Gerontology
For the past ten years at GVT we have put a special emphasis on the social challenges presented by America's aging population. In 2015, we published an early book on the issues.
The Aging Tidal Wave:
How the baby boomers will SWAMP long term care and the 3 steps you can take to protect your agency
by George Ritacco
These are the stats from the book that woke us up ten years ago: "Every year, for the next twenty years, 3 million of the 75 million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 will hit retirement age (Barr, 2014). By 2029, when the last round of "boomers" retires, the number of Americans 65 or older will climb to more than 71 million (Colby & Ortman, 2014). In other words, we are looking at a tidal wave of more than 30 million additional retirees in the next fifteen years."
The Updated Stats:
- In 2020, the population aged 65 and overreached 55.8 million, representing 16.8% of the total US population.
- The number of older Americans has increased by 34% (14.7 million) since 2012, compared to an increase of 2% in the population under 65.
- The median age of the US population is now over 38 years old, marking the oldest it has ever been.
- In 2022, 31.9 million women and 25.9 million men were 65 or older.
- The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to increase from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050 (a 47% increase).
- The 65-and-older age group's share of the total population is projected to rise from 17% to 23% by 2050.
- By 2030, 20% of Americans are projected to be 65 and older.
Society's 2025 Response
Social work jobs serving older adults are now becoming plentiful, and geriatric social work is among the nation’s top 20 careers in terms of growth potential. With an MSW specialization in aging services and policy, career options include counseling and care management in hospice, community mental health centers, long term care, and private practice settings. Universities have upped their games to include many top programs for equipping students with cutting-edge knowledge in age-related health, psychology, and social care, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to aging that addresses the diverse needs of older adults and supports sustainable, age-friendly communities.
- University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
The master’s program at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology started in 1975, considered a pivotal year for aging, was the first educational program of its kind, and its beginning coincided with the founding of the National Institute on Aging. This was a period of first recognition that aging was becoming a significant societal issue, at the national and global levels.
The first program offered was the Master of Science in Gerontology (MSG), designed to train individuals in the biopsychosocial model, which takes a whole-person approach to aging, addressing not just the biological but also the psychological and social aspects of the aging process, as well as the broader societal needs. Later, it expanded to offer a bachelor’s degree, and eventually, a PhD program was developed.
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
“What makes our programs stand out from others is that we place a strong emphasis on identifying and disrupting ageism in all of its forms from the personal level up to the systems level,” says Jennifer M. Yañez Pryor, MA, MS, LALFA, program director for VCU’s gerontology program. “We then replace that with putting more of a spotlight on elderhood, which is a unique developmental stage characterized by continued growth, development, and purpose. These two pillars are threaded throughout our entire curriculum, which allows our students to implement positive change in any career, role, or sector they enter postgraduation.”
Ashley Staton, who has her MSW and is a graduate of VCU’s Certificate in Aging Studies program, serves as the dementia education specialist for the Virginia Center on Aging at VCU. Her view is:
“Every course I took expanded my knowledge about the aging population while building on the social work ethics that I obtained in that program,” she says. “Psychology of aging was especially interesting, as it offered a different perspective into the aging process. Social gerontology really emphasized how aging fits into society and helped me identify places where change could be implemented.”
- University of Denver
Currently offers an aging services and policy pathway for students. The goal of the program is to focus on career preparation for diverse pathways for social workers and to meet the increasing demand for the geriatric workforce. Some of the key classes of the program include aging policy, intergenerational justice, and assessment and interventions in aging.
Thank God
We are getting to work.
To learn more about the universities with aging studies programs specializations visit the links below:
University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
