Background: Considering current demographic trends in society, education of seniors has become real needs and a challenge for the field of education and training institutions. Universities of the Third Age (UTA) represent one option for senior education allowing them to study various fields at university level. Within UTA studies, the seniors are interested in studying mainly the issues of health and disease, aging and the social and legal issues. Seniors represent a group of students with specific educational needs. In teaching them it is therefore important to choose teaching methods that take account of developmental changes of the period, contain elements of clearness, and provide the space for communication and activity with the use of previous experiences of seniors. In the framework of elderly education at the UTA at Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin (JFM CU) the simulation methods are also used that bring elements of clarity and attractiveness into the teaching and serve to bridge theoretical education and practical training. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the UTA senior students’ views on the use of simulation models and simulations in education and to find out what is their satisfaction with the training in the Simulation Center at JFM CU in Martin. Methods: Questionnaire of own construction was used to gather empirical data. The study involved 30 senior students of the third year of studies in the program “Elderly Care”, out of which 25 were women and 5 men. The average age of respondents was 67.3 years (SD 5.6). Results: Within education and training in Simulation Center, the seniors most positively evaluated preparedness, presentation and interpretation of the lecturer (4.96) and the way in which information were administered (4.76). They had the opportunity of hands-on work with the simulation models and practical training of their skills and such experience was evaluated as excellent (4.70). Seniors also acclaimed the opportunity of active discussion with the lecturers and with each other that was also rated to be excellent (4.70). Results of the study proved overall evaluation of teaching and training in the Simulation Center was highly positive (4.80). Conclusions: Using appropriate educational strategies within senior education at UTA at JFM CU in Martin contributes to formation of the proper attitude to the health of the elderly and healthy aging.

Institute of Nursing Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin Comenius University in Bratislava Martin Slovakia

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