270 Designing training and instructional programs for older adults
experiences, health status, skills, and abilities. There are vast differences
between and within cohorts of older adults. Aging is also associated with
tremendous plasticity and older people can experience improvements and
gains in physical, cognitive, and functional performance and can learn
new skills. Also, the fact that older adults bring a wealth of knowledge,
skills, and experiences to situations should not be overlooked. Designers
of training programs need to ensure that such programs accommodate
the diversity of the older adult population and that pilot testing and eval-
uation of these programs is conducted with representative older adult
user groups. In addi ...