Psychology and Aging

(Spring I, 2002)

Course Description:

Since the turn of the last century, the life expectancy of people born in the United States has increased by approximately 25 years and the proportion of persons 65 years or older has increased from 4% to over 13%. By the year 2030, one in five individuals in the U.S. is expected to be 65 years or older and people age 85 and older make up the fastest growing segment of the population. As such it is imperative that we all learn more about the impact of this "age wave" for our own personal lives as well as on our professional commitments. The acquisition of knowledge regarding the impact of aging on individuals and cultures is fundamental for those with clients, consumers, or colleagues who are in later life.

In this course, we will examine late-life development from a psychological perspective. Many individuals know very little about the diversity of experience of older adults both in the United States and around the globe. Therefore, we will explore the myths and stereotypes relative to aging and examine current and potentially new paradigms for healthy, productive, and effective aging. We will become more knowledgable concerning the various conceptualizations and strategies needed to prepare for an aging, and increasingly diverse majority of elders within the United States and around the world. Issues related to personality and cognitive development, family, retirement, and widowhood as well as psychopathology will be discussed.

On-Line Lectures

Exam Study Guides

Exams

Points of Interest which can be found on the Woolf Gerontology Page

Knowledge of Aging Quiz

How much do you think you know about the aging process or older adults? For example, do you know what happens to memory or intelligence with age? Do you know what percent of older adults are suffering from some form of dementia or are living in a long-term care facility (nursing home)?


Elder Abuse and Neglect

As the number and percentage of individuals 65 and over has increased in this country, so has the incidence of elder abuse. Unfortunately, the prevalence and nature of this growing problem has generally remained hidden from public view. It is imperative that both professionals and lay persons become more aware of the scope and many issues surrounding this sensitive topic.


Long-Term Care Facility Selection Guide

Tips for Selecting a Short-Term/Long-Term Care Facility (Nursing Home) - The process of selecting a short/long-term care facility can be a difficult one. Often the decision needs to be made quickly and occurs within the context of strong emotions such as quilt, fear, and doubt. Therefore, the tips provided may serve to focus one's thoughts and enable the best decision to be made for all involved.

Ageism

American society has been described as maintaining a stereotypic and often negative perception of older adults. This negative and/or stereotypic perception of aging and aged individuals is readily apparent in such areas as language, media, and humor. The term used to describe this stereotypic and often negative bias against older adults is "ageism".


Gay and Lesbian Aging

Many myths and negative stereotypes exist concerning the aged and the homosexual. Together, the older gay or lesbian suffers from a double stigma in American society. The image of the older gay man or lesbian as depressed, isolated, desperate, and sexless is prevalent. This image, however, does not hold up empirically.


Life Review

It has been theorized that all individuals experience the life review during later life. According to Butler (1963), as individuals realize that there is limited time remaining to them, they will examine what kind of life they have lived, and whether they feel their life was a success or failure. The life review process and the knowledge of completion of being are thus, according to this theory, inextricably woven together. But does this theory hold up under empirical scrutiny? Does one's life scroll before the mind's eye as one approaches the end of their life?


Theoretical Perspectives Relevant to Developmental Psychology

Various theoretical perspectives within the field of developmental psychology are currently being debated. These perspectives influence one's analyses of developmental theory and research. This paper discusses the major world view and paradigms used by developmental psychologists, the plethora of terms used to describe development, research designs and their impact on developmental theory, and the impact of the context on development.


Information concerning the Master of Arts degree in Gerontology, Webster University:

Gerontology Program (Frames Version)
Gerontology Program (No Frames Version)


Links