Gerontology Program Code 105441

Employment Potential

Direct Service Provider: Works "one-on-one" with older persons and their families to assess needs, knowledge of resources and delivery of services.

Program Planner and Evaluator: Surveys the community to gauge the interests and needs of older persons, designing programs to meet these needs, and evaluating the programs' effectiveness.

Manager/Administrator: Supervises and directs the daily operation of facilities, agencies, or programs that serve the aging population.

Marketing and Product Development Professional: Targets unmet product and service needs of older persons. Develops and implements solutions to enhance productivity and independence. Educates and refers the aging population to creative technologies that may allow them to "age in place."

Advocate: Fosters policies and programs to benefit the aging based on knowledge of unmet needs and the ability to communicate in public and private forums.

Educator/Trainer: Develops and delivers educational programming responsive to the needs of older persons or those who serve them, including informal caregivers.

Researcher: Studies the aging process and investigates the effectiveness of intervention programs and policies.

Environmental Designer: Designs safe living environments for the elderly population.

Financial Management/Legal Support Service Provider: Serves as primary contact person for management of financial and legal issues for aging clients and their families.

Internship

. Students will be required to pay for liability insurance, provide their own transportation to internship sites, and cover any other expenses related to internship experiences. Students may be expected to travel distances to internships.
. Dependent on the site, students may be required to complete a 2-step TB test and CPR certification prior to their internship. Students may be required by the internship site to complete a pre-clinical/internship health records form and/or provide proof of immunizations prior to interning.
. Students will be required to show proof of an annual flu vaccine.

Program Outcomes

. Provide recommendations for successful aging and optimal quality of life.
. Evaluate physical, social, psychological and spiritual aspects of aging.
. Identify and refer older adults to needed services.
. Exhibit behaviors and conduct that reflect safe, legal, and ethical gerontological practices.
. Evaluate and advocate in the area of aging public policy.
. Exhibit professional communication.
. Develop ethical and cultural awareness related to aging.
. Plan, develop, implement and deliver appropriate activities to meet physical, social, psychological needs of the aging population.
. Create a personal professional development plan.
. Investigate and incorporate evidence-based gerontology practices into delivery of services.

Requirements for Program Entry

. Completed application.
. High school transcript or equivalent. (For a list of equivalents, go to www.nwtc.edu/gettingstarted.)
. As a requirement for program entry, an Academic Skills Assessment (Accuplacer) with appropriate benchmark scores is necessary. Program Benchmarks are Arithmetic, 65; Reading Comprehension, 55: Sentence Skills, 75. Students not meeting these benchmarks or the equivalent will be granted pre-program status and will be required to establish an individualized academic plan. Upon completion of the plan, full program status will be granted. Students may have the opportunity to enroll in selected program core courses while completing their individualized plan. However, higher test scores will lead to greater success in core program courses. To learn more about these assessments and program benchmark scores, please contact a counselor at (920) 498-5444 or (888) 385-6982.
. Attend a mandatory spring program orientation.

Wisconsin Caregiver Law

NWTC is required to comply with the Wisconsin Caregiver Law (1997 WISCONSIN ACT 27). The completion of a caregiver background check includes the review of criminal records for convictions of serious crimes or a history of improper behavior. Students accepted into this program must complete a background check through www.CertifiedBackground.com. Information regarding this process is provided to students immediately upon acceptance into the program. Students with a criminal history may be denied access to placement at the discretion of the clinical or practicum site. Consequently, should a student have a history of convictions of serious crimes or a history of improper behaviors, NWTC cannot guarantee clinical/practicum placement or guarantee graduation within typical program timing.

Flexible Learning Option

The entire Gerontology program is offered online WITH THE EXCEPTION of the internship in 4th semester.
The program may be completed in a part-time or full-time format.

Curriculum

The Gerontology-Associate Degree is a two-year, four semester program. Upon graduation, a student will have completed 67 credits.

FIRST SEMESTER

SECOND SEMESTER

THIRD SEMESTER

FOURTH SEMESTER

Curriculum Note
*No final grade lower than a "C" is acceptable in any of the courses marked with an asterisk. A student who withdraws or receives a grade lower than a "C" in a program course may apply for re-entry into the program.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

These courses provide an opportunity for students to develop the knowledge, skills, and understanding required for employment in this field.

10-101-106 ACCOUNTING-FOR NON-ACCOUNTANTS ...teaching non-accountants to read, analyze, and interpret financial information for making informed business decisions. This class de-emphasizes the use of debits, credits, journal entries and other accounting procedures.

10-103-121 MICRO: WORD-INTRODUCTION ...word processing basics including creating, revising, formatting, printing; sections, tabs, multiple-page numbering; manipulating text; creating headers/footers; creating/formatting tables, graphics; and merging documents. Windows experience improves success; consider 10-103-111, Windows/Computer Basics.

10-104-110 MARKETING PRINCIPLES ...marketing management, market segmentation, market research, consumer behavior, product decisions and management of distribution, pricing, promotional decisions for strategy planning.

10-104-191 CUSTOMER SERVICE ...develop professional telephone etiquette, explore customer service work environments, identify and analyze customer service failures, resolve problems cost effectively, set complaint policies, and develop communication techniques to handle complaining customers.

10-196-191 SUPERVISION ...front-line leadership including teamwork, setting goals, planning, delegation, controlling, communication, motivation, performance management, staffing, training, problem solving, and conflict management.

10-544-201 GERO: INTRO TO GERONTOLOGY ...a general overview of the field of aging. Topics include demographic, biological, psychological, and social aspects of the aging process.

10-544-202 GERO: PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF AGING ...study of normal and pathological changes occurring in the aging human body with special emphasis on age-related chronic diseases. Topics addressed include: analysis of biological theories of aging, cultural and ethnic influence on aging pathologies, and other factors impacting the aging process. (Corequisite: 10-544-201, Intro to Gerontology)

10-544-203 GERO: HEALTHY AGING ...overview of practices to promote healthy aging. This course will address nutrition, physical activity and prevention practices as well as an overview of medications commonly prescribed for the older adult. Emphasis will focus around the "well" elderly population and practices identified to address current aging trends.

10-544-204 GERO: SOCIAL GERONTOLOGY ...view of aging in respect to social roles and processes. Topics include history of aging, demographics, family relationships, social supports, economics, retirement, widowhood, poverty and politics of aging. (Prerequisite: 10-544-201, Intro to Gerontology)

10-544-205 GERO: ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA DISEASE ...study of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Students will differentiate between stages of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. By analyzing normal brain processes and how these diseases affect brain function, students gain insight on best practices in responding to the needs of this population and their caregivers and loved ones.

10-544-206 GERO: DEATH AND DYING ...study of losses across the lifespan associated with death and dying. Societal and personal views of death, dying, and bereavement and recommendations for healthy transitions in coping with loss will be explored.

10-544-207 GERO: LEGAL & ETHICAL ISSUES OF AGING ...covers concepts and structures involved in the legal and ethical realm of gerontology including Power of Attorney for health care/finance, guardianships, trusts, reallocation of assets, spending down, Medicare/Medicaid benefits, supplemental insurance, Social Security, elder abuse/neglect, financial exploitation, reporting abuse/neglect and relevant governmental policy. Learners will be able to apply knowledge by learning advocacy techniques to benefit senior populations on a community, local, and federal level. (Co/Prerequisites: 10-544-201, Intro to Gerontology; 10-544-204, Social Gerontology)

10-544-208 GERO: DEVELOPING THE GERONTOLOGY PROFESSIONAL ...exploration of effective communication styles and interview techniques for developing rapport and relationships with aging populations. Other topics include ethics and boundaries, self-determination, case plan development and implementation, documentation skills, research and grant funding, and compassion fatigue. (Prerequisites: Prerequisites: 10-544-201, GERO: Intro to Gerontology; 10-544-202, GERO: Physical Aspects of Aging; 10-544-203, GERO: Healthy Aging; 10-544-204, GERO: Social Gerontology; 10-544-205, GERO: Alzheimer's and Dementia Disease; 10-544-206, GERO: Death and Dying; 10-544-207, GERO: Legal & Ethical Issues Aging; 10-544-210, GERO: Generations and Diversity in Aging)

10-544-209 GERO: PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN AGING ...an overview of social policy as it relates to aging and available federal funding for the senior consumer. Students will learn the resources available in the community, eligibility criteria, and how to access and coordinate services for seniors. Supplementing social networking and enhancing mental health functioning for the aging population will also be discussed. Students will explore different career fields within gerontology. (Prerequisites: 10-544-206, GERO: Death and Dying, 10-544-207, GERO: Legal and Ethical Issues of Aging, 10-544-210, GERO: Generations & Diversity Aging)

10-543-210 GERO: GENERATIONS AND DIVERSITY IN AGING ...generational study and how experience and history affect the value and societal expectations of each generation. Also covered will be diversity trends among the older adults including but not limited to race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation and physical, cognitive and developmental disabilities. Focus on accommodations and accessibility for elderly. (Prerequisites: 10-544-201, Intro to Gerontology; 10-544-204, Social Gerontology)

10-544-212 GERO: GERONTOLOGY INTERNSHIP...students integrate concepts from all previous courses through supervised training in an appropriate setting and acutal work experience and observation. Learners will further develop their critical thinking skills through communications and counseling experience, client assessment and case plan development and implementation. Learners will also share experiences and provide feedback online throughout the course. (Prerequisites: 10-544-206, Death and Dying; 10-544-207, Legal and Ethical Issues of Aging; Corequisites:10-543-209, Programs and Services in Aging; 10-543-210, Generations and Diversity in Aging).

10-801-136 ENGLISH COMPOSITION 1 ...learners develop knowledge/skills in planning, organizing, writing, editing. Students will also analyze audience/purpose, use elements of research, format documents using standard guidelines, and develop critical reading skills. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer-Sentence Skills =75 AND Accuplacer-Reading =55 OR ACT-English =16 AND ACT Reading =15 OR 77-851-759; BE Communication Prep IIB OR 10-831-103, Intro to College Writing with "C" or better OR equivalent) 3 cr.

10-809-103 THINKING CRITICALLY & CREATIVELY ...instruction in realistic/practical methods of thinking, including decision making, problem solving, analyzing ideas, troubleshooting, argumentation, persuasion, creativity, setting goals/objectives. Students apply strategies/tools in a variety of situations. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer-Sentence Skills= 60 AND Accuplacer-Reading =55 OR ACT-English =16 AND ACT Reading =15 OR 77-851-759 BE Communication Prep IIB OR 77-858-759 BE Reading Prep IIB w/ a "C" or better or equivalent) 3 cr.

10-809-198 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY ...survey of theoretical foundations of human behavior such as sensation and perception, motivation, emotions, learning, personality, psychological disorders, therapy, stress, and human diversity in personal, social and vocational settings. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer-Sentence Skills =60 AND Accuplacer-Reading =55 OR ACT-English =16 AND ACT Reading =15 OR 77-851-759 BE Communication Prep IIB OR 77-858-759 BE Reading Prep IIB w/ a "C" or better or equivalent) 3 cr.

10-801-196 ORAL/INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION ...the communication process, perception and self-concept, language, listening, nonverbal communication, interpersonal relationships, communication in groups and public communication; prepare and deliver an oral presentation. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer- Reading =55 OR ACT- Reading =15 OR 77-858-759, BE Reading Prep IIB with "C" or better OR equivalent) 3 cr.

10-804-123 MATH W BUSINESS APPS ...real numbers; basic operations; proportions/one variable; percents, simple/compound interest; annuity; apply math concepts to purchasing/buying process, selling process; and basic statistics with business/consumer applications. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer-Arithmetic=65 OR ACT-Math=15 OR 10-834-109, PreAlgebra OR 77-854-759, BE Math Prep IIB with "C" or better OR equivalent) 3 cr.

10-809-188 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY ...defines human development; examines theories; heredity and environmental effects; prenatal development and birth; evaluates biosocial, cognitive psychosocial development through the life span; aging, death, and dying. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer-Sentence Skills= 60 AND Accuplacer-Reading =55 OR ACT-English =16 AND ACT Reading =15 OR 77-851-759 BE Communication Prep IIB OR 77-858-759 BE Reading Prep IIB w/ a "C" or better or equivalent) 3 cr.

10-809-172 INTRO TO DIVERSITY STUDIES...basic American values of justice and equality by teaching vocabulary, history of immigration/conquest, transcultural communication, legal liability, multicultural majority/minority relations, ageism, sexism, gender, sexual orientation, the disabled/ADA. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer-Sentence Skills= 60 AND Accuplacer-Reading =55 OR ACT-English =16 AND ACT Reading =15 OR 77-851-759 BE Communication Prep IIB OR 77-858-759 BE Reading Prep IIB w/ a "C" or better or equivalent) 3 cr.