Building Capacity for Integrated, Interprofessional Care: A Program Evaluation of a Training Program for Professionals Working with Older Adults

Background: Delivering integrated, person-centred care for older adults requires a shared foundation of knowledge, values, and practice across professions and care settings. Yet, many organizations lack time and resources to provide comprehensive training for new staff. To address this need, an interprofessional training was co-developed by health and social care professionals (HSCPs), leaders, educators, and knowledge-translation specialists to strengthen the capacity of Ontario’s geriatric workforce. The training program was further enhanced by input from the organization’s Older Adult and Care Partner Advisory Committee, ensuring that each module reflected the perspectives and priorities of older adults and their care partners.

 

Approach: The Provincial Common Orientation to the Care of Older Adults (PCO) is an 11-week, 25 module, hybrid training program for HSCPs working with older adults across the continuum of care. Learners review interactive online content before participating in a weekly virtual 90-minute facilitated session designed to apply knowledge to clinical contexts.

 

The program’s structure is grounded in adult-learning principles, a building capacity framework, and Universal Design for Learning. Content is anchored in the interprofessional Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment competency framework and aligned with a “Recognize and Respond” clinical pathway. Modules are contextualized across hospital, community, and long-term-care settings, enabling participants to connect principles to their daily practice regardless of setting or discipline.

 

Active learning strategies (polls, virtual white board, small-group discussions, reflective exercises, and case-based application) are facilitated by clinical experts to promote engagement and skill transfer. Each week, learners complete an evaluation measuring both quantitative (self-rated knowledge, relevance, engagement) and qualitative indicators (key learning points, intended practice changes, suggestions for improvement). These continuous feedback loops inform iterative improvements to program design and delivery.

 

Results: Over two years and six cohorts, 1,340 learners have completed the PCO program. Across cohorts, learners consistently rated the modules as relevant, engaging, and effective in solidifying their knowledge. Seventy-seven percent reported a measurable increase in knowledge across the 25 modules, with an average self-reported gain of one point on a seven-point scale (1 = limited knowledge, 7 = expert). Qualitative feedback revealed numerous examples of planned integration of learning into practice—such as identifying what matters most to the older adult, applying frailty screening tools earlier, improving communication with older adults and adopting person-centred approaches within care planning.

 

Participants valued the interprofessional peer interaction and appreciated the different perspectives across sectors. Additionally, 91% reported that PCO enhanced their professional satisfaction, and 91% indicated it improved their perceived quality of care. Learners described a clear shift in their mindset—from disease-specific to person-specific care, and from siloed, sector-based thinking toward a more integrated understanding of care for older adults.

 

Implications: PCO represents a novel, scalable, effective and system-level model for advancing interprofessional competency and integrated care within an otherwise fragmented health system. Future iterations will embed explicit behaviour-change mechanisms within each module to enhance sustainability and long-term impact on practice. This initiative demonstrates how education can serve as both a catalyst and an enabler of integrated, person-centred care for older adults.