The official Master's Degree in Gerontology at Santa Ana University Center trains specialists with the necessary skills to carry out qualified work in geriatric residences, respite centers, town halls, mental health centers, rehabilitation centers, dependency centers, home help services, tele-assistance and private practice with the elderly and / or their families.
In addition to complementing a specialization in gerontology, the subjects taught focus on managerial training for work in government administration, as well as in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector and homes for the elderly.
Students’ skills are developed in the classroom using applied methods and current issues as context, which are then complemented with hands-on practice during the internship period, carried out in gerontological centers under the supervision of professional tutors.
Many CUSA graduates hold professional positions in public institutions and in private companies related to social and health care for the elderly and their families.
Gerontology is the science dedicated to studying the various aspects of individual as well as population aging, including the psychological, social, economic and cultural aspects of this human process. It analyzes the physical, mental and social needs of the elderly and how they are addressed by the different institutions (public and private) that serve them.
If gerontology deals with all aspects of old age (biological, psychological, social and cultural), geriatrics is the branch of medicine that specializes in the care of the most common diseases related to it.
In Spain there is great social concern for gerontology. In the first place, this is due to the existence of large populations of the aging in Western society (our country has one of the highest life expectancies in the world). Secondly, this is important because of the current living conditions of the elderly who, unlike in the past, no longer retain as close family ties as in previous generations. Thirdly, the concern comes from the fact that the long life enjoyed by our elders has to be accompanied by the high standards of quality expected in our society.
For students with specific educational needs related to a disability, more information is availabler here.