TOPIC 1

We are going to start by talking about a couple of key groups that are a part of the populations we serve. Keep in mind that this is not a lesson on teaching you everything about people with disabilities, or all about aging, nor is this a class on cultural competency but rather an overview of some issues to help you develop awareness about disability, aging and culture in general. These are the goals for this first topic Disability, Aging and Culture.

By the end of this topic, you will be able to:

• Increase awareness of cultural differences and similarities
• Increase understanding of disabilities
• Identify basic physical, emotional, and cognitive aspects of aging and vulnerable adult disabilities that influence the behavior of a person in his or her care
• Provide examples of ways to respect the cultural context and background of a vulnerable adult in his or her care