- Online
- $500
This course is part of the UBC Micro-certificate in Healthy Aging.
This course focuses on how age-related cognitive and sensory changes affect everyday interactions in health and community settings. You explore what is typical versus atypical change with age and how factors such as hearing, vision, memory and attention can shape how older adults participate in conversations, appointments and community life.
This course is designed for people who support older adults in health, community and volunteer roles and want to interact in ways that are clear, respectful and inclusive. It is especially relevant if you provide information, education or support to older adults and their families and want to reduce barriers and foster trust, autonomy and shared decision-making.
You work with examples, case studies and guided reflection to identify barriers in how information is exchanged and understood, and to consider practical strategies to address them. As you move through the course, you apply frameworks such as the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to think about accessibility and to design more inclusive, person-centred interactions and environments.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- identify and describe normal age-related cognitive and communication changes and their impact on how older adults engage in health and community settings.
- identify and describe atypical age-related cognitive and communication changes, for example due to disease or disability, and their impact on older adults’ participation.
- describe access and inclusivity in health and community settings using the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework.
- identify direct and indirect techniques that make it easier for older adults to receive, process and share information in health and community settings.
Course outline
In this course, you work through modules that build from understanding changes with age to applying concrete strategies in practice.
- Cognitive and communication changes with age
- Communication accessibility and inclusivity for older adults
- Supporting communication and participation of older adults in health care and community.
How am I assessed?
You are assessed through a combination of short online quizzes, applied reflection activities and a final integrative assignment that asks you to apply course ideas in your own professional or community context. Participation in selected online discussions or interactive activities may also contribute to your overall standing in the course. The course is graded on a pass/fail basis.
Expected effort
Expect to spend a total of 12 to 15 hours engaging with course materials and activities over four to six weeks. This includes working through four modules, completing readings and short quizzes, joining optional real-time online Q&A and discussion sessions, and submitting reflection and application activities.
Textbook and technology requirements
There is no required textbook for this course; all essential readings and resources are provided online through the course platform.
To take this course, and for the best experience, we recommend you have access to:
- an email account
- a computer, laptop or tablet using Windows or macOS
- the latest version of a web browser or the previous major version
- a reliable internet connection
- a webcam/video camera and microphone for interactive activities
Requisites
There are no formal prerequisites for this course. Familiarity with working or volunteering with older adults, or an interest in aging, health or community care, is an asset but not required.
Course format
This part-time, 100% online course is facilitator supported and offered primarily in an asynchronous format, consistent with the micro-certificate’s overall delivery. You work through course modules on your own time over six to eight weeks, and attend optional live Q&A sessions. These sessions will not be recorded. You also have access to an online discussion forum, where you can interact with your peers and instructors.