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Overview of Rating Scales: PAS and Cornell. Dr Ian Presnell

Presented to registered nurses and associate colleagues supporting the Volunteer Interview Program, Gippsland Medical School (GMS), Monash University, Churchill.

On Thursday 7th May 2009, Dr Ian Presnell, psycho-geriatrician and senior lecturer into the Monash Medical Course, led a 90 minute presentation on the Psychogeriatric Assessment Scale (PAS) and the Cornell Depression/Dementia rating scales to an audience of 27 registered nurses and associate colleagues and 8 medical students. These individuals came from as far away as Korumburra to attend this interactive education session.

The GMS medical students were Year A students participating in the Volunteer Interview Program (VIP). The VIP was introduced in Year A of the GMS curriculum to increase the students’ exposure to communication skills involving older persons. Each student spends one or two days in the program, under the guidance of Dr Sonia Allen and her colleagues at the village. The student’s task during the morning session is to use basic communication skills to elicit a (non-medical) lifetime narrative from an independently living older person, residing in the retirement village. This life-story is reported back to the group during a reflective session in the afternoon.

The carers of the retirement villages had requested additional training in the assessment tools used to rate depression and dementia in the elderly. These are essential for the on-going funding of Residential Aged care Facilities. Attendees expressed gratitude to Monash University for providing and facilitating this educational session. There was broad agreement that the content of the education was extremely valuable in interpretation, applying and understanding the tools. Another session is planned for later in the year on issues surrounding end-of-life and palliative care.

Associate Professor George Somers
Clinical Skills Coordinator, Theme IV

Dr Ian Presnell

Dr Sonia Allen, Assoc Prof George Somers and Dr Ian Presnell