Gerontology Program
Welcome!
Welcome to the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Gerontology Program. The Gerontology Program is housed within the College of Arts and Sciences and benefits from participation by multiple units across campus. Gerontology is the study of aging, from biological, psychological, social, and other perspectives. This multidisciplinary field focuses on individuals as they proceed from middle age through later life. Gerontology also promotes the application of knowledge to policies and programs.
With the aging of human populations, there is a greatly expanding need for individuals to work in the field of aging. Professionals in aging work in a variety of settings, including community and human service organizations; health care and long-term care institutions; federal, state, and local government agencies; academic and other educational and research settings; and business and industry.
Why Study Gerontology?
Older adults comprise an ever-increasing proportion of the population. Since 1900, life expectancy has increased from less than 50 years to more than 78. By 2030, the older population will double; and nearly one in five Americans will be age 65 or older. Along with this growth in numbers is a change in the characteristics of older individuals: they are now healthier, better educated, and more affluent than in years past. Stereotypes of older adults are increasingly outdated.
To help meet the needs of this growing and diverse group, many more trained workers will be necessary. The field of gerontology has shifted from emphasizing the problems of aging to promoting healthy, rewarding aging. By earning a Gerontology Certificate at IPFW, individuals can help fulfill the demand for people knowledgeable in the field of aging. The Gerontology Certificate may help qualify individuals for a job, or advancement in their current position.
A Gerontology Certificate will demonstrate special expertise in the area of aging and older adults, as well as add to credentials in a major, if one is pursuing a degree. The Certificate consists of 18 credits, which may also count toward other IPFW or major requirements. Through taking the courses approved for the gerontology curriculum, students will better understand the processes of aging, issues regarding aging, and the challenges of older adulthood.
Mission
The Gerontology Program promotes aging as an area of study, as well as advocacy for older adults. The program offers an 18-credit, multidisciplinary Gerontology Certificate that can be earned in combination with a degree or as a stand-alone program of study. The goals of the Gerontology Certificate are to:
1. Expose students, through an introductory course, to the study of gerontology including but not limited to biological, social, and psychological issues that impact on older adults and those who work with and care for them.
2. Provide a variety of course options to meet the needs of different students, and from which each student must select four different courses. These courses include the basic study of aging in several disciplines, complementary areas such as nutrition and medical ethics, and applied courses dealing with health and social issues involving older adults.
3. Provide each student with a practicum experience in which the student works with, or on behalf of, older adults in a campus, community, or agency setting that serves this population.
Faculty & Staff
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Elaine Blakemore, Interim Director of Gerontology Program
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Mary B. Thomas is Limited Term Lecturer in the Gerontology Program. She is a practicing attorney focusing on issues of elder law. Ms. Thomas also has extensive volunteer experience in matters concerning older adults. She is on the Board of Directors of A Day Away Adult Daycare, Inc., and is a member of the speakers' bureau of the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Indiana Chapter.
IPFW Gerontology Courses Taught:
GERN G231 Introduction to Gerontology
GERN G499 Topics in Gerontology: Legal and Financial Aspects of Aging
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Office: Neff Building B28
Phone: (260) 481-5451
E-mail: thomasm@ipfw.edu
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
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Holly Lara, Program Assistant
Office: Liberal Arts Building, Room 153
Phone: (260) 481-6019
Fax: (260) 481-6985
E-mail: larah@ipfw.edu
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Gerontology Certificate Committee
Faculty from a number of departments across IPFW collaborate with the director in guiding the curriculum for the Gerontology Certificate. These faculty share an interest in promoting the study of aging and older adults. The home departments of certificate committee faculty offer one or more courses that are approved as counting toward the Gerontology Certificate.
Judith E. Blakemore, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology, and Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Elliott J. Blumenthal, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Biology, and Assistant Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Sharon K. Egly, M.A.T., Continuing Lecturer, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Nancy A. Jackson, Ph.D., M.T.-B.C., Director of Music Therapy, and Associate Professor, Department of Music
Penelope A. McLorg, Ph.D., Chair, Director of Gerontology Program
Mary B. Thomas, J.D., Limited-Term Lecturer, Gerontology Program
Linda J. Wark, Ph.D., LMFT, Associate Professor, Department of Human Services
Gerontology Certificate
A Gerontology Certificate is available to all IPFW undergraduate students. This multidisciplinary certificate involves basic academic courses on aging, applied courses on health and social issues involving older adults, and a practicum of applied work in a setting serving older individuals. Requirements for the certificate may also count toward other IPFW or major requirements. The following link will take you to the certificate requirements.
2101 E. Coliseum Blvd.
