November 18, 2025 - Perspectives in Aging Community of Practice

Members - FREE

Non-Members - $20

Virtual Meeting 7:00 pm 

REGISTER HERE!
Number of Contact Hours: 1.0

Link to Webinar will be included in your registration confirmation email.

Summary of Event:

Title: Challenging Ageism in Health Care

This presentation provides an exploration of ageism in health care, highlighting how negative stereotypes and biases toward older adults can influence clinical decisions and patient outcomes. Participants will first examine common examples of ageism encountered in health care settings and then analyze the ways these attitudes impact the physical, emotional, and functional well-being of older adults. The session will introduce validated ageism scales, emphasizing their importance in assessing and addressing provider attitudes in both research and practice. Finally, participants will identify evidence-based strategies for reducing ageism and fostering age-inclusive approaches that promote dignity, equity, and optimal care for older adults. The session will conclude with a music video depicting the impact of ageism and the older adult.

Facilitator and Speaker: 

Facilitator: Susan Giannitti, OTR/L

Speakers: Kyle O’Brien, PhD, DHSc, MSOT, LCSW, OTR/L , Diane Kaczmarcyk OTR/L , Stephanie Mastino OTR/L , Nicole Fidanza MOT, OTD, OTR/L , and Susanne Giannitti OTR/L

 Learning Objectives Attendees Should Achieve:

At the end of the session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify and describe at least three common examples of ageism experienced by older adults in health care settings.
2. Explain how ageist attitudes and practices negatively affect the physical, emotional, and functional health outcomes of older adults.
3. Recognize the purpose of validated ageism measurement scales and describe how they are used to assess attitudes toward aging.
4. Identify at least two evidence-based strategies for reducing ageism and promoting age-inclusive practices in health care environments.

Bio/Background of the Speakers:

 ConnOTA community of practice-perspectives in aging members are OT practitioners who work with older adults, have worked with older adults, or who are seeking to work with this population. Areas of practice include but are not limited to hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities, home care, ALF, ILF, Adult Day Care, Senior Centers, as well as students, retirees, and those who teach older adult OT content. Members bring their expertise and skill set as well as questions and a strong desire to use social learning theory to learn, share, and pool resources and knowledge. Mastery of group objectives is orally assessed.

This event is sponsored by Connecticut occupational therapy practitioners. ConnOTA is supporting this event by overseeing the award of CEUs for registered participants.