Find it:

• Index / search
• Contact us
• Calendars
  • Academic calendar
  • Campus events
  • Class schedules
  • Library and
    Media Services
  • Athletics
• Maps and directions
• News
  • Athletics
  • Public Relations
  • Press Releases
• Forms
• Policies
  • WOU policies
    • Table of contents
    • Searchable index
  • OUS policies
• Logins (Email: etc.)
  • Web Email (Sun Convergence)
  • Account lookup & password change
  • Blog server
  • Forums server
  • Wiki server
  • Federal workstudy
       Program Student Lookup
  • Physical Plant
       work request
  • Registration
  • WebCT Classes
  • Web for employees
  • Web for faculty
  • SSN to V-number
• Jobs at WOU

• Undergraduate
• Transfer
• Graduate
• International
• Dual enrollment
• Visiting campus

Paying for college:

• Financial Aid
•   General information
•   Scholarships
•   Grants
•   Loans
•   Work study
• Costs
•   General information
•   Estimated expenses
•   Tuition and fees
•   Housing & Dining
• Veterans benefits

Academics:

• Academic advising
• Academic calendar
• Register online
• Registration info
• Registrars Office
• Request transcripts

Back to Archive List

Nature of course request C00872 :

New course

Undergraduate

First term offered : Fall 2012
Course Prefix&Number	Descriptive Title	Credits/Hours
GERO 460W	Retirement/LTC Housing for the Elderly	4 - 4

Abbreviation for Class Schedule(20 spaces) LTC/Retirem Housing

Catalog Description: This course will consider long-term care environments as well as the broader retirement living options. Topics will include the different types of living and care environments (e.g., independent, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care). The course will help students develop a foundational understanding of the planning, managing, and delivering of services specific to the type of living environment. Students will also be exposed to basic regulatory structures and how Medicare and Medicaid interface with the long-term care industry. When possible, a biopsychosocial perspective will taken to analyze the above living environments. Prerequisites: PSY 311.

Course Goal and Objectives: ¿ Develop an understanding of retirement communities and how they can maximize quality of life if operated properly. ¿ Develop an understanding of the long-term care industry communities and how these facilities can maximize quality of life if operated properly. ¿ Develop an understanding and appreciation for the aging in place model. ¿ Learn about the history of long-term care as well current trends. ¿ Develop a basic understanding of Medicare and Medicaid and how systems are used in long-term care. ¿ Develop an understanding of how external constituents interact with facility management. ¿ Develop an appreciation for high quality activities and wellness programs. ¿ Appreciate how quality of life can be maximized through applying an interdisciplinary approach to long-term care management (e.g., psychological, sociocultural, economic, and biological considerations).

Justification for adding the course (e.g. alignment with other institutions, program revision, etc.): In Spring 2010 the Psychology Division at WOU surveyed graduating Psychology Majors about their interest in courses related to older adults and employment opportunities associated with the field of gerontology and geropsychology. Despite very limited advertising for our new minor in Geropsychology (approved Summer 2010), 43% of graduating seniors indicated great or very great interest in taking Geropsychology courses, and 31% showed great or very great interest in minoring in Geropsychology. Additionally, seniors were interested in a variety of employment opportunities associated with the field, with the greatest interest shown for Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Recreational Therapy, Social Work, public and private institutions that provide health, education, and social services to older adults, and public policy and advocate work for older adults. We didn¿t survey these students about an interest in majoring in gerontology, but clearly there is an interest in this field, which is fabulous given the needs that industry has for people trained to work with older adults There is a need for trained professionals to work in the numerous fields related to gerontology, elder care services, and geriatric medicine. Oregon and the nation¿s population are undergoing a dramatic increase in the percentage of older adults. According to data compiled by the Administration on Aging1, by the year 2030 there will be approximately 70 million Americans age 65 and over, up from 40 million in 2010. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Oregon¿s older adult population is increasing at a rate of 3.5% as compared to the national median of 2.6%.2 Given these demographic changes it is fitting that Western Oregon University develop program offerings that will help serve this growing population. In addition to the growing older adult population that will require specialized services, there are also unmet work force training needs. According the U.S. Department of Labor, employment in home health care services are expected to increase 69.5% between 2004 and 2014, during the same time period, community care services for the elderly are expected to see a 54.8% increase in the need for qualified employees. People from a broad range of career fields who have received training in gerontology will be very marketable and provide important services for our community. The aging population is driving much of the increased need in the medical field. An understanding of gerontology will help people who go into the following professions: medical assistants (52.1% increase expected between 2004 and 2014) physical therapists (36.7%), physical therapy assistants (44.2%), occupational therapists (33.6%), occupational therapy assistants (34.1%), as well as nurses and many other human service careers. The following are examples of some of the numerous employment opportunities in the following fields that would be beneficial to someone trained in gerontology: ¿ Long term care administration ¿ Skilled nursing care administration ¿ Senior center operations and management ¿ Occupational Therapy ¿ Home health care ¿ Physical Therapy ¿ Speech Language Pathologists ¿ Teaching ¿ Nursing ¿ Nursing assistants ¿ Recreational therapists ¿ Social work ¿ Research that focus on older adults' needs and interests ¿ Public and private institutions that provide health, education, and social services to older adults ¿ Senior care services ¿ Hospice ¿ Palliative care ¿ Public policy and advocacy for older adults References 1. www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Aging_Statistics/Profile/.../2002profile.doc 2. www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/CB04-36TABLE4.xls

Faculty and facilities needed: We anticipate needing at least one new tenure track and some NTT FTE to cover the new Gerontology Major.

Brief Course outline: 1. Overview of Long Term Care 2. History of Long Term Care 3. Aging in Place and Continuum of Care 4. Long Term Care Services 5. Activities and Wellness 6. The Social Milieu 7. Marketing and Sales in Long Term Care 8. Regulation 9. Medicare and Medicaid 10. Maximizing Quality of Life

Approval Queue C00872

Attached Files: