Gerontology (from Greek: γέρων, geron, "old man" and -λογία, -logy, "study of") is the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging. It is distinguished from geriatrics, which is the branch of medicine that studies the disease of the elderly.
Gerontology includes these and other endeavors:
studying physical, mental, and social changes in people as they age;
investigating the aging process itself (biogerontology);
investigating the interface of normal aging and age-related disease (geroscience);
investigating the effects of our aging population on society, including the fiscal effects of pensions, entitlements, life and health insurance, and retirement planning;
applying this knowledge to policies and programs, including a macroscopic (i.e. government planning) and microscopic (i.e. running a nursing home) perspective.
The multidisciplinary focus of gerontology means that there are a number of sub-fields, as well as associated fields such as psychology and sociology that also cross over into gerontology. However, that there is an overlap should not imply that they are the same. For example, a psychologist may specialize in early adults (and not be a gerontologist) or specialize in older adults (and be a gerontologist).
The field of gerontology was developed relatively late, and as such often lacks the structural and institutional support needed. (For example, relatively few universities offer a Ph.D. in gerontology.) However, the huge increase in the elderly population in the post-industrial Western nations has led to this becoming one of the most rapidly growing fields. Gerontology is currently a well-paying field for many in the West.
Gerontology includes these and other endeavors:
studying physical, mental, and social changes in people as they age;
investigating the aging process itself (biogerontology);
investigating the interface of normal aging and age-related disease (geroscience);
investigating the effects of our aging population on society, including the fiscal effects of pensions, entitlements, life and health insurance, and retirement planning;
applying this knowledge to policies and programs, including a macroscopic (i.e. government planning) and microscopic (i.e. running a nursing home) perspective.
The multidisciplinary focus of gerontology means that there are a number of sub-fields, as well as associated fields such as psychology and sociology that also cross over into gerontology. However, that there is an overlap should not imply that they are the same. For example, a psychologist may specialize in early adults (and not be a gerontologist) or specialize in older adults (and be a gerontologist).
The field of gerontology was developed relatively late, and as such often lacks the structural and institutional support needed. (For example, relatively few universities offer a Ph.D. in gerontology.) However, the huge increase in the elderly population in the post-industrial Western nations has led to this becoming one of the most rapidly growing fields. Gerontology is currently a well-paying field for many in the West.
Biogerontology
Biogerontology is the subfield of gerontology dedicated to studying the biological processes of aging. Some skeptics have worked to show that aging is a biological process that we are far from being able to control. Conservative biogerontologists who have only an intellectual interest in the aging process, like Leonard Hayflick, have predicted that the human life expectancy numbers will top out at about 85 (88 for females, 82 for males), although the consensus now is that the numbers will continue to rise.
Biomedical gerontology, also known as experimental gerontology and life extension, is a sub discipline of biogerontology that endeavors to slow, prevent, and even reverse aging in both humans and animals. Curing age-related diseases is one approach, and slowing down the underlying processes of aging is another. Most "life extensionists" believe the human life span can be altered within the next century, if not sooner. "Optimists" such as Aubrey DeGrey are of the opinion that the first person to reach one thousand years of age has already been born.
Some biogerontologists take an intermediate position, emphasizing the study of the aging process as a means of mitigating aging-associated diseases, while either denying that maximum life span can be altered or denying that it is desirable to try.
Biomedical gerontology, also known as experimental gerontology and life extension, is a sub discipline of biogerontology that endeavors to slow, prevent, and even reverse aging in both humans and animals. Curing age-related diseases is one approach, and slowing down the underlying processes of aging is another. Most "life extensionists" believe the human life span can be altered within the next century, if not sooner. "Optimists" such as Aubrey DeGrey are of the opinion that the first person to reach one thousand years of age has already been born.
Some biogerontologists take an intermediate position, emphasizing the study of the aging process as a means of mitigating aging-associated diseases, while either denying that maximum life span can be altered or denying that it is desirable to try.
Social gerontology
Social gerontology is a multi-disciplinary sub-field that specializes in studying or working with older adults.
Social gerontologists may have degrees or training in social work, nursing, psychology, sociology, demography, gerontology, or other social science disciplines. Social gerontologists are responsible for educating, researching, and advancing the broader causes of older people by giving informative presentations, publishing books and articles that pertain to the aging population, producing relevant films and television programs, and producing new graduates of these various disciplines in college and university settings.
Because issues of life span and life extension need numbers to quantify them, there is an overlap with demography. Those that study the demography of the human life span are different than those that study the social demographics of aging.
Social gerontology is a multi-disciplinary sub-field that specializes in studying or working with older adults.
Social gerontologists may have degrees or training in social work, nursing, psychology, sociology, demography, gerontology, or other social science disciplines. Social gerontologists are responsible for educating, researching, and advancing the broader causes of older people by giving informative presentations, publishing books and articles that pertain to the aging population, producing relevant films and television programs, and producing new graduates of these various disciplines in college and university settings.
Because issues of life span and life extension need numbers to quantify them, there is an overlap with demography. Those that study the demography of the human life span are different than those that study the social demographics of aging.
Social Work with Older Adults
Social work with older adults, known as geriatric social work, is considered to be both macro and micro practice with individuals over the age of 60 or 65, their families and communities, aging related policy, and aging research. Geriatric social workers typically provide counseling, direct services, care coordination, community planning, and advocacy in an array of organizations including in home, neighborhoods, hospitals, senior congregate living and nursing facilities.
Social work with older adults, known as geriatric social work, is considered to be both macro and micro practice with individuals over the age of 60 or 65, their families and communities, aging related policy, and aging research. Geriatric social workers typically provide counseling, direct services, care coordination, community planning, and advocacy in an array of organizations including in home, neighborhoods, hospitals, senior congregate living and nursing facilities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerontology
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