DEATH AND DYING: ISSUES FOR EDUCATIONAL GERONTOLOGISTS

Educational activities in gerontology have developed rapidly over the past 25 years and currently offer continued promise of future expansion. As activities grow and diversify, new and modified roles are created for individuals with knowledge of the processes of aging, commitment to improve the quality of life of older people, and familiarity with educational design and practice.

The purpose of this paper is to identify a few of these roles and to conceptualize the field in a way that may add greater clarity and understanding to the complex array of contemporary events. Three topics will be included: (1) a brief description of the background that has produced educational gerontology; (2) a definition and clarification of the meaning of the term; and (3) identification of the current and future roles for educational gerontologists.