Registration for online aging studies courses open through July 15

The University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community offers undergraduate and graduate courses in aging studies in a completely online format. Registration Fall 2012 courses is open through July 15.
 
Undergraduates interested in enhancing their degree program may pursue the Undergraduate Certificate in Aging Studies, which can be earned by taking four 3-credit courses. 

People who have already earned a bachelor's degree can pursue a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology (18 credit hours), a Master's degree in Gerontology (36 credit hours) or a Graduate Certificate in Project Management for Human Services Professionals (9 credit hours). Click here for more information on all of our online programs.

A new cohort for the Project Management Certificate will begin in Fall 2012. Other courses available in Fall 2012 include:

Upcoming undergraduate courses:

• GERO 301: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Aging
• GERO 305: Physical Dimensions of Aging

Upcoming graduate courses:

• GERO 501: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Aging
• GERO 505: Physical Dimensions of Aging
• GERO 571: Program Evaluation
• GERO 587: Project Management I: Executing Effective Projects

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - June 15

Today is the 7th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Designated in 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations, the purpose of WEAAD is to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect. WEAAD serves as a call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and communities to raise awareness about elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.  

The National Center on Elder Abuse defines the elder abuse as: 

• Physical Abuse - Inflicting, or threatening to inflict, physical pain or injury on a vulnerable elder, or depriving them of a basic need. 
• Emotional Abuse - Inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress on an elder person through verbal or nonverbal acts. 
• Sexual Abuse - Non-consensual sexual contact of any kind. 
• Exploitation - Illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a vulnerable elder. 
• Neglect - Refusal or failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care or protection for a vulnerable elder. 
• Abandonment - The desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of that person. 

The NCEA website (see link above) offers a host of resources for families, professionals and community organizations interested in preventing and identifying elder abuse. The organization also has a Facebook page, which can be found here.

Other elder abuse awareness resources include:

Ageless Alliance - A grass-roots movement connecting people of all age groups to identify, prevent and eliminate elder abuse

Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse & Neglect -A national resource for technical assistance, multidisciplinary training, useful research, and relevant policy regarding elder abuse. Located at the University of California, Irvine.

National Adult Protective Services Association - works with over 500 members in 50 states to improve the quality and availability of protective services for adults with disabilities and older persons who are abused, neglected, or exploited and are unable to protect their own interests.

Garden of Eden in elder care

After a recent post in which I explored some alternative care facilities for Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients, I was reminded of Emerson House in Indianapolis, as a another type of alternative care facility. Emerson House provides community living in a large, 12 bedroom home, with family style meals and gathering areas. It is designed to serve people who can dress and bathe themselves, but are no longer able to drive.  This community living situation provides a caring, non-medical environment with that bit of extra assurance. When visiting Emerson House I began to wonder if there were other facilities out there like this. I had never really come across them in my own experience, but I knew they must exist.

 
I was very excited to learn about the Eden Alternative. Eden provides assistance in an elder’s own home, as well in long term care settings. What intrigued me about Eden is its mission to deinstitutionalize long term care. Eden strives toward “teaching ourselves to see places where Elders live as habitats for human beings rather than facilities for the frail and elderly.” Yes, there is a time and place for a medically formal care setting. However, that time is not always the same time when an elder begins to need a bit of help.

Eden started with the community living principles mentioned above, and employed them in long term care facilities. Now they have developed The Green House – a place of growth which allows flexibility in a home-like environment. Here is a portion of a documentary about The Green House. The Green House employs people who act as a “Shahbaz” to the elders in the home.  They are facilitators who help encourage the abilities of each resident. I personally believe many of the people who work with the aging population do this naturally, but in the Eden philosophy it is something each person is trained in.  You can find more photo albums of various Eden Green Houses here.

I want to continue to explore these alternative care solutions. Tell us about alternatives you are familiar with. We like to visit local facilities, and we research many others. In the way it “takes a village to raise a child,” I also believe it takes a village to care for our elders. There are so many possibilities if we think outside the box and work together! 

Kristin Huff

Senior Projects Director

In addition to being the Center's Senior Projects Director, Kristin Huff teaches courses for the Center's new Project Management Certificate for Human Services Professionals.