Learning Objectives

  1. Compare one’s own emotional and cognitive reactions to three case studies.
  2. Summarize major themes of the demographic characteristics of people in late adulthood.
  3. Give examples of diversity in the late-adult population.
  4. Describe how age is culturally constructed.
  5. Critique psychosocial theoretical perspectives on social gerontology: disengagement theory, activity theory, continuity theory, social construction theory, feminist theories, social exchange theory, life course perspective, age stratification, productive aging, and environmental gerontology.
  6. Summarize the major biological, psychological, personality, and intellectual changes in late adulthood.
  7. Give examples of social role changes and family relationships in late adulthood.
  8. Describe the search for personal meaning in late adulthood.
  9. Compare formal and informal resources for meeting the needs of elderly persons.
  10. Give examples of risk factors and protective factors of late adulthood.
  11. Apply knowledge of late adulthood to recommend guidelines for social work engagement,assessment, intervention, and evaluation.