Lesson 1Risk identification and prioritisation: abuse/neglect, malnutrition, medication errors, social isolationFocuses on systematically identifying and ranking key risks such as abuse, neglect, malnutrition, medication errors, and social isolation, and on creating prioritised, realistic mitigation plans with the care team in local settings.
Screening for abuse and neglect indicatorsDetecting malnutrition and dehydration riskRecognizing medication-related safety issuesAssessing social isolation and lonelinessRisk ranking and action planning toolsLesson 2Cognitive screening tools: MMSE, MoCA, Mini-Cog — administration and interpretationDetails how to select, administer, score, and interpret MMSE, MoCA, and Mini-Cog in varied Namibian settings, recognising limitations, cultural and educational bias, and how results guide further evaluation and care decisions.
Indications and contraindications for screeningStandardized administration proceduresScoring rules and common pitfallsInterpreting cutoffs and gray zonesCommunicating results to patients and familiesLesson 3Medication review and adherence assessment methods (brown-bag review, adherence scales)Describes structured medication review methods, including brown-bag review and adherence scales, to detect polypharmacy, interactions, nonadherence patterns, and to coordinate with prescribers and pharmacists in accessible ways.
Preparing for a brown-bag medication reviewIdentifying duplications and interactionsUsing self-report adherence scalesObserving practical barriers to adherenceCommunicating findings to prescribersLesson 4Economic and resource assessment: income, benefits, insurance coverage, affordability of servicesExplains how to evaluate income, benefits, insurance, and out-of-pocket costs to determine affordability of medications, equipment, and services, and to coordinate with social workers for resource optimisation in Namibian contexts.
Identifying income and regular expensesReviewing benefits and entitlementsChecking insurance and coverage limitsEstimating care and equipment costsCoordinating with social and financial servicesLesson 5Assessing social support networks: family, neighbours, community ties and volunteer resourcesGuides assessment of formal and informal social support, mapping family, neighbours, community and volunteer resources, and identifying gaps that increase caregiver burden or risk of institutionalisation.
Mapping the informal support networkEvaluating caregiver capacity and strainRole of neighbors and community groupsLinking to formal and volunteer servicesUpdating the support map over timeLesson 6Assessment of mood and emotional status: GDS, PHQ-9, anxiety screeningCovers structured tools to detect depression and anxiety in older adults, focusing on GDS and PHQ-9, brief anxiety screens, somatic presentations, suicide risk, and how findings inform referrals and care planning.
Features of late-life depression and anxietyAdministering GDS step by stepUsing PHQ-9 with older adultsBrief tools for anxiety screeningRisk escalation and referral pathwaysLesson 7Principles of biopsychosocial assessment for older adultsExplores the biopsychosocial model applied to older adults, integrating physical health, cognition, emotions, social context, and environment to obtain a holistic view that supports realistic, ethical, and person-centred care planning.
Core elements of the biopsychosocial modelBalancing medical, functional and social dataPerson‑centered interviewing techniquesCultural and ethical considerations in assessmentDocumenting findings in a structured formatLesson 8Standardised functional assessments: ADL, IADL, Barthel Index, Lawton ScaleExplains how to use ADL, IADL, Barthel Index, and Lawton Scale to quantify functional status, track change over time, and link scores to care needs, support levels, and rehabilitation or support service referrals.
Choosing the right functional scaleAdministering ADL and IADL interviewsScoring the Barthel Index accuratelyUsing the Lawton Scale for IADLTranslating scores into care plansLesson 9Environmental and home safety assessment techniques (falls risk, mobility, lighting, bathroom hazards)Provides methods to assess home and environmental safety, including falls risk, mobility barriers, lighting, and bathroom hazards, and to translate findings into practical, low-cost modifications and caregiver education.
Structured home safety walk-throughFalls risk factors inside and outside homeAssessing lighting, flooring and obstaclesBathroom and kitchen hazard checklistPrioritizing and documenting modifications
