GERO 300-3

Introduction to Gerontology

Fall 2004

 

 

Class Meetings:            Tuesdays:  3:30 – 6:20 pm

                                    Room 1800 Harbour Centre

 

Instructor:                     Habib Chaudhury, PhD

 

Teaching Assistant:      

 

 

Office:                          Office:  2801 Harbour Centre

Tel (604) 291-5232

                                    E-Mail: chaudhury@sfu.ca

                                   

Office Hours:                Tuesdays 10:00 am -12:00 pm.  Please feel free to call at any time to schedule a meeting or to discuss any aspect of the course.  If I am not in, leave a message on my answering machine and I will return your call upon my return.

 

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

We are all growing older. As we reach advanced years we will experience, in varying degrees, declining physical capabilities, possibly cognitive losses, and changed work and social roles. What would be life like when we are 80 years old? Where would we live? What activities would we enjoy? What role would we play in the society? These are questions that we will be able to answer on a personal level sometime in future. This course will give you an introductory look of the aging process from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

Subjects to be covered include: physical and health factors in aging, psychological aspects of behaviour in later life, economic and vocational factors in aging, family and community relations of older people, and social policy and politics of aging. The course will address many contemporary issues facing gerontologists and aging populations and individuals. This course consists of an introductory examination of the aging process from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Subjects to be covered include: physical and health factors in aging, psychological aspects of behaviour in later life, economic and vocational factors in aging, family and community relations of older people, and social policy and politics of aging. The course will address many contemporary issues facing gerontologists and aging populations and individuals.

 

 

PREREQUISITES:

60 semester hours. Students who are enrolled in the Gerontology Diploma Program are strongly advised to complete GERO 300 and GERO 301 during their first semester of study. Ideally, these courses should be completed before taking other courses for the diploma.

 

COURSE EVALUATION:

Assignment 1:   Short Essay                                                                              15%

Assignment 2: Community Resources for Older Adults                          15%

Assignment 3: Interview with an Older Adult                                         20%

Midterm exam                                                                                      20%

Final Exam:                                                                                           30%

                                                                                    Total                100%

 

COURSE READING:

Required:

Quadagno, Jill. Aging and the Life Course: An Introduction to Social Gerontology, Third Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2004

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

 

Date

Week

TOPIC

READINGS

 

Sept. 7

 

1

Introduction to course, assignments.

Introduction to Gerontology

 

Chapter 1 & 3

 

 

Sept. 14

 

2

 

Theories of Aging

 

 

Chapter 2

 

 

Sept. 21/28

 

 

3 & 4

 

Biological and Psychological Perspectives

Assignment 1 Due Sept. 25

 

Chapters 6,7

 

 

Oct. 5/12

 

 

5 & 6

 

Views about Aging and the Aged: A Cross-Cultural and Historical Perspective

 

 

Chapter 5

 

 

Oct 19

 

7

 

MIDTERM EXAM

 

 

Oct 26

 

 

8

 

Life Course Transitions

 

 

Chapter 8

 

 

Nov 2

 

9

 

Health and Caring

Assignment 2 Due

 

 

Chapter 12 & 13

 

 

Nov. 9

 

10

 

Environment and Aging

 

 

Chapters 10

 

 

Nov. 16

 

 

11

 

Family Relationships and Social Support

 

 

Chapter 9

 

Nov.20

 

23

 

Politics and Economics of Aging

 

 

 

Chapter 15 & 16

 

 

Nov.27

 

30

 

Death and Dying

Assignment 3 Due

 

 

Chapter 14

 

 

EVALUATION

Exams

There will be one midterm examination during the semester.  This will include questions requiring brief (words, sentence) answers, those requiring longer answers (1-4 paragraphs), as well as a few multiple-choice and T/F questions.  The final examination will be of a similar format and will include material from the entire course with a much greater emphasis on material that has not been examined.  Class notes, designated web sites, handouts, videos, and text readings are all examinable. 

 

Missed Examination

A missed exam can only be rewritten if medical evidence of inability to write the exam is presented to the instructor within 4 days of the scheduled exam.

 

Late Assignments

In fairness to all students extensions for assignments or presentations will not be given except for medical extenuating circumstances. The late penalty will be 5% per day. 

 

Attendance

Attendance at lectures is left to your discretion, however, all lectures and readings are examinable.  Students with poor attendance records rarely receive grades above C, and frequently fail the course.

 

Final Grading

Final grades may be adjusted depending on the distribution in the class, as per departmental policy.

 

 

Grading System

 

Letter Grade

Percentage

Letter Grade

Percentage

A+

96%-100%

C+

69%-65

A

90-95%

C

60%-64%

A-

85%-89%

C-

55%-59%

B+

80%-84%

D

50%-54%

B

79%-75%

F

0%-49%

B-

70%-74%