The Impact of Alcoholism Education on Service Providers, Elders, and Their Family Members

Virginia is the first state in the country to conduct a statewide detection and prevention program for geriatric alcoholism. The project employed a train-the-trainer model in which a core group of trainers received extensive (8-hour) training about alcoholism and aging and, in turn, trained small groups of persons in their local communities in abbreviated (2-hour) sessions. Comparisons of pre- and post-training knowledge test scores revealed statistically significant knowledge gains among both sets of participants. Follow-up surveys to participants provided evidence of the program's continued utility. Interviews with key service providers indicated a substantial impact on a broad spectrum of service systems and a strengthening of interagency coordination. Evidence supports the need for alcoholism education, the effectiveness of a train-the-trainer model in addressing educational needs, and the impact of such a program on the broader service community reaching older adults.