Course Description
This course will focus on preparing students to identify the special needs of the aging individual in today’s society. The course will examine aging in America and discuss stereotypes and theories of aging, ethical issues, physical and psychosocial aspects of aging, cultural and ethnicity issues, and the impact of politics and public policy.
Prerequisite
- None
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Understand the interdisciplinary topic of aging and the related philosophical, spiritual, cultural, and ethical issues associated with aging.
- Define gerontology, geriatrics, aging, ageism, and the person-environment approach.
- Identify the physical, psychological, and social changes associated with aging.
- Discuss special problems associated with an aging society.
- Understand gender, racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences in aging.
- Describe the different living environments, healthcare delivery systems, and care-giving needs available to the aging.
- Explain how political policies, the economy, and the growing population impact the future of the elderly.
- Discuss problems that hinder the ability of the elderly to live fully until their death, psychological stages in the process of dying, and the concept of life review.
Course Activities and Grading
For each unit, we will follow the DOIT format:
Define - identifies the objectives of the unit each week.
Observation - this includes lecture, reading assignments and field experiences/assignments
Intervention - engage in field experiences/assignments
Tried and True - assignments that may include discussion board questions, papers, and/or quizzes
| Assignments | Points | Weight |
|---|---|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 150 | 20% |
Quizzes (Weeks 1-7) | 140 | 20% |
Clinical Journaling (Weeks 1-7) | 140 | 20% |
Case Study (Week 8) | 10 | 20% |
Final Exam (Week 8) | 100 | 20% |
Total | 540 | 100% |
Required Textbooks
Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle
- Hillier, S.M. & G. M. Barrow. Aging, the Individual, and Society. 10th ed.Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2015. IBSN-13: 978-1-285-74661-6
Course Schedule
| Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignment(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1,2 | Topics: The interdisciplinary topic and stereotypes of aging
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2 | 3,4 | Topics: Psychological aspects of aging
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3 | 3,6 | Topic: Physical aspects of aging
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4 | 3-6 | Topic: Social aspects of aging
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5 | 5,6,7 | Topics: Living and care-giving in aging
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6 | 4,5 | Topics: Special problems, gender, ethnicity, and race in aging
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7 | 7,8 | Topic: Death, dying, and the politics of aging
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8 | 1-8 | Topics: Conclusion and Reflection |
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Final Exam | |||
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.