3 credits
Prerequisite: At least junior or instructor consent
Meets CLE requirement of: Writing Intensive

Aging families from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds are examined as complex multigenerational systems interacting within a changing social structure. Intergenerational family dynamics, late life developmental transitions, long-term marriages, and caregiving for frail elders are analyzed from perspectives of social gerontology, family science, and critical theory. The practice and policy implications of family gerontology issues will be critically analyzed from the perspectives of race, class, and gender.

1. Identify basic research, theory, and practice themes in the multidisciplinary literature on aging families.
   

2. Utilize the theoretical perspectives of social gerontology, family science, and critical theory to understand the complex issues confronting older individuals and their families.
   

3. Construct the life history of an older person within the context of her\his family system, racial\ethnic identity, social class, and gender by integrating a life history narrative with research on family gerontology.
   

4. Develop an empathetic understanding of the differential experiences of older adults and their families as they move through the last stages of the life cycle.
   

5. Critically analyze several major public policy and practice issues confronting aging families in the United States.

9 hours per week, including class time

Blieszner, R. and Bedford, V.H. (Eds.) (1995). Handbook of aging and the family. Westport, CN: Greenwood  Press.

Walker, A., Manoogian-O’Dell, M., McGraw, L., White, D. (Eds.) (2001).  Families and later life: Connections and transitions.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.