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COAST-IT – Connecting Older Adults to Students Through Interprofessional Telecare

Many older adults may not have the opportunity to build a connection with a young adult. At the same time, health professional students in their first 1-2 years of clinical training may not have many clinical interactions with older adult patients. The team at CU Anschutz, led by the CU Anschutz Multidisciplinary Center on Aging, hosts an outreach program where students from either the CU Anschutz School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy, College of Nursing and School of Dental Medicine programs will pair with a community older adult to have weekly to bi-monthly social phone calls with each other to build a connection of mentorship.

“I am going to go into geriatrics. I feel strongly about that because of this class, and ageism that I have experienced with older family members seeing their doctors.”

COAST-IT, CU Anschutz Skaggs School of Pharmacy Student, 2023

Older adults who have felt some mental or physical health effects from loneliness and isolation that has occurred due to COVID-19 or other recent social changes.
Older Adults who would enjoy interacting with a student regularly and volunteer to be a part of the program.
Older Adults who could successfully participate in regularly scheduled (up to weekly or bi-monthly) phone calls with a student. Our hope is the student and older adult would remain phone partners through the duration of the student’s educational time on campus.
Older Adults who are comfortable communicating on the phone.
Older Adults who would enjoy regularly scheduled extended social conversations with a medical, pharmacy, nursing or dental medicine students
Older Adults who are interested in having fun conversations with health profession students

Students who are interested in getting to know older adults and have an interest in being mentored by someone of the older generation
Students who can commit to a weekly or bi-monthly social phone call with an older adult partner for the duration of an academic year, if not longer
Students who are interested in learning how to better hone communication and interaction skills with older adults, in order to become better future clinicians
Students who are interested in learning more about geriatric medicine and its application with future older adult patients
Students who are interested in having fun conversations with older adults

Students share their COAST-IT experience

For additional information or inquires please contact:
Joanna Fitzgibbons,
Program Coordinator
Joanna.fitzgibbons
@cuanschutz.edu

CU Anschutz Multidisciplinary Center on Aging

CU Anschutz

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12631 East 17th Avenue

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Aurora, CO 80045

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COAST-IT – Connecting Older Adults to Students Through Interprofessional Telecare

Students share their COAST-IT experience

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CU Anschutz Multidisciplinary Center on Aging

COAST-IT – Connecting Older Adults to Students Through Interprofessional Telecare

For Older Adults, here is some criteria to consider if COAST-IT is a good fit

For Students, here is some criteria to consider if COAST-IT is a good fit

Students share their COAST-IT experience

The Battle Against Isolation Continues: How CU Students Are Making an Impact

CU Anschutz Multidisciplinary Center on Aging