The Alaska Geriatric Education Center (AKGEC) was established in 2003 with funding from the Health Resources and Service Administration Bureau of Health Professions. The national network of GECs is supported by the National Association of Geriatric Education Centers.

AKGEC is developing geriatric training opportunities and curriculum that celebrates Alaska’s unique history and cultural diversity. We work closely with the National Resource Center for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiian Elders (NRC) and are developing several training modules focusing on Alaska Native Elder issues. AKGEC is working closely with the Stanford Geriatric Education Center to collaborate on training and curriculum development.

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Mission

The Alaska Geriatric Education Center is committed to cultivating national and statewide affiliations that expand and enhance the public’s, community health professional’s, academic health professionals faculty, and university students’ knowledge in the areas of geriatrics, health literacy, health promotion, ethnogeriatrics, and interdisciplinary health care team practices. Through statewide and national collaborative partnerships, development of geriatric health professions curriculum, supporting geriatric clinical training, and expanding interdisciplinary training opportunities the AKGEC will improve the health status of medically underserved populations and eliminating health disparities and infrastructure by:

• Enhancing instructional capacity in the area of geriatrics for health professions faculty and students in nursing, social work, psychology, and family medicine through development of curricula and training focusing upon health literacy, health promotion, ethnogeratrics, and interdisciplinary team clinical practice.
• Improving the relevance, effectiveness, and accessibility of geriatric training opportunities for health professional’s through establishment of core competency standards and instructional guidelines appropriate for Alaska.
• Expanding and enhancing the capacity to develop and disseminate health related information and curricula related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, disability, and other programs of the elderly through a variety of venues targeting health professionals.

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Goals

With substantial attention given to the health care needs of medically underserved elderly populations and those health care facilities providing for their needs, AKGEC has three major goals. GEC Workplan-Goals and Objectives

Goal 1-With major emphasis on health literacy, health promotion, ethnogeriatrics, and interdisciplinary team clinical practice, the AKGEC will support and enhance instructional capacity in the area of geriatrics for health professions faculty and students in nursing, social work, psychology, and family medicine.

Goal 2-Improve the relevance, effectiveness, and accessibility of geriatric training opportunities for health professionals through the establishment of core competency standards and instructional guidelines appropriate for Alaska.

Goal 3-Expand and enhance the capacity to develop and disseminate health related information and curricula related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, disability, and other problems of the elderly through a variety of venues targeting health professionals.

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Consortium Partners

The University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks-Alaska Rural Behavioral Health Training Academy and University of Alaska Southeast Sitka have formed a consortium to create AKGEC. To learn more about activities in your area, contact the representative from the regions listed below if you would like to join. Additional information can be found in our Project Summary

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Advisory Board

Southcentral Region-Rosellen Rosich-907-786-1739 / afrmr@uaa.alaska.edu or Geri Heiner-anglh@uaa.alaska.edu

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First Funding Cycle Reports (2003-2006)

Director's Report.PDF (149K)

First year activities and accomplishments

Second year activities and accomplishments

Third year activities and accomplishments

Fourth year activities and accomplishments (Partial Funding)

Fifth year activities and accomplishments (No Funding)

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A program of: Consortium Partners:

The Alaska Geriatric Education Center is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) Grant #D31HP08826.

UA is an AA/EO employer and educational institution.