STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

 I.      Analyze and draw conclusions from reading textbooks and other materials

 II.     React to and form opinions about written textbook and other written materials

 III.    Produce a written report of primary research

 IV.     Participate as a member of a team; work cooperatively with others and contribute ideas, suggestions, and effort to the group

 V.      Lead group discussion

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I.      Theoretical perspectives on aging

         A.      The personal experience; an individual perspective

         B.      Gerontological issues as a perspective

         C.      The developmental perspective

         D.      The biomedical perspective

         E.      The cognitive perspective

         F.      The life stages perspective

 II.     Demographics and aging

         A.      changing trends in life expectancy

         B.      Proportion of elders in a population

         C.      Ethnicity and aging

 III.    The social construct of aging

         A.      Myths and facts about elders

         B.      Changing social roles

 IV.     Economic and vocational factors in aging

         A.      Income issues

         B.      The meaning of retirement

         C.      The elder as a consumer

 V.      Marriage, family and community relationships of elders

         A.      Marital adjustment in the later years

         B.      Family relationships among elders

         C.      Singles and newly-singleds

         D.      Primary relationships in the community

         E.      Leisure activities

 VI.     Physical and health factors in aging

         A.      Acute and chronic diseases associated with aging

         B.      Environmental stress and disability

         C.      Maintaining wellness

 VII.    Psychological aspects of aging

         A.      The mind-body principle

         B.      Learning, memory and intelligence

         C.      Personality and self-esteem

 VIII.   Intervention strategies

         A.      Individual intervention

         B.      Group intervention

         C.      Family intervention

         D.      Community focused intervention