Continuing Education

Embodied Labs creates first-person immersive experiences that put YOU behind the eyes of older adults and care providers, to better understand their unique perspectives and challenges, navigating the aging process.” In other words, you will be going through an online assimilation as if you were an older adult experiencing these scenarios. This gives you a deeper understanding of the empathy needed to work in this profession.

Graduates of The Gateway-In Project© can receive a complimentary Embodied Labs account to access online training. Request your free license code and account setup instructions here.

The Gateway-In Project© offers $50 per completed lab training session through Embodied Labs. There are a total of nine lab training sessions eligible for this incentive. If you complete ALL nine labs, you will receive an extra bonus for a maximum total of $500.

While you are welcome to pursue additional labs for personal knowledge and skill development, it's important to note that completing them won't contribute to an increase in the incentive amount.

The following nine labs can be taken for the incentive bonus. Throughout these training sessions, you will immerse yourself in the perspective of the fictional character you are studying, experiencing the content from their point of view. You must complete the lab in its entirety to be eligible for an incentive bonus.

The following labs are available:

1. The Alfred Lab (14:42) Vision and Hearing Loss: In this lab, you'll embody Alfred, a 74-year-old African American man with macular degeneration and high frequency hearing loss, as he spends time with family, visits the doctor, and receives a diagnosis. As Alfred goes about his daily life, you'll learn how deficits in hearing and vision affect communication and impact emotional well-being.
   
   
2. The Beatriz Lab (23:15) A Journey through Alzheimer’s Disease: In this lab you’ll embody Beatriz, a middle-aged Latina woman, as progressive Alzheimer’s Disease causes changes in her brain. From the onset of symptoms to late stage disease and the transition to residential care, you’ll understand the profound effect Alzheimer’s has on daily life, from processing and cognition to relationships and emotional well-being.
   
   
3. The Clay Lab (21:00) End of Life Conversations: In this lab you’ll embody Clay, a 66-year-old veteran with stage IV, terminal lung cancer as he comes to terms with the reality of his diagnosis. As Clay, you'll experience the transition to hospice care, learn the importance of clear, compassionate communication about end-of-life decisions and what to expect in the final days.
   
   
4. The Dima Lab (28:30) Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) & Parkinson’s Disease (PD): In this lab you'll embody Dima, a Lebanese-American immigrant living with symptoms of both Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease, as she transitions from life at home to a residential community. Through this experience, you'll learn to identify the differing symptoms of these two conditions and how to manage care as symptoms evolve.
   
   
5. The Eden Lab (34:00) Trans Health & LGBT Aging: In this lab, you will embody Eden, a trans woman, and experience a series of personal encounters throughout the lifespan that are typical, defining moments of many older, transgender adults living today. You'll also have the opportunity to jump into the perspectives of additional older LGBT adults to explore the topics of home care, healthcare, family, and housing.
   
   
6. The Frank Lab (27:30) Effects of Social Isolation: In this lab, you'll embody Frank, a 72-year old man whose wife passed away a few months ago. In the first module, you'll experience the destructive impacts of social isolation and learn how it can overlap with loneliness, poor family relationships and health, and more. In the second module, you'll embody Frank again, but this time you'll see how Frank can have better health, more rewarding relationships, and find purpose again when offered proper support.
   
   
7. Elder Safety & Well-Being (18:00) Preserving Physical & Psychological Health: The Elder Safety and Well-Being Lab focuses on preserving physical and psychological health for older adults and their caregivers. Learn to maintain professionalism while assertively advocating for safe treatment of older adults in Intervention and De-escalation. Identify best practices for supporting older adults with a history of trauma by embodying a veteran with PTSD, and see the warning signs and risks associated with compassion fatigue in Caregiver Burnout.
   
   
8. Customer Service (20:30) Relationship Dynamics & Communication Strategies: The Customer Service Lab focuses on personal relationships with co-workers, residents and family members. Experience vulnerability and anxiety as you rely on others for basic human needs in Problem Solving. Identify communication challenges and identify successful approach techniques in Personalized Care, and find ways to build trust and respect with your teammates in Becoming a Team.
   
   
9. The Rosie Lab (14:00) Home Health Assessments: This lab allows learners to evaluate health and safety risks by honing their observation, communication, and assessment skills as they embody a social worker performing a series of home visits in response to concerning hotline calls.