NOTE: The course was substantially revised and re-titled in Feb. 2010. If you have taken this course prior to this date, you can take it again.
The content of this course includes the entire text that comprises the Psychology of Aging and Positive Psychology online course (3 CE Credits). You CANNOT receive credit for these two courses in the same license renewal period.
Course fulfills the California and other states' Aging and Long-Term Care requirements.
3. Submit online evaluation & post-test.
4. Print your certificate.
Part of the course material is in pdf format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have it click here for free download.
This course also includes audio files (mp3).
GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION
Between 1900 and 2000 American life expectancy jumped from 47 to 77 years. Advances in genetic engineering, tissue engineering, stem cell therapies, nanotechnology, hormone therapies, and other fields are likely to foster a longevity revolution in which life-spans get much longer and people look and function younger at older ages. What can psychology and positive psychology teach us about how to live longer, healthier, and happier? This course uses articles and interviews with anti-aging experts to consider cognitive and personality research and clinical issues. The focus is on what helps people age better and live longer as opposed to focusing on decline and pathology. The content is both relevant to your aging better and to helping clients age better and deal with the challenges of aging.
In this intermediate course the article on aging and positive psychology examines longevity research with an emphasis on attitudes, beliefs, and coping skills. Other articles look at particular aspects of cognition and personality in aging and at clinical issues, such as diagnostic and testing considerations, elder abuse, substance abuse, financial considerations, and rural outreach.
Often the best way to get a feel for researchers and their research is to hear them. The course includes eight unique MP3 interviews with anti-aging experts. Each interview is about 35-40 minutes long. Separate PDF files give bios and notes for each of these interviews. Interviews with Dr. Alan Zelicoff, Dr. Duke Johnson, and Dr. Barry Sears consider what evidence-based medicine, holistic health research, and hormone research find about how to live longer and healthier lives. Dr. Ryan Niemiec examines portrayals of aging in movies from the perspective of positive psychology. Psychologist Dr. Jeff Johnson and sociologist Dr. Paula Forman, Ph.D., consider challenging life transitions for Baby Boomers. Sexologist Dr. Robert Birch shares his 30+ years of clinical experience as a sex therapist and discusses how to foster a fulfilling sex life for Boomers and seniors. John Erickson is a visionary who revolutionized retirement living, founded Retirement Living Television network (the only cable TV network devoted to seniors), and has developed remarkably effective medical services for seniors. Happiness researcher Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky shares her research on happiness and what people can do to become happier.
Educational Objectives:
This course will teach psychotherapists to
Identify how attitudes, beliefs, and coping skills impact longevity.
Identify preventive health strategies to enhance health and longevity.
Identify ways to improve clinical services to Baby Boomers and seniors.
Identify how cognition tends to change with aging.
Identify challenges in aging and how to foster happier lives.
Identify centenarian personality traits.
Summarize research on positive psychology and aging.
Course Syllabus:
Cognition and Personality
Aging and Positive Psychology
Accentuating the Positive—Why Older People Are Happier
A Healthy Mind, a Longer Life
Overgeneralizing the Generations--Stereotyping
Older Consumers Factor More Positive, Specifics into Product Choices
Older and Untroubled--Positive and Negative Memories
A Profile of Older Americans
Clinical Issues
Caring for Caregivers
Testing for Impairment: Researchers are Seeking Culturally Valid Methods
A Little Help from your Home-Supportive Technology for Seniors’ Homes
The Forgotten Population-Serving Rural Seniors
Substance Abuse by Older Adults
Finances for a Long Lifetime
Elder Abuse and Neglect
Dementia: Hope Through Research—Diagnostic Considerations
Unique set of interviews (MP3s) with Anti-aging experts:
Alan Zelicoff, MD: Evidence-based Medicine and Common Harmful Medical Practices and Treatments
Duke Johnson, MD: A Holistic Approach to Preventing Heart Disease, Cancer, and Chronic Diseases
Barry Sears, PhD: How Insulin, Hormones, and Inflammation Impact Chronic Diseases and Obesity
Ryan Niemiec, PsyD: Positive Psychology, Movies, and Aging Well
Jeff Johnson, PhD & Paula Forman, PhD: Baby Boomer Life Transitions
Robert Birch, PhD: A Fulfilling Sex Life for Boomers and Seniors
John Erickson: A Visionary Redefines Aging and Retirement
Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD: What Research Says About Being Happy
Part of the course material is in pdf format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The content is both relevant to your aging better and to helping clients age better and deal with the challenges of aging. 
