Education about Aging

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*Please note that this is a preliminary page.

• There is little education about lifelong aging in primary and secondary schools, colleges, and even in professional health and service programs leading to careers working with older adults (Crawford, 2105; Levy, 2016; McGuire, 2017; Montepare et al, 2020; Whitbourne & Montepare, 2017).
• The lack of education about aging is one determinant of ageism toward older adults, and a growing body of evidence-based studies show that providing education about aging reduces ageism toward older adults (e.g., Levy, 2016; Lytle & Levy, 2019; Lytle, Macdonald, Apriceno, & Levy, 2020; Lytle, Nowacek, & Levy, 2020; Macdonald & Levy, 2021; Wurtele & Maruyama, 2013).  
• Results from reviews of the literature (Brown, Kother, & Wielandt, 2011) and meta-analyses (analyses that combine data from numerous studies to help draw conclusions about the body of research) point to the effectiveness of interventions including aging content to improve aging knowledge and improve attitudes toward older adults.  One relevant meta-analysis included 58 qualifying published articles between 1995-2014 (Chonody, 2015), and another relevant meta-analysis included 63 qualifying studies from 1976-2018 (Burnes et al., 2019). 
• Education about Aging is a key component of reducing ageism toward older adults.  Facilitating positive intergenerational contact is another key component The Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences (PEACE) model focuses on these two factors in helping reduce ageism toward older adults: “(a) education about aging including facts on aging along with positive older role models that dispel negative and inaccurate images of older adulthood; and (b) positive contact experiences with older adults that are individualized, provide or promote equal status, are cooperative, involve sharing of personal information, and are sanctioned within the setting. These two key contributing factors have the potential to be interconnected and work together to reduce negative stereotypes, aging anxiety, prejudice, and discrimination associated with older adults and aging.” (Levy, 2016, p.2). The PEACE model is supported by findings from Burnes et al. (2019) meta-analysis as well as studies that were designed to directly test the PEACE model (Lytle & Levy, 2019; Lytle, Macdonald, Apriceno, & Levy, 2020; Lytle, Nowacek, & Levy, 2020; Macdonald & Levy, 2021).  
• While there is a shortage of education about lifelong aging in many educational systems worldwide, there are gerontology or lifespan development courses in some colleges, books (see Books page), and videos (see Video page).  Consider  testing your knowledge about aging by taking this 50-item Facts on Aging Quiz. The correct answer and an explanation is given after each question: http://info.umkc.edu/aging/quiz/
  Note: “The authors of the 2015 version grant permission for anyone to use the Facts on Aging Quiz for educational purposes as long as credit is given using the following citation: Breytspraak, L. & Badura, L. (2015). Facts on Aging Quiz (revised; based on Palmore (1977; 1981)). Retrieved from https://aging.umkc.edu/quiz/.

References:

Breytspraak, L. & Badura, L. (2015). Facts on Aging Quiz (revised; based on Palmore (1977; 1981)). Retrieved from https://aging.umkc.edu/quiz/.

Brown, C. A., Kother, D. J., & Wielandt, T. M. (2011). A critical review of interventions addressing ageist attitudes in healthcare professional education. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy / Revue Canadienne D'ergothérapie, 78(5), 282-293. 

Burnes, D., Sheppard, C., Henderson, C. R., Jr., Wassel, M., Cope, R., Barber, C., & Pillemer, K. (2019). Interventions to reduce ageism against older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 109(8), e1–e9. https://doi-org.proxy.library.stonybrook.edu/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305123.

Chonody, J. M. (2015). Addressing ageism in students: A systematic review of the pedagogical intervention literature. Educational Gerontology, 41(2), 859-887.DOI: 10.1080/03601277.2015.1059139.

Crawford, P. A. (2015). Focus on Elementary: Rock of Ages: Developing Healthy Perspectives of Aging in the Elementary Grades. Childhood Education, 91(5), 395–401. https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2015.1090858.

Levy, S.R. (2016). Toward reducing ageism: PEACE (Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences) Model. The Gerontologist. Article first published online: 10 AUG 2016, doi: 10.1093/geront/gnw116.

Lytle, A. & Levy, S.R. (2019). Reducing ageism: Education about aging and extended contact with older adults. The Gerontologist, 59 (3), 580–588. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnx177.

Lytle, A., Macdonald, J., Apriceno, M., & Levy, S.R. (2020). Reducing ageism with brief videos about aging education, ageism, and intergenerational contact. The Gerontologist, https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaa167.

Lytle, A., Nowacek, N., & Levy, S. R. (2020). Instapals: Reducing ageism by facilitating intergenerational contact and providing aging education. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 41(3), 308-319.. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701960.2020.1737047.

Macdonald, J., & Levy, S. R. (2021). Education to Address Stereotypes about Older adults and Careers Working With Them. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 42(3), 363-379. doi: 10.1080/02701960.2020.1854246. Epub 2020 Dec 5.

McGuire, S. L. (2017). Aging Education: A Worldwide Imperative. Creative Education, 8, 1878-1891. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2017.812128.

Montepare, J. M., Farah, K. S., Bloom, S. F., & Tauriac, J. (2020). Age-Friendly Universities (AFU): Possibilities and Power in Campus Connections. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 41(3), 273–280. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701960.2020.1726744.

Whitbourne, S. K., & Montepare, J. M. (2017). What’s holding us back? Ageism in higher education. In T. Nelson (Ed.), Ageism: Stereotyping and prejudice against older persons (2nd ed., pp. 263–290). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Wurtele, S. K., & Maruyama, L. (2013). Changing students’ stereotypes of older adults. Teaching Of Psychology,, 40(1), 59-61. doi:10.1177/0098628312465867.