1a. IntroSUS 2003 - University of Maryland University College

GerontologyCourses in gerontology (designated GERO) may be applied asappropriate (according to individual program requirements) toward• the general education requirements for social and behavioralsciences (except GERO 341, 342, 351, and 353);• a minor in gerontology;• a certificate in gerontology; and• electives.A description of the curriculum for the gerontology minor beginson p. 62.GERO 100 Introduction to Gerontology (3)(Formerly GERO 210 Social Gerontology. Fulfills the generaleducation requirement in behavioral and social sciences.) Anoverview of the processes of aging and the ways aging is defined(chronologically, functionally, biologically, sociologically, and psychologically).The physical, psychological, cultural, and socialaspects of aging are examined. Topics include the demography ofaging and its implications for society, social structure and processes(such as patterns of family and social roles), work and retirement,health care and housing, and the implications of an aging societyfor policy. Students may receive credit for only one of the followingcourses: GERO 100 or GERO 210.GERO 220 Psychological Aspects of Aging (3)(Fulfills the general education requirement in behavioral and socialsciences.) A review of normal and pathological changes associatedwith the process of aging. Topics include sensory, perceptual, andpsychomotor processes; mental ability, drives, motives, and emotions;intelligence, memory, and cognitive functions; depression;neurological changes; Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias;stress; life review processes; personality and adjustment; suicide;bereavement; and treatment modes. Emphasis is on the normalaging process, pathological changes in the elderly (according to currentresearch), and understanding the difference between the two.GERO 302 Health and Aging (3)An exploration of the physiological processes of aging that coversnormal aging and chronic illness. Topics include biological processesand theories of aging, bodily changes normally associatedwith aging, health care and long-term care systems, and relatedmedical terminology. Also reviewed are substance abuse, environmentalfactors affecting aging, and ways of promoting health, preventingdisease, and assessing health risks.GERO 306 Programs, Services, andPolicies (3)Recommended: GERO 100. An overview of programs and policiesdesigned to enable older adults to obtain necessary services,enhance their health, improve or maintain their economic wellbeing,and provide support to families of the aging. Trends inaging programs, services, and policies are discussed. Topics includework, retirement, and income maintenance (employmentconcerns, pensions, Social Security, and Supplementary SecurityIncome); delivery and regulation of health care (long-term care,home care, Medicare, and Medicaid); and social or communityservices (adult day care, in-home services, senior centers, nutritionand food programs, information and referrals, advocacy,elder abuse protection, and transportation) that promote wellbeingin older adults. Students may receive credit for only oneof the following courses: GERO 304 or GERO 306.GERO 307 Aging, Religion, andSpirituality (3)(Fulfills the civic responsibility requirement.) An examinationof aging, religion, and spirituality from the perspectives of thehumanities and social science. Concepts of spiritual or religiousdevelopment and aging are examined, focusing on the major religioustraditions: Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, andHinduism. A critical analysis of theoretical and empirical researchand clinical perspectives of the role of religion and spirituality inthe lives of older adults from different religious traditions are presented.Discussion covers definitions and concepts of religiosity andspirituality in the social science literature. The current and futureimpact of older adults on religious institutions, the responsibilitiesof religious institutions to their aging members, and the role of religionand spirituality in the lives of the aging are examined.GERO 311 Women and Aging (3)Recommended: GERO 100. An exploration of issues importantto women in midlife and later adulthood. Topics include changesin identity, marriage and family, work, health, social relationships,and economic well-being. The impact of social class and ethnicityor culture on women’s well-being in midlife and later adulthood isexamined. The impact of policy and services on women’s developmentand quality of life and life planning for midlife and agingwomen are also discussed. Students may receive credit for onlyone of the following courses: GERO 311 or GERO 497E.171