| CODE | GER1001 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Principles of Social Gerontology | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Gerontology and Dementia Studies | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit helps to understand better the meaning and repercussions of an unprecedented population ageing both globally and also locally. It starts by familiarising the participants with demographic determinants including including lower mortality rates, lower birth rates and migration; projections, variables and consequences. The rate of population ageing differs in developed and developing countries. While both urban and rural areas are experiencing this demographic transition, rural areas face a proportionately greater increase in the number and percentages of older persons. Special attention is given to the international concern and response as contained in the Vienna and the Madrid Plans of Action on Ageing as well as the Regional Implementation Strategies. Other topics dealt with include: the place of older persons in the changing world; their roles and expectations; as receivers and contributors, the place of older persons in the changing traditional role of the family; societal values and attitudes towards older persons; the differential impact of ageing on women and men; ensuring quality of life and well-being of older persons through the Welfare State and the Welfare Society ideologies, care of the elderly in the community and in institutions, the system of social protection. Study-unit Aims: One aim of this study-unit is to make the participants more conscious of the meaning, consequences of population ageing and of the place of older persons in society. After dealing with a country’s population structure based on gender and age groups and the demographic changes brought about by the determinants of this demographic phenomenon including lower mortality rates, lower birth rates and migration, participants are made aware of the impact of industrialisation, modernisation and urbanisation on society’s values, as well as on perceptions and attitudes towards older persons. Without doubt these are widening the generation gap hence the need of inter and intra-generation solidarity. At the same time, this study-unit aims at familiarizing the participants with a number of goals, objectives and commitments including: the achievement of secure ageing; their empowerment to fully participate in the economic, political and social lives of their societies; provision of opportunities for individual development, self-fulfillment and well-being throughout life, commitment to gender equality; recognition of the crucial importance of families, intergenerational interdependence, solidarity and reciprocity; facilitating partnership between all levels of government, civil society, the private sector and the older persons themselves. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - analyse the meaning and consequences of population ageing; - describe the various ways of understanding and explaining the various processes of ageing; - examine the roles and functions of the various stake holders in the field of ageing; - demonstrate the fundamental need of empowering older persons so as to ensure their integration and participation in society. - identify the various service providers to older persons in the country. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - formulate the planning of community care services aimed at maintaining the elderly in their community; - evaluate the wide range of services which are available in the country in the field of ageing both in the private and public sectors; - provide opportunities for individual development, self-fulfillment and well-being throughout life as well as in late life. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Albert Steven, Cattell Maria G. (1994) Old Age in Global Perspective, G.K.Hall & Co. ISBN 0-8161-1604-0 - Troisi J., Formosa M. (2006) Supporting Family Carers of Older People in Europe. Lit Verlag, Berlin, ISBN 3-8258-9247-6 - United Nations (1983) Vienna International Plan of Action on Aging, Department of Public Information, USA, ISBN 88011724 - United Nations (2003) Ageing Populations: Opportunities and Challenges for Europe and North America, New York, ISBN 92-1-116856-2 - United Nations (2003) Political Declaration and Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, New York. - Dannefer, D. and Phillipson, C. (2010) (eds.) The SAGE handbook of social gerontology. New York: SAGE. - Settersten, R.A. and Angel, J.L. (2011) (eds.) Handbook of the sociology of aging. New York: Springer. - Binstock, R.H., George, R.H., Cutler, S.J., Hendricks, J. and Schultz, J.H. (2006) (eds.) Handbook of aging and the social sciences (6th ed.). Burlington, MA : Academic Press. - Johnson, M.L. (2005) (ed.) The Cambridge handbook of age and ageing. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | This study-unit is only offered to students following the Higher Diploma in Gerontology and Geriatrics course. | ||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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