Gerontology
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Subject classification: this is an education resource. |
Gerontology (from Ancient Greek: γέρων, geron, "old man" and -λογία, -logy, "study of") is the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging. It is distinguished from geriatrics, which is the branch of medicine that studies the disease of the elderly.
Gerontology includes these and other endeavors:
- investigating the aging process itself (biogerontology);
- investigating the interface of normal aging and age-related disease (geroscience);
- investigating the effects of our aging population on society, including the fiscal effects of pensions, entitlements, life and health insurance, and retirement planning;
- applying this knowledge to policies and programs, i.e. government planning or running a nursing home.
Biogerontology
[edit | edit source]Biogerontology is the subfield of gerontology dedicated to studying the biological processes of aging. It includes Biomedical gerontology, also known as experimental gerontology and life extension, is a sub discipline of biogerontology that endeavors to slow, prevent, and even reverse aging in both humans and animals. Curing age-related diseases is one approach, and slowing down the underlying processes of aging with the help of physical exercises is another. Most "life extensionists" believe the human life span can be altered within the 21st century.
Social gerontology
[edit | edit source]Social gerontology is a multi-disciplinary sub-field that specializes in studying or working with older adults. Social gerontologists may have degrees or training in social work, nursing, psychology, sociology, demography, gerontology, or other social science disciplines.
Benefits of exercise for all ages have been known since antiquity. Marcus Cicero, around 65 BC, stated: “It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor.” [1]
Social gerontologists are responsible for educating, researching, and advancing the broader causes of older people by giving informative presentations, publishing books and articles that pertain to the aging population, producing relevant films and television programs, and producing new graduates of these various disciplines in college and university settings.
Some academic resources
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- Ageing & Society, eISSN: 1710-1107 ISSN: 0714-9808, Cambridge University Press
- Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, ISSN: 0167-4943, Elsevier
- Educational Gerontology, eISSN: 1521-0472 ISSN: 0360-1277, Routledge
- Experimental Gerontology, ISSN: 0531-5565, Elsevier
- Geriatrics & Gerontology International, eISSN: 1447-0594 ISSN: 1444-1586, Japan Geriatrics Society
- Gerontology, eISSN: 1423-0003 ISSN: 0304-324X, Karger
- Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, eISSN: 1545-3847 ISSN: 0270-1960, Routledge
- Journal of Aging Studies, ISSN: 0890-4065, Elsevier
- International Journal of Gerontology, ISSN: 1873-9598, Elsevier
- Journal of Applied Gerontology, eISSN: 1552-4523 ISSN: 0733-4648, SAGE Publications
