Aging and Gerontology Syllabus
Books - Aging and Gerontology, Abstracts, Bibliography, Syllabus, Journals, Sociology Books 2012, Sociologyindex, The Study of Aging and Gerontology
THE SOCIOLOGY OF AGING - SOCIOLOGY 375:A1 - University of Alberta
GERT 100: Introduction to Gerontology - HARRISBURG AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Hecol 414 Seniors and Their Environments - Course Syllabus - University of Alberta
AGE2500H: HEALTH & AGING - Syllabus - Institute for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto.
SYLLABUS FOR SOCIOLOGY 353 - SURVEY OF SOCIOLOGY OF AGING
Gerontological Studies Syllabus - Case Western Reserve University
Syllabus - University of Florida
Gerontology 500 Syllabus Perspectives on Aging: An Introduction to Gerontology
SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS OF AGING - Syllabus
Adulthood and Aging SOCIOLOGY AT DUKE SOC 161 SYLLABUS
Syllabus - Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - In an aging society demographic, economic, and social trends are continuously converging with profound social consequences. How aging affects individuals, families, cohorts, and societies? In what ways are a society's beliefs, values, and attitudes reflected in the aging experience? What impact does social policy have on the lives of older Americans? Are there other ways of growing old?
|
Objectives
Be able to dispute common misconceptions about aging;
Be able to distinguish between universal and culture specific aspects of aging;
Be aware of the dynamic relationships between historical and cultural forces and the
individual life course (demographics, cohort succession, period effects, etc.);
Be familiar with the major social theories of aging; Have a working knowledge of the
development and nature of U.S. income security programs and health care policy (incl.
private pensions, Social Security, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid);
Influence Attitudes - Issues and concerns of older people; Understand that aging is a
life-long process - it does not start at 65!
Skills Development - This course also aims to Enhance critical thinking skills;
Strengthen oral communication skills; Improve writing competence.
Books: Leslie Morgan and Suzanne Kunkel. Aging: The Social Context.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press, 1998.
Jay Sokolovsky, ed. The Cultural Context of Aging: Worldwide Perspectives., 2nd ed.
Westport, CN: Bergin & Garvey, 1997.
Ernaux, Annie. A Man's Place. New York: Four Walls Eight Windows, 1992.
AGE2500H:
HEALTH & AGING
Online Class – Syllabus -
aging.utoronto.ca/sites/aging.utoronto.ca/files/AGE2500HSyllabus2009.pdf
Institute for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto
Instructor: Peter Donahue , Ph.D., MSW
Syllabus Statement
This course examines the interface between health and aging. It examines a range of issues
that affect the health of older adults. The focus of this course is on the development of
a multidimensional understanding of the factors that affect older adults as they age.
Course Description
A widespread view of aging in Canadian society is one of dependency, disability and
decline. However, older adults are living longer, healthier lives. How can health be
maximized in old age? What public policies are required to support healthy aging? What are
the determinants of health of the aging population? How do social and cultural factors
affect the health of older adults? What strategies are available to promote and enhance a
healthy aging population? These are examples of questions that this course will address.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students are able to:
1. Critically examine the relevancy and implications of health issues affecting population
aging.
2. Understand the impact of public policy on the organization and delivery of health care
services for older adults.
3. Gain advanced knowledge toward the social determinants of health for the aging
population as well as their application to practice.
4. Have in depth understanding of the importance of health promotion strategies for older
adults.
5. Understand how communities can support healthy aging.
6. Be sensitive to the diversity within the aging population and be able to take into
consideration of these diverse factors program development and service delivery.
THE SOCIOLOGY OF
AGING - SOCIOLOGY 375:A1
Instructor: H.C. Northcott, Ph.D.
Course Description
Aging as a social and cultural phenomenon. Includes aging in relation to the self-concept,
family, religion, politics, health, retirement and leisure, housing, attitudes toward
death, with particular emphasis on Canadian society. (Prerequisite: Sociology 100).
This course focuses on seniors and provides only a limited treatment of aging as it
relates to young adulthood and middle age.
Text:
Mark Novak and Lori Campbell. Aging and Society. Fifth Edition. Toronto: Nelson Thomson
Canada, 2006.
Herbert C. Northcott. Aging in Alberta. Third Edition. Calgary: Detselig, 2005.
SYLLABUS
FOR SOCIOLOGY 353 - SURVEY OF SOCIOLOGY OF AGING
Dr. Eldon L. Wegner - socialsciences.people.hawaii.edu
READING: Jill Quadagno, Aging and the Life Course: an Introduction to Social Gerontology.
Fourth Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2008.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course provides an overview of the significant sociological perspectives, social
issues, and social science research pertaining to the phenomenon of aging in society. The
course will 1) examine the major theories of social aging, 2) analyze the changing
demographic trends and the political economy issues facing aging societies; 3) describe
how the broader societal context affects the nature of family relationships, community
involvement, and the experiences of retirement and widowhood among the elderly; and 4)
examine the current issues in health and social service delivery for care of the elderly.
The course examines a substantive field which has major social policy as well as personal
significance in contemporary life. It is intended that this course provide a sociological
foundation from which interested students can pursue further academic work leading either
to a research career, planning and administrative careers, or a clinical career in the
field of social gerontology. The course also offers a service learning option where
students can volunteer in a long term care program in order to link the concepts and
issues in this course and with actual, concrete experiences in our community.
COURSE OUTLINE
PART I THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON AGING
The Social Definitions of Aging
The Life-Course Perspective on Aging
Theories of Disengagement and Continuity
Modernization Theory and Social Processes
Historical Context: Political Economy of Aging
PART II DEMOGRAPHY AND POLITICAL ECONOMY OF AGING
The Social Security System
The Political Economy of Retirement
Economic Inequality: Class, Ethnicity and Gender
The Political Economy and The Elderly
PART III SOCIAL CONTEXT, RELATIONSHIPS AND CARE OF THE ELDERLY
Adaptation to Retirement and Senior Activities
Family Relationships
Social Networks and Community
Health Care and the Medical System
The Long-Term Care Continuum and Financing
Social Aspects of Dying and End of Life Issues
GERT
100: Introduction to Gerontology - HARRISBURG AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE - ONLINE
COURSE SYLLABUS
Instructor Information: Kathy L. Sicher, MHA, Gerontology Co-Coordinator
Course Description:
Provides an introduction to the study of gerontology, relevant aging resources, and health
promotion. Attention is given to socio-demographic trends, ageism, global and cultural
diversity issues, longevity, the geriatric workforce, health care and social policy
issues, health education, health behavior, as well as gender race, and ethnicity aging
issues.
Text, required: Health Promotion and Aging, current edition, by David Haber, Springer
Publishing Company, LLC - purchase at the HACC bookstore
Course Goals / Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
• Demonstrate an understanding of current and predicted demographic trends and cohort
effects in aging
• Identify the societal definitions of aging and biases against the aging population
Define and give examples of ageism
• Discuss the implications of global aging and related cultural diversity issues
• Demonstrate an understanding of societal aspects of longevity and generational
equity
• Identify characteristics of emerging geriatric workforce.
• Recognize health care and societal policy issues related to aging
• Discuss aging issues and diversity components such as gender, race and ethnicity
Describe the rapidly growing racial and ethnic composition of the older adult population
in America
Identify characteristics of the ethnic elderly population
Describe the different ethnic experiences of growing old
Compare and contrast the aging populations of different ethnic groups
Describe racial and gender biases for aging people in the health care system
• Analyze aging and health behavior in terms of racial, gender, ethnic and
socioeconomic status
Hecol
414 Seniors and Their Environments - Course Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Bonnie Lashewicz - University of Alberta
Course Description:
“If you’re lucky, you get to be old” (Ansello, 2007).
Once people reach “old age”, how lucky do they feel? What is expected of people
in their later years and how have expectations evolved over time? In what ways do
cultural, social, geographic and economic contexts impact the experience of aging?
How is aging a gendered experience? And what issues does society face in the context of an
aging population? Population aging is one of the most significant forces shaping our
society. By 2015, for the first time in history, Canada will have more older people, age
65 and over, than young people under age 15. The aging trend will accelerate when the
first baby boomers reach age 65 in 2011 (Institute of Aging Strategic Plan, 2007-2012).
A variety of theories have been advanced to explain the experience of aging. Some
theoretical perspectives are focused on aging as a gradual withdrawal from the intensity
of day to day life while others entail a view of aging as an active life stage. Feminist
theories guide us to think about how the experience of aging is shaped by differences in
role expectations, life expectancies retirement incomes and vulnerabilities between men
and women. Other context variables shaping how later years play out include cultural
background, which likely influence beliefs about the importance of self-sufficiency and
support in later life held by older people and their networks. Economic status shapes
opportunities in later life as does whether the later years are lived in an urban versus
rural setting.
The full impact of large numbers of older people on Canadian society remains to be seen.
Some anticipating these impacts have concentrated on the challenges of an aging society
claiming that high numbers of older people pose a social crisis characterized by
competition for resources such as public pensions and health care services. Others focus
on social growth opportunities presented by an aging population with a view to seniors as
leaders, volunteers and kin keepers.
Course Objectives:
A key objective in this course will is for you to increase your understanding both of
aging in context (how variables such as socio economic status, culture and geography shape
later life experience) and aging as context (the demands and opportunities posed by an
aging population for society). The second objective of this course is for you to apply
your knowledge about aging. You will be required to first analyze the experience of an
aging character depicted in a film or novel in terms of theoretical concepts and
contemporary issues discussed in this course, then to develop a research proposal aimed at
advancing knowledge about aging based on questions and issues you identify in your
analysis. “The future is aging”. Knowledge about aging and abilities to use that
knowledge to analyze and plan will help prepare you for that future.
Syllabus - University of Florida
Course Content
How and why do we age? Is old age necessarily a period of decline? What are the benefits
of old age? Why is it important to study aging? How is individual aging related to the
structure of society? What are the problems of an aging society? These and other questions
are the topic of this course. We will examine aging from the perspectives of sociology,
psychology, social demography, history, biology, the medical sciences, and economics. In
particular, we will start by studying aging from a developmental or life course
perspective. Then we will discuss health care for the elderly and issues of death and
dying. We will end the course with a social and economic outlook for an aging society.
Required Reading
Moody, Harry R. 2002. Aging. Concepts and Controversies. 4th Edition. Pine Forge: Thousand
Oaks, CA. See also the Online Appendix available through the publisher’s Web site at
http://www.pineforge.com/moody.
Course packet (abbreviated as "CP" in the reading list) available at 309 NW 13th
Street (directly across from Krispy Kreme Donuts).
Recommended Reading
Egendorf, Laura K. 2002. An Aging Population. Opposing Viewpoints. Greenhaven Press: San
Diego, CA.
Silverman, Jay, Elaine Hughes, and Diana Roberts Wienbroer. 2002. Rules of Thumb. A Guide
for Writers, with 2002 APA Update and Electronic Tutor CD-ROM. 5th Edition. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Gerontological
Studies - Case Western Reserve University
http://socwww.cwru.edu/
The gerontological studies program is a multi-disciplinary program designed to integrate
research and theory about aging and old age. Prompted in part by the "graying"
of the world's population, humanists, scientists, social scientists, and professionals
have become interested in understanding the position of the aged in society, the aging
process in various contexts, the meaning of aging to individuals, and the physical changes
that accompany aging. The program draws on the most recent thinking and research in a
variety of disciplines to provide students with a background that will be helpful after
graduation both in work and in graduate or professional school.
In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of the program, the core courses are drawn
from four departments: anthropology, communication sciences, history, and sociology.
Students may choose from a variety of courses according to their own interests. Most of
the electives are not specifically gerontology courses but cover topics that contribute to
the understanding of aging and the aged. The perspectives gained in the core courses will
provide the student with the background needed to relate the material in the more general
courses to gerontological issues. The program is firmly grounded in the liberal arts and
thus provides the student with the challenge to think and communicate effectively and to
integrate diverse information, theories, and practice.
Gerontological Studies is an appropriate major or minor for students with a wide variety
of career goals. The aging of the population has made available entry-level positions for
persons with baccalaureate degrees in organizations that provide services to and formulate
policy for the elderly. Many graduate programs now include an emphasis on aging for which
a degree in gerontological studies would serve as a useful background. Students planning
to pursue professional degrees will find that an increasing number of their clients or
patients will be old and that problems with which they must deal will be related to the
aged. The perspective provided by participating in the Gerontological Studies Program will
provide students with excellent background in working with older populations. This
background is particularly important for students who plan to pursue careers in human
services, business, law medicine, academics, or the sciences.
Current Areas of Research
Faculty members associated with the program are engaged in a variety of funded
research projects which include studies of: Alzheimer's disease; patterns of care for the
urban elderly in China; visual perception changes that accompany aging; the impact of high
levels of physical activity on the biological aging process; grandparent-grandchild
relationships; and stress, coping, and adaptation among urban community and
institutionalized elderly.
Program Faculty
Cynthia Beall, Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State University)
Professor, Anthropology
Physical anthropology; human growth and development; human and medical ecology; biology of
aging; Andes; Himalayas
Robert Binstock, Ph.D. (Harvard University)
Henry R. Luce Professor, School of Medicine
Public policy and aging; Health care policy
Gary Deimling, Ph.D. (Bowling Green State University)
Professor, Sociology
Sociology of aging; medical sociology; family sociology; sociological theory
Grover C. Gilmore, Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University)
Professor, Psychology
Perceptual development and aging; visual information processing; memory; psychophysics
Melvyn Goldstein, Ph.D. (University of Washington)
Harkness Professor and Chairperson, Anthropology
Social anthropology; population-medical anthropology; aging; cultural ecology;
development; Nepal; Tibet; India
Charlotte Ikels, Ph.D. (University of Hawaii)
Professor, Anthropology
Gerontology; ethnicity; Chinese and overseas Chinese; life cycle; Hong Kong, China, United
States
J. Randal Johnson, Ph.D. (University of Washington)
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Sociology
Marriage and the family; sociology of aging; social psychology; medical sociology;
quantitative methodology
Eva Kahana, Ph.D. (University of Chicago)
Pierce T. and Elizabeth D. Robson Professor of Humanities and Chairperson, Sociology
Director, Elderly Care Research Center
Sociology of aging; coping and stress in late life; institutionalization
Kyle Kercher, Ph.D. (University of Washington)
Associate Professor, Sociology
Methodology; statistics; sociology of aging; criminology
Danielle Ripich, Ph.D. (Kent State University)
Associate Professor and Chair, Communication Sciences
Clinical processes; speech and language disorders in adults and children; pragmatics
Kurt Stange, M.D., Ph.D. (University of North Carolina School of Public Health)
Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Medicine
Epidemiology; preventive health care; biostatistics; health services research; disability
prevention in the elderly
Eleanor Stoller, Ph.D, (Washington University)
Selah Chamberlain Professor of Sociology
Sociology of aging; medical sociology
David D. Van Tassel, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin, Madison)
Elbert Jay Benton Professor, History
Aging in historical perspective
May L. Wykle, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN (Case Western Reserve University)
Florence Cellar Professor, Gerontological Nursing and
Chair of Mental Health Nursing;
Director, University Center on Aging and Health
Health and mental health; caregiving in minority populations
Undergraduate Programs
Major The gerontological studies program offers a major that leads to the
Bachelor of Arts degree. However, it may be selected only as a second major, the first
major being in a traditional academic department. A double major simply replaces the
required minor with a second major. The total number of credit hours required for
graduation remains the same.
The major consists of a minimum of 30 credits; 15 are in required courses and 15 are in
approved elective courses. The required courses are:
ANTH 304, Anthropology of Aging (3)
COSI 345, Communication and Aging (3)
SOCI 369, Aging in American Society (3)
SOCI 396/496, Public Policy and Aging (3)
At least 15 credit hours must be earned in the approved electives listed below. This list
changes from time to time as departmental offerings change. Check with the director of the
gerontological studies program for current information.
ANTH 215, Health Culture, and Disease: An Introduction to Medical Anthropology (3)
ANTH 301/401, Biological Aging in Humans (3)
ANTH 318, Death and Dying (3)
ENGL 364M, Autobiography and Biography (3)
PSCL 369, Adult Development and Aging (3)
SOCI 311, Health, Illness, and Social Behavior (3)
SOCI 313, Social Factors in Stress and Coping (3)
SOCI 319, Social Factors in Institutional Care (3)
Minor The minor consists of 15 credits, including at least two of the core courses (ANTH
304, COSI 345, and SOCI 369), and any three of the approved electives or remaining core
courses.
Sequence A sequence in gerontological studies consists of 12 credits earned in four
courses, at least two of which must be chosen from ANTH 304, COSI 345, and SOCI 369. The
other two courses may be drawn from the approved electives or from the remaining core
courses.
Gerontological Studies (GERO): Undergraduate Courses
GERO 396. Public Policy and Aging (3) (Cross listed as Soci 396). Overview of
public policies affecting aging and impact of population aging on public policies.
Contemporary policy dilemmas, policy choices for the future, and political contents of
such dilemmas and choices.
GERO 397. Special Studies in Gerontology (1-3). Independent Study. Limited to junior and
senior majors and minors. Prerequisite: Approval of written prospectus.
Graduate Courses
A certificate program in Gerontological Studies is available through the
University Center on Aging and Health. For specific course requirements students should
consult the Center: Allen Memorial Library, Room 101. Director: May Wykle, Ph.D. R.N.,
F.A.A.N.
GERO 496. Public Policy and Aging (3). Overview of public policies affecting aging and
impact of population aging on public policies. Contemporary policy dilemmas, policy
choices for the future, and political contents of such dilemmas and choices.
GERO 498. Seminar in Gerontological Studies (3). Major themes in gerontology. Seminar
members choose a problem area, explore the relevant literature from a multi-disciplinary
perspective, and develop a research project using knowledge gained through community
observation and library exploration. Prerequisite: Completion of certificate hours or
consent of instructor.
SOCI 416. Practicum in Gerontological Research (3). The practicum in Gerontological
research will allow students to have first hand experiences in fieldwork and data analyses
working under supervision in Sociological research settings such as the Alzheimer's Center
on Benjamin Rose Institute or the Elderly Care Research Center. Supervising faculty will
meet regularly with students to provide a didactic component to the research practicum.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Gerontology
500 Perspectives on Aging: An Introduction to Gerontology
Andrus Gerontology Center - University of Southern California - Professor Carl Renold
Course Description - Syllabus / Outline
This course introduces USC students to the field of gerontology and focuses on all aspects
of aging. Four major areas are being covered: the biology, psychology, sociology, and
policy of aging. Career paths for gerontologists are explored, as well as the future of
countries based on the aging of their population. This course provides knowledge of
physical, mental, and social age-related changes; it will show the interactions of these
types of aging; and describe the pathological developments that affect many older people.
The course focuses on diversity in the older population that results from differing
behaviors, traditions, and attitudes towards aging.
Course Objectives:
This course will provide interested persons with knowledge of physical, mental, and social
age-related changes; it will show the interactions of these types of aging; and will
describe the pathological developments that affect many older people. The course focuses
on diversity in the older population that results from differing behaviors, traditions,
and attitudes towards aging. The class will also emphasize that society is changed when
the aging portion of the population increases rapidly. It is the instructors' aim to
present material and encourage self-study so that useful knowledge, skill, and attitudes
are developed that may be of use in the family, neighborhood, community, job, or religious
institution. Aging will be one of the great influences on society in the twenty-first
century.
Specifically, this course will assist individuals to:
Identify four areas of change (biological, psychological, sociological, and economic)
experienced by older people and the implications of those changes in older individuals.
Increase their sensitivity to the heterogeneity of older adults.
Identify community resources and programs for older persons.
Identify and discuss issues and influences affecting the aged.
Develop skills in assessing indicators of normal aging and recognition of pathology as
well as skills in assessing social and cultural differences in the elderly.
Understand that gerontology is multi- and interdisciplinary.
Understand and discuss how different disciplines interact to plan for and serve the older
population.
Overview
This course is unique and innovative in that it is delivered via computer and is entirely
web based. The material covered will be the same as that delivered in the traditional, on
campus course. An additional, significant difference is that students will also be
required to utilize the immense resources available on the World Wide Web (WWW). The
Internet and the WWW are changing not only how courses are taught but also transforming
the volume, structure and content of the information delivered. Because this class will
not meet in the traditional fashion (but will, in the virtual sense), additional student
responsibilities are required. Each class period will consist of the following components:
· Readings from the Required Text
· Readings from the Electronic Reserve
· A Web Lecture
· Virtual Professor Questions
· Web Navigation Exercises
· Discussion in a Cyber Classroom
· A weekly Critical Thinking E-mail Exercise
· Access to an outstanding Glossary
Required Texts
Hooyman, N., and Kiyak, A. (2001). Social Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Perspective 6th
edition. Allyn and Bacon: Boston.
Albom, M. (1997). Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and the Last Great
Lesson. Doubleday.
Course Objectives
This course will provide interested persons with knowledge of physical, mental, and social
age-related changes; it will show the interactions of these types of aging; and will
describe the pathological developments that affect many older people. The course focuses
on diversity in the older population that results from differing behaviors, traditions,
and attitudes towards aging. The class will also emphasize that society is changed when
the aging portion of the population increases rapidly. It is the instructors' aim to
present material and encourage self-study so that useful knowledge, skill, and attitudes
are developed that may be of use in the family, neighborhood, community, job, or religious
institution. Aging will be one of the great influences on society in the twenty-first
century.
Specifically, this course will assist individuals to:
1. Identify four areas of change (biological, psychological, sociological, and economic)
experienced by older people and the implications of those changes in older individuals.
2. Increase their sensitivity to the heterogeneity of older adults.
3. Identify community resources and programs for older persons.
4. Identify and discuss issues and influences affecting the aged.
5. Develop skills in assessing indicators of normal aging and recognition of pathology as
well as skills in assessing social and cultural differences in the elderly.
6. Understand that gerontology is multi- and interdisciplinary.
7. Understand and discuss how different disciplines interact to plan for and serve the
older population.
Semester Schedule at a Glance
Introduction and Why Study Aging?
Assignment: Cyberclass Discussion #1
Text Readings: H&K - 1
Supplemental Readings: AARP Global Aging Report
Demography of an Aging Population
Assignment: Email Assignment #1
Text Readings: H&K - 2,3
Supplemental Readings: AoA Profile of Older Americans
Promoting Successful Aging
Assignment: Quiz #1
Text Readings: H&K - 4
Supplemental Readings: NIA on Disability
Social Psychology
Assignment: Cyberclass Discussion #2
Text Readings: H&K - 8
Supplemental Readings: Want a Longer Life? Connect
The Aging Family
Assignment: Email Assignment #2, Cyberclass Discussion #3
Text Readings: H&K - 9, 10
Supplemental Readings: For Good Health, It Helps to be Rich and Important
Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Urinary Systems
Assignment: Quiz #2
Text Readings:
Supplemental Readings: Activity Matters
Immune, Nervous, and Reproductive Systems
Assignment: Cyberclass Discussion #4
Text Readings:
Supplemental Readings: Women's Sexuality as They Age
Psychology of Aging
Assignment: Email Assignment #3 and Cyberclass Discussion #5
Text Readings: H&K - 5, 6, 7
Supplemental Readings: Successful Aging: The Second 50
The Economics of Retirement in Old Age
Assignment: Email Assignment #4 and Cyberclass Discussion #6
Text Readings: H&K - 12
Supplemental Readings: "Separate Views: Ask the Experts"
Housing
Assignment: Quiz #3
Text Readings: H&K - 11
Supplemental Readings: Growing Old in a Good Home
Legal Issues
Assignment: Cyberclass Discussion #7
Text Readings: H&K - 15
Supplemental Readings: Lawmakers Troubled About Nursing Home Abuse
Professionals in Aging
Assignment: Email Assignment #5
Text Readings:
Supplemental Readings: Older Americans Living Longer
Death, Dying and Medical Ethics
Assignment: Quiz #4 , Email Assignment #6, and CyberClass Discussion #8
Text Readings: H&K - 13
Supplemental Readings: Euthansia and Religion
Aging and the Future
Adulthood and Aging
SOCIOLOGY AT DUKE SOC 161 SYLLABUS
Deborah T. Gold, Ph.D.
Course Objectives
This course focuses on the adult life course--from entry to adulthood in late adolescence
through old age. Issues of mortality are touched on only in the context of the aging
process. This is NOT a course in death and dying. The amount of material relevant to the
adult life course is extensive. Therefore, we will concentrate more on the breadth than
the depth. It is my hope that, at the conclusion of the course, you will have a good
overview of the adult life course and that you will be able to think about the life course
using basic sociological and social psychological concepts. You will not, have been
exposed, however, to all of the relevant issues in great depth. For those of you who
develop an interest in the details of adulthood and aging, advanced courses on this topic
are available in the Department of Sociology.
I have divided the course into three basic sections. The first section (9/3-9/24) examines
the adult life course in broad structural and social psychological terms. The purpose here
is to master some basic concepts and to develop a rationale for using sociological theory
and research to better understand the patterns of adulthood. The second section of the
course (from 9/26-11/7) focuses upon early and middle adulthood. We will examine the major
social and social psychological issues confronted during those life stages and the ways
that the social structure affects the course of early and middle adulthood. The third
section of the course (from 11/12-12/12) addresses later life and includes a reintegration
of our view of adulthood as a whole. The emphasis is on patterns of behavior and emotions
as well as on the social and personal factors that generate those patterns.
Assigned Readings
You will read three books during the course. The first is a textbook on adulthood and
aging. The second is a report of a single research project written in journalistic style
rather than as a research report per se. The third book is a novel that will serve as the
basis for you to analyze the life course and to apply the principles conveyed in class and
in your other readings. (This novel was also made into a mini-series for television and
shown last year. I have the tapes of it and would be happy to lend them to anyone who is
interested.)
The books are:
Kimmel, Douglas C. Adulthood and Aging (Third Edition). New York: John Wiley and Sons,
1980.
Hochschild, Arlie R. The Unexpected Community. Berkeley, CA: The University of California
Press, 1973.
Hailey, Elizabeth Forsythe. A Woman of Independent Means. New York:Avon, 1978.
All three books are available at both the Duke University Bookstore in the Bryan Center
and at the Book Exchange.
SYLLABUS
Introduction to Course Objectives
Aging as a Demographic Phenomenon
Kimmel,Chapter 1
Age Stratification
Kimmel, Chapter 2
Age Stratification, continued
Start Hailey
Cohort Effects, Historical Events: Children of the Great Depression
Continue Hailey
Children of the Great Depression continued
Continue Hailey
Cohort Effects, Compositional Factors: The Baby Boom Cohort
Continue Hailey
Cohort Effects, Compositional Factors: The Sex Ratio Question
Continue Hailey
Developmental Theories
Finish Hailey
Developmental Theories, continued
TAKE-HOME EXAM 1 DUE
Transition to Adulthood: Structural Perspectives
Kimmel, Chapter 3
Transition to Adulthood: Social-Psychological Perspectives
Transition to Adulthood: Social-Psychological Perspectives, continued
Interlude: George, Age 27
Family Formation
Kimmel, Chapter 4
Middle Age: The Life Cycle Squeeze
Interlude: Theresa, Age 34
Middle Age: Social-Psychological Perspectives
Kimmel, Chapter 5
Middle Age: Social-Psychological Perspectives, continued
Interlude: Murray, Age 48
Marriage in the Middle Years
Kimmel, Chapter 6
Occupation in the Middle Years
Interlude: Murray, Age 54
TAKE-HOME EXAM 2 DUE
Old Age: Developmental Issues and Adaptive Tasks
Kimmel, Chapter 8
Economics of Later Life
Interludes: Joan age 67; Henry, Age 75; Mrs. K., Age 89
Work and Retirement
Start Hochschild
Health and Institutionalization
Finish Hochschild
Family and Friends in Later Life
Kimmel, Chapter 7
Social Support: Effects on Mortality
Kimmel, Chapter 9
Terminal Illness: Effects on Family Caregivers
SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS OF AGING
Syllabus - GEY 3625 – 003/004
Martin Lee, MS, OTR/L - email: mklee2@helios.acomp.usf.edu
This course qualifies as a General Education Social Sciences course
Course Description and Objectives:
Consideration of human aging in a broad socio-cultural context. Course emphasis will be on
historical, philosophic, and demographic aspects of aging, theories of social gerontology,
attitudes toward aging and the aged, cross-cultural perspectives on aging, the sociology
of retirement, and aging and the community.
This class is designed as an interdisciplinary overview of the major issues of aging in
society. At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
Describe the condition of the elderly in contemporary American society, noting both
attitudes toward the elderly and the objective state of the elderly, and assess the manner
in which these conditions are affected by variables such as race, class, and gender.
Discuss the social implications of population aging for American society.
Identify the roles and importance of the elderly within the basic social institutions of
the family, the economy, and the political system, and discuss the ways in which these
institutions have adapted to the elderly and population aging.
Explain how social factors that affect successful aging are modified by such variables as
social class and health status.
Describe the ways in which American society organizes behavior around caregiving and
chronic illness, and discuss the implications that this has for the elderly and their
families.
Texts:
Aging: The Social Context (2nd Edition), L. Morgan & S. Kunkel, Pine Forge Press,
2001.
The Notebook, N. Sparks, Warner Books, 1996 (optional)
Curriculum Module on The Aging Process garnet.berkeley.edu/~aging/ ModuleProcess.html#anchor165915
Sociology of Aging - Rutgers - http://crab.rutgers.edu/~deppen/syllabusF98.htm
Sociology of Aging Fall Semester, 2000 - Rutgers - http://crab.rutgers.edu/~deppen/agingF00.htm
SOCIOLOGY OF AGING (INTRODUCTION TO GERONTOLOGY) Syllabus Course Requirements Lecture Handouts Assignments - http://rvcc2.raritanval.edu/bseater/aging.htm
SOCIOLOGY OF AGING. James Trela. University of Maryland Baltimore County ... See last page of syllabus for more detail regarding grading. ... research.umbc.edu/~trela/jtrela/430syl.html
Aging and Gerontology Books:
Perspectives On Productive Aging
Elder
Abuse
Aging Lifestyles Work and Money
Historical Influences On Lives And Aging
The peculiarities of men aging