An evaluation of provider educational needs in geriatric care.

Providers of geriatric care in Arkansas were surveyed to determine the desire for more information on their specialty as well as opportunities for further training. Those in the nursing profession were most interested in further training, and the major area of interest for all providers was in cognitive decline and mental health information. Specifically, information was sought in the areas of dementia, depression, and memory loss. It is recommended that improvement in geriatric care in the future should focus on nursing education and on raising the level of knowledge and academic prestige in the treatment of elderly patients, especially in the mental health areas.