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Goals for Aging
Education
by Fran Pratt
The National Academy for Teaching and Learning about Aging (NATLA) recommends three
major areas of focus for aging education: attitudes about aging, the aging process, and
issues of an aging society. The goals for each of these areas are stated as concepts and
can serve as guides for planning curriculum and developing learning activities.
Attitudes
- Perceive long life as an opportunity for continuous growth and development, not as a
late life process of decline.
- Recognize the unique individuality and diversity of all people as they grow and mature.
- Appreciate the roles of older people.
- Understand ageism and the harmful consequences of age prejudice and discrimination.
- Recognize that the quality of life for people of all ages depends largely on choices
made by the individual and the society.
The Aging Process
- Comprehend aging as a continuous, life-long process of growing up and becoming older.
- Become conscious of one's own potential for long life.
- Understand the aging process as a complex interaction of genetic, life style and
environmental factors.
- Recognize that personal choices about mental and physical health habits affect the
quality and length of life.
- Recognize that the way people age involves a complex interplay of physical,
psychological and social factors.
- Appreciate that each individual grows old in a different way.
- Understand the relativity of the terms "young" and "old."
Issues of an Aging Society
- Understand that advances in nutrition, medicine, and health care have made it possible
for most people to live long lives.
- Be aware that growing longevity is increasing the number and percentage of older people
in the population.
- Recognize that an aging population creates changing economic and social circumstances
which demand intelligent and informal decisions by individuals and society.
- Be aware that growing longevity presents opportunities as well as problems, depending on
how the challenges are perceived and met.
- Appreciate that both individuals and society can alter their behavior and policies in
ways that improve the quality of life for all generations.
- Understand that positive intergenerational relationships are needed to meet the demands
that growing longevity places on the family and society.
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