In just over 20 years, all 78 million baby boomers will have reached their "coming of age." When this demographic milestone occurs, one in every five Americans will be at least 65 years old; millions will have comorbid and chronic conditions requiring better prepared health care providers and markedly improved services than are presently…

Describes the ordeal of trying to remain active in one's profession after retirement age. (FL)

Central tenets of Freirean philosophy and pedagogy are explored and applied to the emerging field of older adults' learning (educational gerontology), a sub-field of adult education. I argue that many of Freire's concepts and principles have direct applicability to the tasks of adult educators working alongside marginalized older adults. In…

To successfully practice geriatrics, one must keep up-to-date with rapidly evolving knowledge, recognize heterogeneity among older people, seek answers through longitudinal studies, and accept no symptoms nor loss of function as being simply old age. Functional loss must be the focus and thus rehabilitation is essential to good geriatric care.…

Describes the uniqueness of older artists, showing how art fulfills the needs of the elderly in the areas of work, leisure, and self-expression. States that art also provides an avenue for providing social acceptance, a product for posterity, and a dream to work toward. Contains 11 photographs. (AEM)

Describes errors regarding the meaning of increase in life expectancy found in 7 of 17 gerontology textbooks examined. Discusses the myth that increase in life expectancy at birth indicates an increase in life span. Attempts to clarify the nature of this increase and reviews common misconceptions concerning it. (NRB)

Gerontology emerged as a discipline in America in the 1940s and 1950s. Since the 1950s, it has developed much more slowly in Britain. The study of gerontology generally aims to improve the knowledge base about the aged and the aging process in order to provide better qualified personnel and develop a more efficient delivery system to serve the…

Gerontological research started in Finland comparatively late. These research efforts have been limited in scope in the past. Theory building was scarce, as well as multidisciplinary efforts to investigate concommitantly different levels of aging. (SSH)

Discusses the need for, philosophy, and strategies of instructional gerontology and its application to the education of older adults. (SK)

Examines research studies concerning the elderly which have influenced the teaching of the aging process, evaluates the usual rationale for teaching aging as part of professional nursing education, and proposes a method for incorporating theories of aging and practice with older adults into a course on adult health. (JOW)

Quantitative methods such as logical positivism often view nondominant groups as deviant and purport to be objective. Qualitative methods such as ethnography help educational gerontologists understand diverse elderly populations and allow elders to participate in the process of defining reality and producing knowledge. (SK)

Although older people are increasing in proportion to the total population, educational gerontology is in its infancy and needs additional funding, research, and dissemination to assist older learners with lifelong learning, reemployment, and advocacy. (SK)

Many issues surrounding gerontological education need resolution: the shortage of qualified faculty members, particularly in professional schools; the role and organization of programs leading to gerontology degrees and other certification; the relationship of undergraduate and graduate programs; methods of integrating aging content into…

Provides a literature-based overview of continuing education for older adults. Addresses the context of older adult education, age and cohort differences in participation, scope of programming, implications of psychological theory and research, and recommendations for enhancing participation and learning. (SK)

Members of an elders writing workshop reveal what the workshop meant to them. (FL)