Professional Certificate in Gerontology
The
U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by 2030 more than 20 percent of
Americans will be over age 65. Bellarmine’s
Professional Certificate in Gerontology will provide you with the
knowledge and skills to effectively meet the needs of the aging
population in a wide range of careers: nursing, allied health, social
work and long term care. Opportunities also exist within government
agencies; public and private institutions that provide health,
education, and social services; research centers; special interest
groups; and universities.
Earning
the certificate:
-
distinguishes
you as a knowledgeable, skilled, and committed professional in the
field of gerontology
-
enhances
your professional marketability
-
builds
your skills and competencies in the field of aging
-
fulfills
your continuing education requirements
-
gives
you an interdisciplinary perspective on aging
Who Should Attend
The program is relevant for nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, recreation therapists, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, psychologists, physicians, chiropractors, administration/management, religious leaders, physical fitness professionals, and financial and nonprofit personnel.
Curriculum
The Professional Certificate in Gerontology is awarded for successful completion of EIGHT 6-hour WORKSHOPS and a 12-hour FIELD PLACEMENT.
8 Fridays-9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 13, 2013 - Age Related Changes and Issues
Oct. 11, 2013 - Dementia
Nov. 8, 2013 - Legal Issues and Services for the Aged
Dec. 13, 2013 - Women and Aging
Jan. 10, 2014 - Continuum of Care
Feb. 14, 2014 - Race, Ethnicity and Global Aging
March 14, 2014 - Health Care Leadership
April 11, 2014 - Program Planning
INSTRUCTOR: Patty Ingle, M.S.W., M.A., L.H.F.A., is a Health Care Administrator and has served as a Health Facility Consultant. Patty has published Gerontological articles and is a recipient of a national Gerontological Public Service Award by the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA).
Tuition: $999, includes all materials and field placement
Continuing Education hours are available:
Social Work – 6.6 CEUs per workshop
Nursing – 6.6 contact hours per workshop
Nursing Home Administrators (TBD)
Workshops
Sept. 13, 2013 - AGE-RELATED CHANGES AND ISSUES
Physical, Mental, Social and Personal Losses associated with growing older will be discussed. Successful keys to adjusting to difficult changes and losses will be shared. You will enhance your awareness of losses experienced by participating in simulation exercises.
TOPICS: Physical Losses and Limitations (visual, hearing, taste, smell, touch, mobility limitations); Mental Confusion and Forgetfulness; Social Losses (job, income, home, church, neighbors and neighborhoods); Personal Losses (loss of loved ones, pets, friends).
OBJECTIVES – At the end of this workshop you will be able to:
- Identify physical losses that create limitations for the older adult.
- Demonstrate techniques and devices that can assist people with limitations become more independent and satisfied.
- Recognize signs of mental confusion and forgetfulness that can impair the judgment and safety of an older individual.
- Identify methods to assist individuals with forgetfulness and confusion and safety issues.
- Recognize social and personal losses experienced by the elderly.
- Discuss the grieving process.
TEACHING METHODS: Didactic, small group discussions, audio/visual and experimental activities.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Attend entire class and participate in class discussions and activities.
Oct. 11, 2013 - DEMENTIA
The many types of dementia will be discussed and differences will be defined. Conditions that may cause or mimic dementia and a variety of processes that can affect the mental alertness of people will also be explored.
TOPICS: Various types of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Organic and Chronic Brain Syndrome, Mimicking dementia, Processes affecting mental alertness.
OBJECTIVES - At the end of this workshop you will be able to:
- Differentiate between Organic Brain Syndrome and Chronic Brain Syndrome.
- Identify the processes that can affect mental alertness.
- Recognize the causes of mental confusion that is reversible.
- Discuss the conditions that cause dementia.
- Discuss the conditions that mimic dementia.
- Discuss specific details of an Alzheimer’s Unit.
TEACHING METHODS: Didactic, small group discussions, and experiential activities.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Attend entire class and participate in class discussions and activities.
Nov. 8, 2013 - LEGAL ISSUES AND SERVICES FOR THE AGED
A variety of information about legal issues and available services for the aged will be presented. Legal resources for the elderly will also be provided.
TOPICS: Social Security, Retirement Pension Plans, Living Will, Elder Abuse, Health Care Representative, DNR, Durable Power of Attorney, Guardianships, Medicaid, Medicare, Medigap and Long Term Care Insurance.
OBJECTIVES - At the end of this workshop you will be able to:
- Identify entitlement, enrollment and benefits of Social Security.
- Discuss specific guidelines and penalties regarding retirement pension plans and removal of funds.
- Differentiate between a Living Will, DNR and Health Care Representative.
- Describe the purpose and benefits of a Durable Power of Attorney.
- Define the purpose, benefits and restrictions of a Guardianship.
- Recognize the signs of Elder Abuse.
- Describe the basic differences and benefits of Medicaid and Medicare.
- Identify the benefits and need for Medigap.
- Discuss various Long Term Care Insurance Policies.
TEACHING METHODS: Didactic, small group discussions and experiential activities.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Attend entire class and participate in class discussions and activities.
Dec. 13, 2013 - WOMEN AND AGING
Since women make up the majority of the elderly population, this workshop will focus on the lives of older women in the U.S. Health conditions, life changes and the effects of race, class and ethnicity of older women will be examined.
TOPICS: Health Conditions, Life Changes, Race, Class, Ethnicity.
OBJECTIVIES - At the end of this workshop you will be able to:
- Identify health conditions more common in older women than men.
- Recognize the numerous life changes experienced by older women in the U.S.
- Examine the influence of race, class and ethnicity on women’s aging experience.
TEACHING METHODS: Didactic, small group discussions, audio-visual, and experiential activities.
COURSE RQUIREMENTS: Attend entire class and participate in class discussions and activities.
Jan. 10, 2014 - CONTINUUM OF CARE
The various types of housing available to senior citizens, care options, costs and services provided will be presented.
TOPICS: Retirement Communities, Assisted Living, Adult Day Care, Rehabilitation, Hospice, Long-term Care.
OBJECTIVES - At the end of this workshop you will be able to:
- Discuss housing options available to the elderly.
- Identify the care and services provided at each level of continuum of care.
- Discuss basic admission requirements and costs associated with continuum of care.
- Discuss specialty units available in long-term care.
TEACHING METHODS: Didactic, small group discussions and experiential activities.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Attend entire class and participate in class discussions and activities.
Feb. 14, 2014 - RACE, ETHNICITY AND GLOBAL AGING
In this workshop we’ll explore aging in the U.S. in comparison to global aging, life span, health conditions, living conditions, available continuum of care and the ways race, ethnicity, education and culture affect the aging experience.
TOPICS: Life Span, Health Conditions, Living Conditions, available Continuum of Care (condition, design and services provided), Race, Ethnicity, Education, Culture, U.S. versus other countries.
OBJECTIVES - At the end of this workshop you will be able to:
- Examine the differences in life span in various countries.
- Discuss how life span is affected by environment.
- Examine global health conditions and living conditions.
- Describe the differences in Continuum of Care globally.
- Recognize that an individual’s race, ethnicity, education and culture affect their aging experience.
TEACHING METHODS: Didactic, small group discussions, audio-video, and experiential activities.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Attend entire class and participate in class discussions and activities.
March 14, 2014 - HEALTH CARE LEADERSHIP
In this workshop we’ll examine effective leadership skills in a health care facility and explore how to measure the effectiveness of successful leadership, which includes evaluations by patients, families, and staff members. Learn about enforcement of Federal and State guidelines throughout the facility.
TOPICS: Effective Leadership Skills, Knowing Your Environment, Evaluating Effectiveness and Satisfaction, Enforcing Federal and State Requirements.
OBJECTIVES - At the end of this workshop you will be able to:
- Describe effective leadership skills.
- Identify patient and staff members’ needs.
- Explain/examine the importance of evaluating patient care.
- Identify factors that influence patient and staff members’ satisfaction.
- Discuss Federal and State regulations in Eldercare.
TEACHING METHODS: Didactic, small group discussions, audio-visual, and experiential activities
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Attend entire class and participate in class discussions and activities.
April 11, 2014 - PROGRAM PLANNING
You’ll engage in program planning for specific agencies and facilities serving older adults.
TOPICS: Program Planning Formation, the Budgeting Process, Population of Clients/Patient; Race, Ethnicity, Culture and Location of Past Living Environment.
OBJECTIVES - At the end of this workshop you will be able to:
- Recognize the variance in program development between and among facilities.
- Examine the influence of budget, facility guidelines, and state and federal requirements on program development.
- Develop an effective program plan.
- Develop a specific program to meet a client’s/patient’s needs.
TEACHING METHODS: Didactic, small group discussions and experiential activities.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Attend entire class discussions and activities.
Gerontology Field Placement
Advisor: Patty Ingle, MSW, MA, LHFA
The Field Placement provides an opportunity for you to work in an agency or facility serving the elderly and an opportunity to network with professionals in the field of aging. This field placement will:
- Give you the opportunity to become more familiar with an agency or facility serving the aged.
- Make you more aware of the services needed by the elderly.
- Give you the opportunity to network with other professionals in the field of aging.
- Enhance your career decisions and development.
Field Placement Guidelines
Students must have completed the Age Related Changes and Issues Course before starting the Field Placement.
Placement must be completed by March l, 2014.
Placement must be approved by Advisor. (The Advisor will offer several suggestions for placements; however, other locations may be suggested by student.)
Twelve hours are to be completed at the Gerontology Field Placement.
Student must keep a journal of work/duties at Placement. (Present to Advisor at each meeting and at the completion of Placement.)
Weekly timesheets signed by the site preceptor documenting hours worked toward total hours are required. Timesheets are presented to Advisor after total hours are completed. Timesheets and preceptor evaluations forms are provided by Advisor.
Student will meet with Preceptor and Advisor every two weeks to discuss placement involvement.
At the conclusion of the placement, the preceptor completes an evaluation that is submitted to the Advisor.
Final grade will be determined by Preceptor and Advisor.
Any Gerontology student who intends to complete their Field Placement in a health care setting must be aware of the potential risk for coming into contact with bold borne pathogens, such as Hepatitis B. You are strongly urged to obtain a vaccination. (This is a series of three shots.)
Annual TB screening is mandatory at all health care facilities.
Immunizations are highly recommended and many agencies may require documentation of immunization records, including appropriate boosters.
Registration Form (doc)