INTRO TO GERONTOLOGY

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to the multidisciplinary field of gerontology and provides an overview of the sociology, psychology, and physiology of aging. This course will study the variety of factors which affect aged adults in current U.S. society. These include: 1) the changing role of the elderly; 2) the sources and consequences of ageism; 3) the institutional supports and family services needed by and available to a growing aged population. Cross-cultural, ethnic, and racial differences will be examined. Interpersonal role interactions and lifestyles of the elderly will also be examined along with institutional and social level structures which impact the elderly. A key goal for students is to develop a more realistic perception of the aging process in themselves and others.