GAIT Project Overview: The GAIT project is a free program for health and social science undergraduate, graduate, and professional students enrolled in a University System of Maryland (USM) institution. This educational initiative is designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of health care and social service students in assessing and managing the care of older adults. GAIT introduces students to the comprehensive geriatric assessment and the fundamentals of interprofessional (interdisciplinary) collaboration through both didactic and clinical sessions. Total completion time is 8 - 9 hours. There is no charge for USM students to participate in the GAIT program. Certificate of completion provided.
The project is designed by the Maryland Area Health Education Centers (MAHECs) in partnership with the Geriatrics & Gerontology Education and Research (GGEAR) Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore Graduate School.
The GAIT project provides an opportunity for students to:
- Interact with students and professionals from a variety of disciplines;
- Participate in team-building exercises that focus on the value of an interdisciplinary approach to improve quality of care for older adults;
- Understand services provided to older adults; and
- Learn about the needs of underserved older adult communities within our state.
As an interprofessional learning experience, GAIT is designed to help students:
- Understand the uniqueness of interprofessional teams and its value in providing person-centered care
- Recognize barriers to effective communication in health care teams and identify ways to reduce conflict and disagreement
- Explain aging processes and the diversity of the older adult population;
- Evaluate best practices in honoring the autonomy of older persons; and
- Employ effective interprofessional and intergenerational communication skills .
Participant expectations:
- Participate fully in the GAIT experience. Information about expectations will be sent after your registration has been processed.
SPRING 2025 GAIT TOPICS AND DATES (may register for more than one)
Note: Others may be added and announced as they are scheduled.
In Person: Comprehensive Care of the Stroke Patient
Date: Monday, March 17, 8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Location: Encompass Health Rehabilitation, 220 Tilghman Road, Salisbury, MD
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Salisbury is a 74-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital that offers comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation services designed to return patients to leading active and independent lives. Participants will be given an overview of interdisciplinary treatments of the cerebral vascular accident (CVA) patient. Participants will be placed in interprofessional groups to participate in team conference, see patients in therapy sessions, and interview patients, and present.
In Person: Interdisciplinary Care of the Hospice Patient
Date: Tuesday, April 15, 8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Location: Talbot Hospice, 586 Cynwood Drive, Easton, MD
Talbot Hospice Interdisciplinary Team members work collaboratively to accomplish their mission of offering hope and compassionate support to those facing life-limiting, serious or end-of-life illnesses through services at home, nursing facilities, and in the Eleanor Koons Hospice House. Staff presentations will include management of delirium in the hospice patient, advanced care planning and identifying the final stages of life. GAIT participants will be assigned a hospice patient to evaluate as a member of an interprofessional team and develop a care plan through his/her disciplinary lens focused on enhancing the quality of care.
Virtual: Falls Later in Life: Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Management
Blackboard opens April 17 (~4 hours activities)
Real-Time Zoom Meeting: Thursday, April 24, 4 - 8 p.m.
Facilitator: Dennis Klima, PT, MS, PhD, DPT, GCS, NCS
Gait and balance disorders increase fall risk in later life and may result in injury, disability, loss of independence, and limited quality of life. Being multifactorial in origin, gait and balance disorders require a comprehensive assessment to determine contributing factors and targeted interventions. Most changes in gait that occur in older adults are related to underlying medical conditions, particularly as conditions increase in severity; therefore, they should not be viewed as an inevitable consequence of growing older.
In Person: Honoring Faith while Providing Care: Person-Centered Approaches for Older Adult Muslims in Health Care
Date: Saturday, April 26, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: American Muslim Senior Society, 15719 Crabbs Branch Way, Rockville, MD
Participants in this GAIT project will explore the principles of person-centered, culturally competent healthcare with a focus on mental health. Gain an understanding of how traditions, language, cultural values, and religious beliefs shape health practices and influence delivery of care within the older adult Muslim community. Through presentations and interactive discussions, attendees will have the opportunity to apply inclusive approaches to build trust, improve communication, and enhance health outcomes.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore is a member of the Age-Friendly University Global Network. We endorse the 10 principles of an age-friendly university and are committed to being more intentional and systematic in our approach to our aging, intergenerational population as we build meaningful and measurable collaborations. Visit our website to learn about our age-friendly initiatives. For information on becoming an age-friendly specialist, contact Dr. Diane Martin at diane.martin@umaryland.edu or download our program booklet.