Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Ageing, Health and Wellbeing

• Unit Code

  HST6355

• Year

  2019

• Enrolment Period

  2

• Version

  1

• Credit Points

  20

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  Online

• Unit Coordinator

  Dr Julie Susan DARE

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Description

In this unit, students investigate issues associated with older adults' (65+ years) health and wellbeing from a strengths-based, public health perspective. Students will consider demographic transitions, the social construction of ageing, and individual and population level factors influencing health and wellbeing amongst diverse older adult population groups. They will also identify specific challenges amongst targeted populations of older adults, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and other culturally-diverse groups. Students will design public health responses that maximise older adults' prospects to enjoy a healthy, socially-engaged and meaningful life.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Apply physical activity, nutrition and social engagement strategies to promote positive mental health and wellbeing in older adults.
2. Communicate confidently with older adults, their carers and clinicians to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.
3. Use initiative to plan, implement and evaluate interventions that enable wellbeing amongst older adults.
4. Engage in critical self-reflection to improve ongoing personal and professional performance in regard to promoting the health and wellbeing of older adults.

Unit Content

1. Demographic transitions and the social construction of ageing.
2. Promoting older adults health through information and communication technologies.
3. Determinants of healthy ageing.
4. Socio-ecological approaches to promoting healthy ageing.
5. Behavioural approaches to promoting ageing.
6. Primary health care approaches to promoting ageing.
7. Promoting positive cognitive and mental health amongst older adults.
8. Elder abuse.
9. Loss and grief.
10. A continuum of care: Promoting older adults health in the community and through residential aged care.

Learning Experience

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECU Blackboard as well as additional ECU learning technologies.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Students engage collaboratively to examine the challenges to older adults health and wellbeing, including functional decline and social isolation. Learning activities and assessments encourage students to use initiative, engage with industry partners and build emotional self-awareness through critical reflection activities, developing strategies to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults living in a variety of settings, including in the community-based and in residential aged care.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Core Reading(s)

• (2017). Healthy ageing and aged care (pp. 1–468). South Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://ecu.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1001387607

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