Course Schedule
This course schedule is tentative,
it is subject to change. Make sure you check here frequently!
Date |
Class Topic |
HW Assignments |
Online Resources |
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Part I: Introduction to the Field of Aging |
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| 1/17 | Introduction to each other, the
Course and
the Field of Aging. Why Study Aging? |
Familiarize yourself with the syllabus and the course requirements. | Course Syllabus http://crab.rutgers.edu/~deppen/438/index.htm |
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| 1/19 | Research Methods - |
Reading Assignments: Moody, Harry, Aging: Concepts and Controversies, "Prologue: America as an Aging Society" (xxi-xxviii) + Sign up for the CARR report (required) |
On Cohorts: Born
Before 1945 |
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 |
Discussion
Board Posting #
1 is due on Jan 31st  |
Post an
Introduction about yourself
to
the WebCT Discussion Board (see,
assignments for instructions) |
 Discussion Board |
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| 1/24 | Introduction to Demography of Aging
Demographics (ppt) |
Reading Assignments: State of the World 2005 (Worldwatch Institute)
|
Statistics
on the US Aging Population (AoA) Population Pyramids (Census Bureau) |
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| 1/26 | Demography of Aging, cont'd: Global Aging UN Speaker on Aging in the Third World Aging in the US (ppt) Global Aging (ppt) |
Reading Assignments: The Aging Future (BBC) "The Economic Conundrum of an Aging Population" (Worldwatch)  WebCT Reading List
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Be
a Demographer (PBS - Nova) Global Trends Quiz (PBS - Nova) Population Campaigns in China, India and Kenya (PBS - Nova) Population (Worldwatch) International Aging (AARP) |
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| Part II: Health, Health Care and Society | |||||
| 1/31 | Health Status, Acute and Chronic
Diseases, Measures of Disability, and LTC Health Status and Disability (ppt) |
Health and Aging Statistics Anti-Aging Therapies |
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| 2/2 | Physiological Changes and Social Consequences | Reading
Assignment: Nancy B. Ellis, "Functional Changes and Aging" See, WebCT Reading List |
Age-Related Impairments (in class) |
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|
Reaction
Paper Assignment
# 1 |
Due in-class on 2/7 | |||
| 2/7 | Cognitive Changes with Aging Film: The Aging Mind (PBS) |
Aging
Changes (Medline) |
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| 2/9 | Social and Economic Outlook for an Aging Society | Reading Assignments: Controversy 1 (33-44) and Readings #1: Callahan, Daniel, "Setting Limits" (45-50) #2: Ubel, Peter, "Pricing Life" (51-52) #3: Hentoff, Nat, "The Pied Piper Returns." (52-54) #4: Wetle & Besdine, "Let Individuals Decide" (54) #5: Perry & Butler, "Expand Health Span" (55-56) |
Studies
comparing health care in different countries and Care
of the Elderly (The Commonwealth Fund)
Health Policy Watch (A Century Foundation Project) |
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|
Discussion
Board Posting # 2: "Should
We Ration Health Care for Older People?" (Controversy
#1) |
Writing
Assignment: Engage
in an online discussion with your classmates about HC
Rationing by posting your views to the WebCT
Discussion Board - due
2/13 |
Discussion Board |
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| 2/14 | Aging Policy and Long Term Care in the U.S. | Reading Assignment: Stupp, H., "Area Agencies on Aging" WebCT
Reading List - also (Public Policy, 169-172, and Aging Interest Groups, 172-174; and p. 24) |
State
and Area Agencies (AoA) US Administration on Aging AAA - Aging Network |
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| 2/16 | Informal and Formal Community
- Based Care , cont'd
Film: Aging in America (segments)
|
Reading Assignments: Aging and the American Family (63-72, 169-176) and Zelkovitz, "Transforming the 'Middle Way:' A Political Economy of Aging Policy in Sweden" WebCT
Reading List |
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (e.g., Pennswood Village or Medford Leas) Almost Home (WHYY - Independent Lens) |
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| 2/21 | Social Support, Families, Friends,
Community, and Society Film: Aging in America (segments) |
Reading Assignments: Controversy # 2: Should Families Provide for Their Own? (72-92) |
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Discussion
Board Posting #3: "Should Families Provide for Their Own?" (Controversy #2) |
Writing
Assignment: Engage
in an online discussion with your classmates about the
role of families by posting your views to the WebCT
Discussion Board - due 2/24 |
Discussion Board |
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| 2/23 | Class Cancelled - Study for exam | ESS Conference in Boston | |||
| 2/28 | End-of-Life Issues, PSDA, Palliative Care,
The Right to Die Film: The Detour |
Frontline: The Kervorkian Verdict | Open Mind: Hospice (27min) | ||
| 3/2 | IN-CLASS
EXAMINATION # 1 |
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| 3/7 | Social and Eco Outlook for an Aging Society |
Reading Assignments: The Varieties of the Aging Experience (147-168) |
Movie: Maggie
Growls |
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| 3/9 | Gender, Ethnicity and Disability: |
Reading Assignment: Deppen-Wood, et al, "Aging, Disability and Ethnicity: An African American Woman's Story" WebCT
Reading List |
Whatever happened to Polio? NMAH | ||
| 3/11- 3/20 |
 Spring
Break (Extra credit project:
Virtual Aging Tour due
3/28
) |
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|
Reaction
Paper Assignment # 2 |
Due in-class on 3/21 | |||
| 3/21 | Vulnerabilities of Older People Outline |
Reading Assignments: Controversy #3: Should Older People Be Protected From Bad Choices? (93-120) |
RFC
in NH (HCGNE) Almost Home (WHYY - Independent Lens) |
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|
Discussion
Board Posting #4: "Should Elders Be Protected From Bad Choices?" (Controversy #2) |
Writing
Assignment: Answer
the next question on the WebCT
Discussion Board - due
3/23 |
Click here for question # 4 |
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Part III: Aging Policy |
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| 3/23 | Intro to History of US Welfare State ppt |
Social and Economic
Outlook for an Aging Society (review 147-178) |
PBS, "The Great Depression" (selections) |
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| 3/28 | US Welfare State, cont'd US Aging Policy (AAA, Older Americans Act, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid) |
Brody, Stanley, Strategic
Planning: The Catastrophic Approach, The Gerontologist,
Vol. 27 (2), 1987. (See, WebCT
Readings - revisit the article on the AAA from 2/14) |
(Extra credit project due 3/28: Virtual Aging Tour ) | ||
| 3/30 | US Aging Policy Social Security
|
Reading Assignments: Privatize Social Security: NO (Henry Aaron, The Brookings Institution, 2004) Keep It Simple (Alicia H. Munnell, Boston College, 2005) Social Security (Allyn & Bacon) Critical Thinking Exercise: Print and work through the Critical Thinking Exercise. Bring to class on 3/30 |
Social Security Game | ||
| 4/4 | Health and LTC Policy Medicare Frontline: The Other Drug War (PBS) |
Reading Assignments: Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act (1988) Medicare Part D (Medicare prescription drug law signed by the President on December 8, 2003.) Medicare at 40 (nice historical overview
of program)
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Medicare Website,
personal plan finder Profiles of the Uninsured (Commonwealth Fund) Medicare Drug Benefit Calculator: (Kaiser Family Foundation) This calculator allows users to enter their prescription drug costs to determine what they will pay starting January 1, 2006. |
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| 4/6 | Health and LTC Policy,
cont'd Medicaid |
Reading Assignments: Bob Herbert, "Need Medicaid-Show Passport" (NYT, 1-5-06 ) |
US Senate Special Committee On Aging: The Truth about Medicaid (PDF and videos) | ||
| 4/11 | IN-CLASS
EXAMINATION |
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| Part V: Gender and the Meaning of Old Age | |||||
| 4/13 | Social Security: A Women's Issue? | powerpoint | |||
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Reaction
Paper
Assignment # 3 |
Write a reaction
paper to "The
Double Standard of Aging." |
Due in-class on 4/25 | ||
| 4/18 | Is Susan Sontag's argument from 1979 still
holding up? Film: Harold and Maude |
Reading Assignments: Susan Sontag, The Double Standard of Aging - ppt |
Bridging the Gender Gap (US Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing- 3/15/06) | ||
| 4/20 | Gender and Aging, cont'd | Class Discussion on Harold and Maude and Sontag's article | Also: review of exam | ||
|
Discussion
Board Posting
#5: "Does Old Age Have Meaning?" (Controversy #10) |
Writing Assignment: Post
your statement about the meaning of life to the WebCT
Discussion Board - due by
4/27 (optional) |
Discussion Board |
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| 4/25 | On the Meaning of Old Age | Reading Assignments: Controversy # 10: Does Old Age Have Meaning? (391-414) |
Older learners take study tours (Elderhostel) and sign up for classes in University Programs - | ||
| 4/26 | SOC / PSYCH DEPTs POSTER SESSION (optional) - You need to sign up if you want to participate for extra credit | ||||
| 4/27 | Last
Class: Wrap-Up Film: Aging in America (MSNBC) |
Reading Assignments: Bertrand Russell's "What I have Lived For" Langston Hughes, "No Crystal Stair" |
Aging in America (MSNBC) | ||
