This article examines the imagery and imaginaries of islander identity and makes an original contribution to the fields of gerontology and nissology. Drawing on data collected through in-depth interviews with 19 older residents of two small-island communities located off the island of Ireland, we address the central roles played by older people in…

The number of U.S. citizens ages 65 years and older is steadily increasing, and members of this cohort are redefining what it means to be an older adult. As members of the Baby Boom generation reach older adulthood, many of them are seeking educational opportunities to help them to meet their needs and desires as lifelong learners. Several factors…

Initiatives to promote aging in place have emerged rapidly in the United States across various health care settings (e.g., acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities) and broader community settings (e.g., public social service agencies). Moreover, recent federal policies include a growing number of provisions for local efforts to promote…

For over three decades, there has been considerable discussion about the development of gerontology education in the United States. A debate about accreditation is a logical outgrowth in this evolution. The dialogue about accreditation raises some important questions and gives gerontology an opportunity to further define itself. Accreditation…

A lack of knowledge in registered nurses about geriatric conditions is one of the major factors that contribute to these conditions being overlooked in hospitalized older people. In China, an innovative geriatric continuing nursing education program aimed at developing registered nurses' understanding of the complex care needs of hospitalized…

This article describes the development and evaluation of The Game of Late Life--a novel education activity for the psychology of ageing. The game was designed to provide transformational learning where students imagine themselves as older adults and move through late life via a game board, encountering various life events along the way. One of the…

The Institute on Aging and Social Work (the institute) supported directed efforts to enhance the research capacity of academics in gerontology across the nation. Due to my participation in the institute, I received intensive training in aging research from distinguished professors as well as staff from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As a…

This study attempted to build a predictive model of factors related to social work students' interest in gerontological social work. Bachelor's and Master's students from universities around Texas were surveyed to determine if knowledge about the aging process and related job opportunities, attitudes toward aging and professional or personal…

The authors review widely accepted criteria for program accreditation and compare gerontology with well-established accredited fields including clinical psychology and social work. At present gerontology lacks many necessary elements for credible professional accreditation, including defined scope of practice, applied curriculum, faculty with…

The health care needs of older adults can be complex and multifaceted. Safe, effective, equitable, and person-centered service provision relies on skilled interprofessional, team-based practice. Too often, students seeking a career specializing in gerontology are not exposed to such interprofessional, team-based learning and practice during their…

The current study examined factors related to older adults' perceptions of Internet use. Three hundred ninety five older adults participated in the study. The factor analysis revealed four factors perceived by older adults as critical to their Internet use: social connection, self-efficacy, the need to seek financial information, and the need to…

Each "CSWE Annual Report" covers highlights of the organization's activities for a complete fiscal year (which runs from July 1 of one year to June 30 of the next). Prepared by a staff team and published through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Office on Member and Communication Services, the report serves to inform members…

Over the past 40 years, the assessment and scientific study of capacity in older adults has emerged as a distinct field of clinical and research activity for psychologists. This new field reflects the convergence of several trends: the aging of American society, the growing incidence and prevalence of dementia, and the patient rights,…

The Virginia Commonwealth University/A Grace Place Caregiver Telephone Support Pilot Program was developed as a service-learning experience for graduate students to address the need for family caregiver support services. The Telephone Support Program was developed by the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Gerontology, in collaboration…

Social work education and social work practitioners are being impacted by the significant increase in the older adult population. Most social work faculty members have not been teaching their students how to work effectively with older adults (Hooyman, 2006). Social work educators need to provide more effective gerontology instruction in order to…