ABSTRACT

The aging population is growing exponentially, and it is expected that soon the number of older adults within our population will outnumber the youth. To prepare for this shift in demographics, there is a need for educational programs in gerontology. The objective was to find out whether individuals in the community feel there is a need for a master’s degree in gerontology and if so, what topical areas should be covered. Participants indicated that there is a need for a master’s degree in gerontology and many professionals working with older adults would consider enrolling in the program. In addition, professionals, older adults, and undergraduate students shared many topics that should be covered in the programs, for instance, financial planning, caregiver stress, Medicare, and other social programs. In addition, findings indicate that an online program may be the best to meet the demands of the working professionals who would like to enroll in the program but are concerned about time and many other issues. The data collected from the present study, along with the core competencies put forth by the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) will be used to design a master’s program at a university in New Jersey.

摘要

人口老龄化呈指数增长，预计很快我们人口中老年人的数量将超过年轻人。为了为人口结构的这种转变做好准备，需要开展老年学教育项目。目的是了解社区中的个人是否认为需要获得老年学硕士学位，如果需要，应涵盖哪些主题领域。参与者表示，需要获得老年学硕士学位，许多与老年人一起工作的专业人员会考虑参加该计划。此外，专业人士、老年人和本科生分享了许多项目应涵盖的主题，例如财务规划、照顾者压力、医疗保险和其他社会项目。此外，调查结果表明，在线课程可能最能满足希望参加该课程但又担心时间和许多其他问题的在职专业人士的需求。从本研究中收集的数据以及高等教育老年学学院 (AGHE) 提出的核心能力将用于在新泽西州的一所大学设计硕士课程。