CODE | GER2014 | ||||||||||||
TITLE | Social Rehabilitation in Later Life | ||||||||||||
UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
DEPARTMENT | Gerontology and Dementia Studies | ||||||||||||
DESCRIPTION | Various technological and medical advancements have led to an increase in life expectancy among older persons. By merely adding years to someone’s life is not enough, it’s the quality of how these years are lived which is important. Quality of life also includes optimal mental functioning, emotional stability, satisfying and supportive social relations and environment, and a meaning of life that is characteristic and specific for each individual older person. All these factors influence and are influenced by social rehabilitation. The goal of social rehabilitation is to help older persons regain and maintain as much function and independence in society as possible. A fundamental principle in social rehabilitation is the need for a comprehensive and integrated approach, addressing medical, functional and social aspects. This calls for contributions from a number of professionals working together in a truly interdisciplinary team approach. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit provides a critical awareness of the welfare and rehabilitation implications related to population ageing. Specific aims include: the view of social ageing through the life process approach; understanding of key concepts namely social isolation, social exclusion and ageism; the provision of multi-disciplinary advanced learning techniques in both rehabilitation and welfare services; the examination of current demographic, policy, social and economic concern in the management of ageing societies; the analysis of different prevalent services and programmes. It also takes into consideration the diverse functions of the professionals and semi-professionals involved in the social and medical rehabilitation processes. Special attention is given to the different stakeholders involved in such processes at the state, private, voluntary and family levels. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - critically analyze different theoretical approaches to Ageing, also to explain concepts such as social rehabilitation, social isolation and social exclusion. - report upon the multi-disciplinary advanced learning techniques in both rehabilitation and welfare services. - explain how current demographic trends have various implications within a political, social and economic level in the management of aging societies. - list the prevalent services and programmes available to older persons in the Maltese islands and upon an EU level. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - explain the importance of social rehabilitation within a community-based approach. - describe the multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary approaches in both rehabilitation and welfare services. - demonstrate how current demographic trends have various implications within a political, social and economic level in the management of ageing societies. - explain the implementation of alternative planning of social services. - explain welfare services and programmes available to older persons in the Maltese islands and upon an EU level. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main text: - Morgan, A.L., Kunkel, S.R. (2011) Aging, Society and the Life Course, (4th ed.). New York: Springer Publishing. - Estes, C.L. (2003) ‘Theorizing perspectives on old age policy : a critique and a proposal’, in S. Biggs, A. Lowenstein, and J. Hendricks (eds.) The Need for Theory : Critical Approaches to Social Gerontology, pp. 219-244. Amityville, NY : Baywood. Supplementary texts: - Moody, H.R. (ed) (2006) Aging: Concepts and Controversies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. - Findsen, B., Formosa, M. (2011), Lifelong Learning in Later Life: A Handbook on Older Adult Learning. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. - Estes, C.L., Biggs, S. and Phillipson, C. (2004 ) Social Theory, Social Policy, and Ageing : A Critical Introduction. Berkshire : Open University Press. - Kalache, A., Barreto, S.M., Keller, I. (2005) 'Global Ageing: The Demographic Revolution in All Cultures and Societies', in M.L. Johnson (ed.) The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing, pp. 30-46. NY:Cambridge University Press. - Masoro, E.J. and Austad, S.N. (2010) (rds.) Handbook of the biology of aging (7th ed.). San Diego: Academic Press. - Johnson, M.L. (2005) (ed.) The Cambridge handbook of age and ageing. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. |
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ADDITIONAL NOTES | This study-unit is only offered to students following the Higher Diploma in Gerontology and Geriatrics course. | ||||||||||||
STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |