Aging - Pre-Licensure Course (10 CE)

Course Level: Beginner

Course By: Alden Hori, PhD

Dr. Hori earned a PhD in psychology from the University of California at Riverside. He was an Associate-In Professor and Research Assistant at the University of California at Riverside, where he supervised the completion of over 50 research projects in psychology. He is credited with three publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Content By: Aging & Older Adulthood was written by Joan T. Erber. The Guide to Preventing & Reporting Elder Abuse was developed by the California Department of Justice, with contributions from California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, California Community Partnership for the Prevention of Financial Abuse, California Welfare Directors Association, Department of Justice-Government Law Section, Office of the Alameda County District Attorney, Office of the Contra Costa County District Attorney, Office of the San Diego County District Attorney and University of Southern California.

Bio: Jennifer Kolb, LCSW; Social Work Consultant, reviewed and determined the course meets requirements for continuing education in the field of social work. This course is appropriate for masters and clinical level social workers. Jennifer graduated with a Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisville, Kentucky. She specializes in school-based psychotherapy with children and adolescents, as well as licensing exam coaching and preparation.

Course Description:

This course details the theoretical approaches that apply to the study of adult development and aging and then proceeds to a thematic treatment of core issues such as health, sensation perception, memory, intellect, social interactions, employment and retirement, and mental health. Case vignettes are presented that provide real-world illustrations of older adults, and are tied to the concepts in the course material. Special feature topics address current understanding and research application. Finally, this course provides a general discussion of three of today’s most prevalent areas of elder abuse: (1) physical and emotion abuse; (2) financial abuse; and (3) abuse in long-term care facilities.

Learning Objectives:

1. Evaluate the biological changes that occur during the aging process
2. Assess the impact of the aging process on cognitive processes, including sensation, perception, attention, memory, and intellectual functioning
3. Evaluate changes in personality development, coping and social interactions among older adults
4. Assess the impact of employment, retirement, and living arrangements on an older population
5. Assess the changes in mental health that occur in an older population
6. Evaluate coping mechanisms used by older adults in dealing with death, dying, and bereavement
7. Evaluate the warning signs associated with elder abuse

Course Outline:

• Introduction to Aging and Older Adulthood
• Theory and Method in Studying Aging and Older Adulthood
• Biological Aging and Health
• Sensation, Perception and Attention
• Memory
• Intellectual Functioning
• Cognition and Problem Solving in the Everyday World
• Personality and Coping
• Employment, Retirement, and Living Arrangements
• Mental Health, Psychopathology, and Therapy
• Coping with Death, Dying, and Bereavement
• Looking Ahead: Aging in the Future
• Types of Elder Abuse
• Reporting Elder Abuse
• Resources

Course Format:

1. Textbook:* Aging & Older Adulthood (Joan T. Erber)
2. Online reading material: Guide to Preventing & Reporting Elder Abuse (PDF file)T
3. To receive a certificate of completion, you must complete a multiple-choice post-test with a score of 75% or better and complete a course evaluation. 

* Upon registration, the course textbook will be shipped to you. The cost of shipping within the U.S. is included in the course fee. For shipping outside the U.S., please call for costs.

Approvals: