don't know whether they do they have that outside of nursing homes. But if you are In a nursing home and there's a problem, there is an ombud services, there for those patients. But are there other kinds of I don't I see how triple a may have a program that or if if that individual has a Case manager.
Brett Johnson [:Mhmm.
Carol Ventresca [:I think what I'm trying to say here in a roundabout Way is you if if an individual is having problems, you need to keep asking questions until you get the answer. Definitely. Don't ask a question of 1 person and think that's enough information.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Mhmm.
Carol Ventresca [:So you have to just keep going out there and talking to everybody. You might get a whole lot of no's, but all they have to do is get that 1 Jennifer who's gonna get them to the right place.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Exactly. And I and and that's where, You know, not only connecting them internally to the resources that Ohio State and the Medical Center has to offer, but like you said, CO triple a. Getting them on to the if I can get somebody to their website, then they can do the research about what opportunities and programs exist.
Carol Ventresca [:And every county in Ohio has some kind of an aging services office.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Yes. They're called different things. Right.
Carol Ventresca [:And I'm going to take a huge leap guess hear that in other states, there is probably something, some entity. If you are in a in a county outside of Ohio, and you don't see something in your county government office listing that says older adults or seniors or, call the county office and talk to your commissioners. Exactly. They are going to have somebody who's going to be able to help you.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Exactly. And that's where, you know, again, just trying to make Sure that people get connected to what some of the things that should be so obvious to us in our society and yet remain buried treasures.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Exactly. When when my mom and I were taking care of my dad and he was every time he was in the hospital, Every afternoon, she and I would sit down and we come up with a list of 3 or 4 questions of things that we needed information on. And when she was with him that next day, every person who walked in his hospital room, she would ask him the same questions. If it was a nurse, if it was a doctor, if it was the dietitian, whomever walked in that door, she asked them the same questions. And at the end of the day, we'd review all the answers she got, and we'd kind of figure out, like, what's the chances of the most logical answer? You know, because everybody, of course, was giving her different answers. But it you you just have to keep asking questions.
Jennifer Bechtel [:You do. And and don't be afraid To do that because that's where, again, you know, we all want it there you know, treat someone else as you wanna be treated. That's Basically, what it all boils down to. And so, you know, there's too much information out there, but there's Not enough people that are willing to kind of step up and connect the resources to someone who's on the struggle bus.
Carol Ventresca [:Right.
Jennifer Bechtel [:And especially when it comes to, you know, dirt, dealing with an older adult population, you know, Cognitive evaluations are one of the biggest things that's, like, the next first step that they have to take. And the last thing, you know, 3 to 4 month wait to get that cognitive evaluation? No. So if I can immediately try and help to put some of their mind at ease by saying, you know what? Doctor Shari had developed this test called the SAGE test, and it's now available online For you to be able to do it yourself to kind of put your mind at ease. Like, the Way that you score on this test, it'll tell you If you need to seek that next step action. And sometimes just that initial knowledge of knowing what you can do to either Figure out if you gotta take another step Forward in your level of care or if you know what? I'm not there yet based off of this score. I'm good.
Carol Ventresca [:Alright. Mhmm.
Brett Johnson [:Yeah. No. That's true. That's true. Oh, we alWays ask our guests if they have any last words of wisdom that they'd like to add. Not that you haven't had a ton of them already, but it's that that last gasp of, like, hey. I wanna say this. But, do you have any other suggestions or advice for our listeners today?
Jennifer Bechtel [:I think the biggest thing that I wanna encourage everyone to do is to just kind of change the Way you think about aging. You know, it's not something to be feared. It's not something that is, you know, just a debilitating time in our life. It's Something to be celebrated, and I learned that when I was dealing, in the hospice industry. And It's some of the greatest gifts to be present in someone's life and know that you've made a difference to them because you've validated what matters to them to the Core of that. And so being able to have that, you know, we all kind of joke about getting older and and that's Changing that narrative, you know, that's really an an ageist philosophy when you, you know oh, you're over the hill. What Hill. You know? It's kind of like, why does it alWays have to be a negative perception? So I encourage you know, I wanna encourage everybody to kind of Think about the Way you want to age.
Jennifer Bechtel [:Do you wanna do it better? And, you know, at 52, That's I'm celebrating 52. You know? So own your age.
Carol Ventresca [:Right.
Jennifer Bechtel [:You know? And you've got To figure out what kind what do I wanna be when I grow up is what I alWays say. So at 80, what do I wanna be able to do? So backtrack. And here at 50, what changes do I need to make to myself, both positive and negative, To be able to have that kind of life that I want in there, and it's a beautiful thing. So flip that lens. You'll live 7.6 years longer if you start thinking of it in more positive light.
Carol Ventresca [:Right. Right. Very good. Very good. Thank you, Jennifer. Our expert, Jennifer Bechtel, from the Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center Office of Gerontology and Geriatrics. I got it. Goodness gracious.
Carol Ventresca [:I remember those, business
Jennifer Bechtel [:cards mouthful.
Carol Ventresca [:Those business cards at OSU that are, like, 2 cards long. So, again, thank you to our expert, Jennifer, for joining us today. Listeners, thank you for joining us, and do not forget to check our show notes on the website for contact information and the resources we discussed today. You can find that information on our website at Looking Forward our Way.com. We're Looking Forward to hearing your feedback on this and any of our podcast episodes.
