Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Course will examine the formal and informal systems of support for aging adults with age-related health conditions and concerns. Topics include demographics and patterns of health and illness; social values, concepts of care, and policies influencing the delivery of health service; and service programs and systems related to a continuum of care and the cause of age-related illness. Recommended: an introductory Sociology course.

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Explain quality of life and care for older persons using sociological theories and multi-disciplinary perspectives.
2. Describe how an individual’s health and aging experiences relate to social structures and cultures (e.g., race, class, gender, sexuality, age, etc.) using the sociological imagination.
3. Use social research to analyze and develop health policies, programs, and care plans to ensure a safe and healthy aging process.
4. Explain the ways in which social inequality and systems of power impact health and aging over the life-course and result in differential outcomes for older individuals.

We hope that the careful study of health and aging from a sociological perspective will empower our students to develop the insights, empathy, and skills to analyze and address the complex social issues affecting our aging population today. It is also our hope that the knowledge gained from this course will help to increase our student’s confidence as professionals in the field of Gerontology and further the development of their professional portfolios.

Outcome Assessment Strategies

In addition to following guidelines for assessing General Education outcomes, including a required Signature Assignment, instructors will assess student learning of course-level outcomes by using various assessment tools, per instructor discretion, such as:

1. Oral and/or written reports which describe and analyze (a) formal community programs for aging adults, (b) systems for friends, organizations, and family providing informal support, and (c) methods which coordinate the systems of support
2. Group discussion utilizing hypothetical case studies for the purpose of identifying appropriate resources for client-oriented care plans
3. Written examination of knowledge of the aging population, trends in the health-related needs of the aging population, and historical and contemporary responses of society for meeting those needs.
4. Classroom discussion, group participation, and personal introspection which explorers underlying values and issues which influence the delivery of services to aging adults.
5. Class attendance and participation in all classroom activities and assignments.

Course Content:

1. Basic concepts in gerontology which apply to the course study
2. Definition of terms relevant to the course content.
3. An historical review of health care services for older persons including demographics describing the aging of society with specific relevance for the study of health and aging.
4. Identifiable trends affecting the planning of appropriate responses to the emerging health needs of an aging society.
5. The course of acute vs. chronic illness
6. The continuum of care representing integrated service systems
7. Underlying social values and issues, which influence the delivery of health services to older persons.
8. Formal and informal systems of support for the older persons
9. Methods for linking the formal and informal systems of support
10. Public and private policies and funding sources, which influence the delivery of services.

Approved Tests: Instructor Discretion.
Instructional Delivery Mode: This course has been approved for classroom, hybrid, and distance modalities.