GERONTOLOGY AS A CAREER: EVIDENCE FROM COGNITIVE IMPROVEMENT IN A COGNITIVE TRAINING GROUP

摘要

>Background: The population aging process is a worldwide phenomenon. Projections show that by 2030, there will be more seniors than children. Capable and skilled professionals are necessary in order to deal with such demographic transition. >Purpose: to discuss gerontology and the gerontologist as an important career for both present and future. >Methods: 10 older adults from an Open University for seniors were tested before and after a cognitive training intervention. Gerontologists did this intervention in 20 sessions, which happened once per week during one hour. A change detection task was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention. The test had 21 trials and was adapted to a tablet device. >Results: 9 participants were female; the mean age was 71.5 years (± 8.3); the mean for years of education was 11.3 years (± 4.8). The average reaction time on the pre-intervention measure was 5.9 sec (±3.35), and 3.67 sec (±1.21) on post-intervention; the difference between pre and post-intervention was statistically significant (t=2.666; p=0.026). The mean of correct answers was 12.1 (± 1.9) and 11.8 (± 3.2) on pre and post-intervention assessments, respectively. There was no statistical difference between these results (t=0.335; p=0.745). >Conclusion: This study suggests that the professional performance of gerontologists can unfold in improvements to the elderly public. Because of their interdisciplinary characteristic, gerontologists tend to be, and can be, accepted and employed in a wide variety of institutes/organizations.