'Virtual classes' will focus on geriatric health

A series of online trainings on geriatric health care topics will be available beginning in January, sponsored by the Area Health Education Center (AHEC), the Alaska Training Cooperative and Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. The series is a partnership with the Northwest Geriatric Education Center, and will offer 10 weeks of trainings from Jan. 5 through March 8, to Alaska via virtual classroom on the Internet.

The series is designed to give community-based providers working in the field of aging – physicians, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers, pharmacists and other interested professionals – access to valuable information without traveling. Classes feature a different speaker each week discussing their area of expertise.

A complete schedule is available online, as well as a list of host sites around the state, at https://www.akcache.org/Training/Class/81568. You must attend classes at one of 19 host sites around the state; the locations are listed on the website. Class times are 3 to 4:30 p.m. Alaska time, each Tuesday.

Registration cost is $10 per session up to $60 for the whole session, and continuing education credit is available for an additional $40. Anyone can register at any time for the classes, there is no deadline.

The January schedule is as follows:

Jan. 5 Vitamins and Supplements

Jan. 12 Addressing Falls in your Clinical Practice

Jan. 19 Homelessness among Older Adults

Jan. 26 Medication and Falls

Visit the web link for information on presenters at these sessions, as well as the topics and presenters for February and March classes.

For more information, contact Geri Heiner at (907) 786-6591, or by e-mail at glheiner@uaa.alaska.edu.