The impact of ageing simulation education on healthcare professionals to promote person-centred care towards older people: A literature review

Abstract

Aim: This review aimed to explore the impact of ageing simulation for healthcare professional education to promote person-centred care towards older people.

Background: Ageing simulation is an emerging educational approach to facilitate the learning of healthcare professionals on ageing and older people. However, there is limited evidence available exploring its use and impact on the person-centred care of older people.

Design: An integrative review approach was used.

Methods: Four databases were searched from January 2010 to April 2020 including CINAHL, MEDLINE, Web of Science and PsychINFO, 21 papers were identified and analysed.

Results: Three interrelating themes were identified to outline the findings across the reviewed studies: ageing simulation use (theme 1), characteristics (theme 2) and impact (theme 3). Results showed literature available on ageing simulation is varied, ranged in study quality and applied several ageing simulation iterations making comparisons across the studies difficult.

Conclusions: Despite these challenges it was clear ageing simulation is a promising educational approach currently being used to promote person-centred care for older people in healthcare professionals. Ageing simulation successfully improved the ageing knowledge, empathy levels and attitudes towards older people of healthcare professionals.

Keywords: Ageing simulation; Healthcare professionals; Older people; Person-centred care.