This study was designed to investigate the impacts of self-arranged nursing home observation sessions on healthcare students' attitudes toward older adults. Sixty-seven undergraduate students enrolled in a gerontology course were required to complete an attitudes survey at the beginning and the end of the semester. In addition, they conducted 3…

The North Central Region Aging Network (NCRAN) formed out of a need to strengthen the potential for meeting curricular and educational demands related to the topic of aging. By pooling resources, establishing interactive and consistent methods of idea sharing, working collectively to assess community needs, and launching professional development…

There is a growing imperative to ensure that aging-related resources and information are accessible to older adults and caregivers as the population ages. Extension can play an important role in associated education and outreach. We report on the results of a community assessment conducted in Larimer County, Colorado, that addressed barriers to…

The importance of gerontology-focused classroom and field education has been emphasized heavily in social work education for decades as the population of older adults continues to expand, as does the need to provide services to support the health and well-being of older adults. Although the need for social workers and other professionals who…

Although the concept of "active aging" has been widely used as a framework to underpin an optimistic view of aging, few studies have focused on the activities it encompasses and what participants learn. The aim of this study was to explore and compare the learning outcomes acquired from different active aging activities. A sample of 448…

The increase of the US older adult population requires additional professionally trained staff in health and social services. Exposing knowledge and skills of gerontology to address aging competency among student in higher education can better prepare for students' future educational and career planning. The aim of this study is to understand…

The development of educational gerontology (EG) policies in mainland China has gone through two stages, the social welfare stage (1982-2000) and the lifelong learning stage (2001-present), and a rudimentary system of EG provisions and legislation has been formed. Although a system of EG practices in mainland China has also been built under the…

In response to needs identified by the Institute of Medicine and the National Association of Social Workers, this article describes an experiential assignment to increase BSW students' skills in end-of-life care. In this assignment, students discussed end-of-life wishes with another, completed an advance directive, and processed their experience.…

According to international documents, older people have the right to fully develop their skills and and knowledge, and to have a sense of dignity. Seniors with disabilities also have the same rights. For this reason, it is necessary to provide personal development and education that enables a good quality of life, in spite of their disability.…

As the number of older adults increases, it is important to understand how attitudes toward aging influence society, the aging process, and the counseling profession. Ageism--defined as social stigma associated with old age or older people--has deleterious effects on older adults' physical health, psychological well-being, and self-perception. In…

It is well known that agism is present in both Eastern and Western literature, including in school textbooks. Older people are often portrayed as insignificant, sick, dependent, boring or lonely. Younger generations may develop "gerontophobia" from such textbooks, which is not beneficial for ensuring that individuals can live happily in…

Life expectancy is increasing worldwide. Unfortunately, people are generally not prepared for this long life ahead and have ageist attitudes that inhibit maximizing the "longevity dividend" they have been given. Aging education can prepare people for life's later years and combat ageism. It can reimage aging as a time of continued…

Must a master's of social work (MSW) program's orientation be either advanced generalist or some form of specialist? Or is there the possibility of a hybrid curriculum that provides enough breadth to prepare MSW graduates for a wide range of social work jobs, but that also addresses students' and community agencies' demands for student…

The availability of user-friendly technological tools is allowing instructional designers and subject matter experts to create innovative online instruction. This article describes the implementation of a multimedia case-based approach that employs narrative to create a fully online course on complex continuing and long-term care for older adults.…

This article describes and discusses a novel academic course founded by the Faculty of Welfare and Health Studies at the University of Haifa, Israel, which tried to establish an alternative interaction between graduate students and older persons as part of its graduate academic program. The course "Social Activism and Old Age: From Exclusion…