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

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