Principles of health communication for older adult consumers of
information. Includes medical communication, health literacy,
medical decision making, and strategies for improving
communication.
Athena Title
Health Communication and Aging
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in GRNT 7250
Non-Traditional Format
This course will be taught 95% or more online.
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will learn to describe age-related changes in sensory systems that can affect communication.
Students will learn to explain the concepts of health literacy, health engagement, health autonomy, and shared decision-making.
Students will learn to differentiate how communication occurs during healthcare visits commonly for older versus younger adults.
Students will learn to analyze causes of communication breakdown between older adults and healthcare providers.
Students will learn to evaluate materials used to communicate health information to older adult consumers.
Students will learn to create materials to improve health communication to older adult information consumers.
Topical Outline
I. Sensory Biology
a. Aging vision systems
i. Structural changes in the vision system
ii. Age-related eye disease and low vision
iii. Design recommendations for visual communication
b. Aging auditory systems
i. Structural changes in the auditory system
ii. Age-related hearing changes and presbycusis
iii. Speech communication recommendations for older adults
c. Cognitive changes with age
i. Navigation
ii. Planning
iii. Memory
iv. Judgment and decision-making
v. Attention
vi. Recommendations for communication in older adulthood
vii. Recommendations for communication in cases of cognitive impairment
II. The Healthcare System
a. Health literacy
i. Definitions of health literacy
ii. Literacy and health outcomes
b. Health engagement
i. Definitions of health engagement
ii. Engagement and health outcomes
c. Health autonomy
i. Definitions of health autonomy
ii. Autonomy and health outcomes
d. Points of confusion for engaging in the healthcare system
i. Medicare
ii. Multi-provider communication
iii. Polypharmacy and medication management
iv. Health infrastructure
