The effectiveness of a geriatric simulation suit for improving empathy and simulating the aging process for older adults in a DPT program: A pilot study.
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| Title: | The effectiveness of a geriatric simulation suit for improving empathy and simulating the aging process for older adults in a DPT program: A pilot study. |
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| Authors: | Engelken, Mason1, Merritt, Jace1, Rutherford, Adam1, Smith, Justin1 justin.smith@wichita.edu |
| Source: | Gerontology & Geriatrics Education. Oct-Dec2025, Vol. 46 Issue 4, p556-566. 11p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Empathy, *Aging, *Educational programs, Health of older people, Physical therapy |
| Abstract: | Enhancing empathy toward older adults among physical therapy students is essential to prepare graduates to be equipped to properly treat geriatric patients in all types of healthcare settings. This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a homemade geriatric suit to simulate an older adult and improve empathy among physical therapy students. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professions student version was utilized to measure empathy-related parameters before and after the geriatric simulation experience. Physical and cognitive performance tests were used to assess the effectiveness of the geriatric suit to simulate typical age-related changes in physical and cognitive performance. Additionally, sociodemographic data were collected such as age, gender and prior experience working with older adults. Following the geriatric simulation suit experience, participants did not demonstrate statistically significant post-intervention empathy scores on the Jefferson Empathy Scale (t = 2.09, p = 0.022). However, patients did demonstrate similar physical scores when compared with older adult norms while wearing the geriatric simulation suit. The geriatric simulation suit experience effectively simulated the aging process, but did not significantly increase empathy in students. The homemade geriatric simulation suit may be a feasible and cost-effective way to simulate typical age-related physical changes in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Gerontology & Geriatrics Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 188897122 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The effectiveness of a geriatric simulation suit for improving empathy and simulating the aging process for older adults in a DPT program: A pilot study. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Engelken%2C+Mason%22">Engelken, Mason</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Merritt%2C+Jace%22">Merritt, Jace</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rutherford%2C+Adam%22">Rutherford, Adam</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smith%2C+Justin%22">Smith, Justin</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> justin.smith@wichita.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Gerontology+%26+Geriatrics+Education%22">Gerontology & Geriatrics Education</searchLink>. Oct-Dec2025, Vol. 46 Issue 4, p556-566. 11p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empathy%22">Empathy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Aging%22">Aging</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+programs%22">Educational programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+of+older+people%22">Health of older people</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+therapy%22">Physical therapy</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Enhancing empathy toward older adults among physical therapy students is essential to prepare graduates to be equipped to properly treat geriatric patients in all types of healthcare settings. This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a homemade geriatric suit to simulate an older adult and improve empathy among physical therapy students. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professions student version was utilized to measure empathy-related parameters before and after the geriatric simulation experience. Physical and cognitive performance tests were used to assess the effectiveness of the geriatric suit to simulate typical age-related changes in physical and cognitive performance. Additionally, sociodemographic data were collected such as age, gender and prior experience working with older adults. Following the geriatric simulation suit experience, participants did not demonstrate statistically significant post-intervention empathy scores on the Jefferson Empathy Scale (t = 2.09, p = 0.022). However, patients did demonstrate similar physical scores when compared with older adult norms while wearing the geriatric simulation suit. The geriatric simulation suit experience effectively simulated the aging process, but did not significantly increase empathy in students. The homemade geriatric simulation suit may be a feasible and cost-effective way to simulate typical age-related physical changes in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Gerontology & Geriatrics Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/02701960.2025.2515446 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 11 StartPage: 556 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Empathy Type: general – SubjectFull: Aging Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational programs Type: general – SubjectFull: Health of older people Type: general – SubjectFull: Physical therapy Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: The effectiveness of a geriatric simulation suit for improving empathy and simulating the aging process for older adults in a DPT program: A pilot study. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Engelken, Mason – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Merritt, Jace – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rutherford, Adam – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Smith, Justin IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 10 Text: Oct-Dec2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 02701960 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 46 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Gerontology & Geriatrics Education Type: main |
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