介绍

老年医学 is the scientific study of the biological, 心理, and sociological phenomena associated with aging and old age. The study of aging is an expanding area of both demographic interest and career opportunities.

Older adults are the fastest growing segment of the population. In 1900, the average life expectancy was 47 years, and only 4% of the population was aged 65 or older. In 2020, average life expectancy has increased to 78 and the 65+ population makes up approximately 16.9% of the total population.

The phrase “graying of America” is appropriate when one considers that Baby Boomers, the cohort made up of individuals born between 1946 and 1964, began to turn 65 starting January 2011. The demographic change of this “graying of America” continues as up to 10,000 Baby Boomers turn age 65 each day for the next 18 years. These demographic changes suggest  that 20% of the population will be 65+ by the year 2030. The past increase in the number of older Americans and the expected shift in the population as Baby Boomers reach old age have altered the economic, 社会, and political roles occupied by older adults continuing to bring about changes in our society as a whole.

With these trends in mind, BGSU instituted one of the first bachelor's degrees in 老年医学 in the country. Since awarding our first degree in 1976, BGSU has been preparing graduates for positions in agencies and institutions that administer and deliver services for older adults including senior centers, 社会 service and 健康 care agencies, 还有养老院. 今天, BGSU is one of fewer than 50 colleges/universities in the country that offers a bachelors degree in 老年医学.

课程

学生 who graduate from the undergraduate program in 老年医学 will have a strong interdisciplinary background in aging studies. 除了 to a liberal arts base, students complete course work in a cognate area. Cognates provide specialization in administration, 生物学, 健康, human resource management, 营养, 心理学, 社会学, 娱乐, 或者服务规划. Cognates can also be designed to include appropriate coursework for graduate study in other areas such as 健康 promotion, occupational therapy, public policy 还有社会工作.

A specialization in Long-Term Care (LTC) administration combines a major in 老年医学 with coursework in areas such as accounting, 经济学, 和管理. This specialization prepares students to sit for both the state (Ohio) and federal nursing home administrator’s licensure examinations. The long-term care administration specialization is accredited by the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Board (NAB).

Both tracks within the 老年医学 program emphasize active and engaged learning. The final component of the program is the practicum experience which blends theory from the classroom with practical experience in an agency serving older adults. The practicum consists of a minimum of 400 hours of on-site, supervised experience in a program, agency or organization that serves older adults. 学生 specializing in LTC administration are required to complete an an internship of at least 1,000 hours or as required by the state of Ohio's Board of Executives of Long-Term Care Services and Support (BELTSS) and/or our accrediting body, the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB).

除了 to the major in 老年医学, the 老年医学 program offers a minor in 老年医学. The minor in 老年医学 is appropriate for many 健康 and human service careers such as 健康 care administration, communication sciences and disorders, 社区卫生, 还有社会工作. 除了, students from fields such as 心理学 and 社会学 may find a minor in 老年医学 a way to specialize their interest in the 社会 sciences. The minor in 老年医学 consists of 3 required courses and 4 additional courses (21 hours total). See the link for additional information on the requirements for the minor.

项目的优势

小班授课

The average class size for upper level 老年医学 classes is under 35 students, which allows students and faculty to interact on a more personal level. 教师 can provide more individualized attention to students and work to ensure that students are receiving the appropriate information they need for their goals.

Experiential Component

学生 participate in volunteering, 服务学习, and a required practicum that provides an understanding of the needs of older adults and the services they require. There is a strong emphasis on helping older adults adapt to aging in positive ways, ever mindful of their uniqueness and their individual dignity.

学习的两条轨道

As previously indicated, students can choose to pursue general 老年医学 or long-term care administration courses of study. Both tracks require the completion of a supervised field placement (i.e. 实习).

Preparation for Long-term Care Licensure

Our program meets the standards set by the Board of Executives of Long-Term Services and Supports (BELTSS) in the state of Ohio and the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB), which enable the graduate to become a licensed administrator of a long-term care facility.

For Further Information

请联系博士. Charlie Stelle, Coordinator of the 老年医学项目 by email at cstelle@nbshgold.com or call 419-372-8304

老年医学项目
卫生学院 and 人类服务
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403
419-372-1054