SUCCESSFUL
VIDEO CONFERENCE SATELLITE PROGRAM: PROVIDING NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
ON DEMENTIA FOR RURAL CARE GIVERS
Lynn
Paul, Marnie Cranston, Montana State University
A
video conference satellite program proved an effective method of distance
education for rural care givers seeking information on nutrition and
Alzheimer's disease. A team of specialists designed the 90 minute
program by implementing the components of successful video conferencing:
defining the audience and their needs, identifying key topics in the
subject area, designing an interactive program format, coordinating
activities at the down link sites, promoting the program and evaluating
the project. The objectives of this teleconference were to provide
the rural health care giver up-to-date nutrition interventions, to create
a local environment where care providers could interact and to assess
the general acceptance of video conferencing as an educational medium
in Montana. A panel presentation by a physician, a registered dietitian,
and an occupational therapist provided an overview of nutrition concerns,
discussed problem solving techniques and answered questions. Twenty-three
Montana communities hosted the KU/C band downlink program for both family
and professional care providers. The program was simultaneously
broadcast on public television. Program participants rated program
content and delivery method highly and 100% of survey respondents indicated
they would attend another teleconference.
Other
community agencies or networks involved in the program included the:
A
complete program description and evaluation will be published in Educational
Gerontology entitled "Successful Video Conference Satellite Program:
Providing Nutritional Information on Dementia for Rural Care Givers."
Marnie
Cranston, RD, has also developed an excellent training packet for caregivers
entitled "Dementia: The Power of Nutrition in Care Giving."
Funding
for this project provided by the Montana Alzheimers' Demonstration Project.
Contact
person:
Lynn Paul, EdD, RD
Montana State University Extension Service
PO Box 173360
101 Romney
Bozeman, MT 59717-3360
Telephone: 406/994/5702
Fax: 406/994/7300
E-mail: lpaul@montana.edu
