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The first academic year offers five modules:
1 Introduction to Gerontology (Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sept. 20 - 27, 2008)
2 Psycho-gerontology (Heidelberg, Germany, November 16 - 22, 2008)
3 Social gerontology (Keele, United Kingdom, Jan. 12 - 16, 2009)
4 Health gerontology (Paris, France, March 30 - April 4, 2009)
5 Summerschool (City in France, June 29 - July 4, 2009)
The one-week residential period in each module consists of a series of introductory lectures, allowing ample time for questions and discussion. Afternoon sessions will be devoted to in-depth group work on issues related to the course subject. Specific attention will be paid to the international, comparative and interdisciplinary approach. We regard the exchange of experience and ideas among participants from different (European) countries as one of EuMaG's strong points.
The home-study period in each module will be spent on further study and preparation for the assessment. A Distance Learning system facilitates students and teaching staff in further communication during this period.
1 Introductory module (Amsterdam, Netherlands, September 20 - 27, 2008)
The EuMaG programme starts with an introductory module. Students meet for 1 week (5 working days plus preceding weekend and ends on Saturday morning) in Amsterdam. During this period students are introduced to various topics within gerontology (process of ageing, concepts, paradigms, theoretical models, psycho-gerontology, as well as sociology, health aspects and biology of ageing).
2 Psycho-Gerontology module (Heidelberg, Germany, November 16 - 22, 2008)
This module aims to impart students with basic psychological concepts and paradigms and major theories within the psychology of ageing related to cognitive abilities, personality, adaptation and social integration, as well as the life-course perspective and its varieties related to gender, class, ethnicity and location. The module examines issues of mental health and psychopathology including dementia and depression; the concept of successful ageing and associated selectivity theories; the stresses of later life and coping strategies; the impact of stereotypes and ageist attitudes on social integration and quality of life in old age. It also explores how mental abilities, personality and behaviour may be shaped by society and how sensory deprivation, labelling and other negative societal factors may represent a threat to successful ageing. Finally the module deals with the question how knowledge of the psychology of ageing may be used in practice to improve life in older years and to promote and stimulate life long learning and mental stimulation.
3 Social Gerontology module (Keele, United Kingdom, January 12-16, 2009)
This module focuses on the most important social theories on ageing and the time dimension in the ageing process and its linkage to the historical evolution of society. The impact of 'macro' social conditions (economic, structural and cultural) on the ageing process of individuals and societies will be examined just as will the basic definitional mechanisms in the social construction of age and ageing, the tension between the 'macro' social formats for the ageing process and the social construction of individual ageing processes at the interactional level. Students will also work on examining how the most important structural and institutional contexts of ageing in the European countries differ, defining the impact of these differential contexts their interplay with policy making processes.
Besides the 'macro' social context students should know how micro social contexts play a significant role in defining the meaning of old age, in underpinning emotional and instrumental support and how these processes differ in different European countries, including their importance for the formal care provisions. Finally the module provides the knowledge on how to design policy strategies and care interventions in order to promote quality of life, taking into account the differential contexts in the European countries.
4 Health Gerontology module (Paris, France, March 30 - April 5, 2009)
The module is divided into two major parts:
> Ageing, health and diseases
The contents of this part of the module aim to provide students with the necessary knowledge about the different/complementary models of health and illness, e.g. the biomedical-, holistic- or socio-medical model and geriatrics. Students should understand the relationships between ageing and disease, know about the variations in health status of older age groups through health statistics, the determinants of health in later life,(genetic and environmental), epidemiology and prevention of ageing, diseases and syndromes in elderly people and health in later life in the future. They should know the added knowledge-base required for epidemiology in old age and the methodologies of longitudinal studies and the epidemiology of the principal disabling diseases and problems in later life.
> Care systems and policies
The second part of this module examines global issues in the description of professional services and facilities in different European countries. Furthermore it deals with the specific problems e.g. in the funding of long-term care in Europe, the co-ordination of services and care and the role of informal carers, images, attitudes and professional practice regarding elderly people. Finally old age medico-social policies in contrasted EU countries will be examined, including national policies as well as the planning and allocation of service and programmes.
5 Integrative Module / Summer school (France, June 29 - July 4, 2009)
The Summer School forms an important part in the regular programme of the EuMaG, being an integrative module concluding the first year. It is also open for others who are interested in participating in this unique event. The basic idea behind this module is that students have the opportunity to use their knowledge acquired so far in this academic year in one project. Students start with one residential week and have lectures on comparative European care systems, as well as on the various core subjects taught during the first year. In this module we also have a splendid opportunity to organise excursions to government departments, local care planners and institutes, and to welcome researchers and administrators as guest lecturers. This year the summer school precedes the World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics of the IAGG, to be held in Paris from 5th till 7th of July.
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The heart of
EuMaG |
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