The Integration of Pro-Active Aging Education into Existing Educational Curricula

Summary

Community service-learning in schools, and increased awareness of the interdependence of generations, has heightened interest in intergenerational programming. While there is agreement that service-learning results in substantial educational opportunities, too often the result is training, or reflection, but not proactive aging education. Students, therefore, have little sustainable understanding of the older adults with whom they are interacting. This paper addresses what aging education should include, why it is not consistently being taught, and how to integrate aging education into already existing curricula and age-appropriate skill development.