This course offers upper level undergraduates a forum to explore issues related to aging and health across the adult life span. More specifically, the conceptual groundwork necessary for understanding the roles of the life span developmental perspective, individual development, physiological changes in human aging, contextual influences and interactions, and several models/theories of aging and health will be examined. A primary objective of the course is the integration of models and theory to facilitate understanding of aging and health topics. Topics include but are not limited to: age changes and disease processes (both acute and chronic); mental health and illnesses; medication use; disease prevention and health promotion; influence of health on family relationships, caregiving, and housing/care decisions; systemic and societal influences on health; and ethical issues and controversies surrounding the end-of-life care and decision making, advanced directives, medical assistance in dying, and death and dying.
This course offers upper level undergraduates a forum to explore issues related to aging and health across the adult life span. More specifically, the conceptual groundwork necessary for understanding the roles of the life span developmental perspective, individual development, physiological changes in human aging, contextual influences and interactions, and several models/theories of aging and health will be examined. A primary objective of the course is the integration of models and theory to facilitate understanding of aging and health topics. Topics include but are not limited to: age changes and disease processes (both acute and chronic); mental health and illnesses; medication use; disease prevention and health promotion; influence of health on family relationships, caregiving, and housing/care decisions; systemic and societal influences on health; and ethical issues and controversies surrounding the end-of-life care and decision making, advanced directives, medical assistance in dying, and death and dying.
