SOCA2101
Ageing and the Sociology of Later Life
10 Units
Not available in 2013
This course will offer students an opportunity to critically consider the place of older adults in contemporary societies. The course will draw on both classical and contemporary approaches to ageing as a social phenomena and as a lived experience. The course will examine the concept of ageing, how age is socially constructed resulting in certain societal expectations.
The course will also introduce key social issues and concepts related to ageing and later life, including housing, life choices, chronic illness, death and dying. Students will be encouraged to reflectively examine their own experience, assumptions and practices related to ageing during this course.
This course will also allow students to integrate real world skills and experience with theoretical concepts and knowledge obtained during the Bachelor of Social Science program. The course will support deficits of learning and knowledge about ageing and provide students with experience to utilise when seeking graduate opportunities in the expanding field of aged care.
| Objectives | The aim of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive introduction to the field of aging, emphasizing the Australian context. At the successful completion of this course, students will be able to appreciate and understand - the different ways in which adult ageing is socially constructed - how to apply concepts from social gerontology to a variety of policy settings - the influence of adult ageing on personal identities - the influence of adult ageing on intergenerational relationships - the relationship between social structures, cultures and ageing - the problems of ageing societies and their relevance to the helping professions One of the key objectives of the course will be to encourage students to think critically about the social dimensions of ageing and be able to distinguish between various ways of thinking about the ageing process. A related goal is to increase students’ abilities to recognize various theoretical perspectives as they are reflected in the empirical studies that will be discussed in this course. - a broadened understanding of the social issues encountered during the ageing process |
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| Content | 1. Ageing and Society - ageing stereotypes, myths and perceptions 2. Population Ageing - in Australia and Overseas – how old is old? 3. Sociology of Ageing - Family relationships, social networks 4. Policy on Ageing 5. Work and Retirement 6. Gender and Ageing - reconstruction of youth, plastic surgery etc 7. Community and Housing 8. Ageing and Leisure - grandparental roles, life choices and pressures 9. Aged Care facilities - options, choices and lifestyle concerns 10. Living death - long term chronic ageing illness 11. Assisting death - long term illness and assisted suicide 12. Death and Dying - expectations of death, funerals, commodification of death and ageing |
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| Replacing Course(s) | Not applicable – this will be a fully on line elective course. | ||||||||
| Transition | NA | ||||||||
| Industrial Experience | 0 | ||||||||
| Assumed Knowledge | Successful completion of at least 40 units at 1000 level | ||||||||
| Modes of Delivery | Flexible Delivery / Student Centred Learning | ||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Email Discussion Group
Lecture Experience Based Learning Self Directed Learning Workshop |
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| Assessment Items |
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| Contact Hours | Workshop: for 2 hour(s) per Week for 12 weeks Lecture: for 1 hour(s) per Week for 12 weeks |