Gerontology students are working in the classroom and within the community to develop and hone skills designed to enhance life for people as they age, whether they are physically strong and active or have serious health or cognitive limitations.Cognitive styles and learning strategies sac state students study the aging process “along the life continuum,” osborne says, and consider its effects on individuals, families, and care systems.Cognitive styles and learning strategies

Caitlin groark, in her second year of gerontology studies, says her interest in a career helping older people probably began as she helped her aging grandparents with small tasks.Cognitive styles and learning strategies in the classroom, she is mastering topics such as elder abuse detection, effective communication with seniors, and how the aging process plays out in other countries.Cognitive styles and learning strategies groark is bringing that knowledge and related skills to her curriculum work in the field.

California’s senior population is entering a period of rapid growth, the public policy institute reports.Cognitive styles and learning strategies the institute estimates that by 2030, as more and more members of the baby-boom generation reach retirement age, the state’s population of people 65 and older will grow by 4 million and will become far more racially and ethnically diverse.Cognitive styles and learning strategies

One of those partners is river’s edge, a retirement community close to campus. There, students are paired with residents, and they practice skills used by case managers.Cognitive styles and learning strategies as students get to know their senior partners, they help them attain the best quality of life possible. That might include connecting them with community resources to address concerns such as improving mobility, staving off loneliness, practicing good nutrition, or getting help with insurance issues.Cognitive styles and learning strategies

Groark and her student partner, muhammad ali, meet weekly at river’s edge with lisa brown, a retired nurse and former nun who has chronic health issues but generally is robust.Cognitive styles and learning strategies groark and ali are learning brown’s life story, practicing communication skills, and offering help with technology related to her smart phone and ipad.Cognitive styles and learning strategies the relationship could become more complicated over time, “but right now it’s mostly about interacting with her, learning people skills,” groark says.Cognitive styles and learning strategies

Kim adams, a river’s edge administrator, said hundreds of residents have worked with sac state students during a partnership that has spanned 12 years.Cognitive styles and learning strategies some pairings have led to enduring friendships that have included dinners with family members and trips to the gym. A few sac state students have been hired to work at the river’s edge complex.Cognitive styles and learning strategies

Near the warmth of a fireplace in the lobby, student maribel guevara chatted and laughed with her partner, john wear. Wear, his cane propped against the sofa, shared that he had recently moved to river’s edge with his sheltie dog, sophie, and calico cat, emma.Cognitive styles and learning strategies he talked about his love of music, and the fact he no longer is able to drive. He said he’d like to learn to play the guitar. Guevara volunteered to help him explore the idea.Cognitive styles and learning strategies they also discussed walking his dog together for exercise.

In a chronic disease class, for example, elders discuss what it is like to live with heart disease, alzheimer’s, strokes, vision loss, and other conditions affecting them or their family.Cognitive styles and learning strategies they discuss how they cope with pain, caregiving, and loneliness. In another course, students study “global aging,” or what growing older is like in various countries.Cognitive styles and learning strategies