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Rutgers SHP Requirements for Graduation and Course Descriptions

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

Health Care Management

IDST5320 - Social and Healthcare Policy for the Older Adults

Course Description

This course provides an overview of both social and health care policy as they pertain to older adults. The course covers the evolution of relevant governmental legislation and administration policy and how the current regulatory climate impacts older adults. An array of web-based resources, as well as text, articles and guided discussion are used to cover the course content and student mastery of the subject matter is evaluated through their participation in online discussions, assignments, quizzes, and papers. Graduate students will be required to complete graduate level assignments.

Credits/Modes of Instruction

Credits: 3

This 3-credit, 15 week, undergraduate and graduate course is provided via the Internet, specifically via eCollege. The course relies heavily on the completion of assigned readings, assignments, and participation in online discussions.

Prerequisites

Students enrolled in the course must have access to a computer and the Internet. Also, students must have access to Adobe Connect and have basic computer skills to complete the assignments.

Course Goals and Outcomes:

Goals

The overall goal of this course is to provide an overview of the major health care and social policies, nationally and internationally, as they pertain to older adults.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to do the following:
(1) Explain how demographics, cost, quality, and access impact the development and implementation of social and health care policy.
(2) Determine how changes in social and health policy for older adults influence health care delivery systems and provider practice patterns.
(3) Describe how values, beliefs, equity and equality influence development of health and social programs serving older adults.
(4) Demonstrate familiarity with various types of income maintenance and entitlement programs available for older adults.
(5) Demonstrate knowledge of the network of services available for older Americans as defined by the Older Americans Act.
(6) Discuss current Medicare and Medicaid legislation and describe its impact on the future directions of health care for older adults.
(7) Describe similarities and differences among social and health care policies in several different countries, as they pertain to older adults.