Interprofessional Graduate Certificate Program in Gerontology

The Interprofessional Graduate Certificate Program in Gerontology is designed to increase the knowledge, skills and abilities of health care and human service professionals who provide care to older adults in a variety of settings. The curriculum will meet the needs of working professionals who, because of the rapidly aging population, find themselves caring for a growing number of older adults.

This 9-credit certificate program, consisting of three courses, is offered online.

The sequence of courses is as follows:

(1) GRN 500 Opportunities and Challenges of Aging (3 cr.). Offered every fall semester.

(2) GRN 501 Life Transitions and Health in Aging (3 cr.). Offered every spring semester.

(3) GRN 502: Interprofessional Care of Older Adults in Diverse Settings (3 cr.). Offered every summer (7 week session).

Goals of the program:

The goals of the UMaine Interprofessional Graduate Certificate Program in Gerontology are to:

1.  Strengthen the knowledge, skills, and abilities of health and human service professionals for provision of effective, comprehensive care and services for older adults and their caregivers.
2. Increase the number of individuals who select a career in the health and human service fields with specialization in the delivery of services for older adults.
3. Prepare professionals from a variety of fields to function as members of interprofessional teams in the provision of services which enhance the lives of older adults and those who care for them.

Upon completion of the Interprofessional Certificate Program in Gerontology, the graduate will:

1. Develop a gerontological perspective of the challenges and opportunities of aging through knowledge, self-reflection, and critical analysis of existing frameworks.
2. Recommend interventions that promote older adults’ strengths and adaptations to maximize well-being, health, and mental health.
3. Evaluate ethical challenges in health and team-based care and their impact on older adults, families, and practitioners.
4. Use disciplinary expertise and collaboration to assess health and service needs of older adults and their caregivers.
5. Articulate role functions across the interprofessional care team using an integrated approach to aging, including the role of the older adult as a driver of their care.