Gerontology Certificate

Deepen your understanding of the physical, emotional, mental, social and ethical aspects of aging. Learn practical skills to support the health and well-being of our senior population.

Gerontology Certificate Overview

As our senior population increases, so does demand for skilled and compassionate geriatric care providers.

Professionals who work with seniors must understand the complexities and challenges of aging, and how to support health and well-being in older adults. This is the purpose and goal of the Gerontology certificate.

This training combines cutting-edge research and application to real-life situations to help you learn:

The functional changes of aging, common illnesses related to aging, and the relationship between aging and quality of life
The symptoms and treatments of common mental health issues among seniors (such as dementia, depression, and delirium)
Legal and ethical issues around elder abuse, consent and capacity, medically assisted dying, and advanced care planning
Techniques for engaging seniors in recreational activities and programs, social engagement, and a healthy lifestyle
A variety of community resources available to seniors, long-term care, and palliative care

Benefits of Online Gerontology Training at Kompass

The Gerontology certificate is delivered online for maximum flexibility without sacrificing on quality, engagement, or instructor support.

Here’s how it works:

Study online and fit coursework around your schedule
Learn from experienced geriatric health care professionals
Exchange ideas with your peers through online discussions
Get personalized support and coaching
Learn practical skills you can apply immediately in your own work

Joyful woman taking care of elderly mother

What to Expect from our Online Gerontology Course

Meet our gerontology instructor, learn more about the topics and skills covered in the course, and see who the training is geared toward.

Careers in Gerontology

There are several career paths that focus on the care and support of seniors, in both clinical and community settings.

Some common job titles in this field include:

Community Support Worker
Personal Support Worker
Health Care Aide
Geriatric Nurse
Recreation Program Manager
Social Worker
Mental Health Clinician

Course Format and Schedule

(Asynchronous)
Instructor Supported courses come with the support of a dedicated Instructor but do not follow a set class schedule. Students work at their own pace to complete the course within a set time period. The Instructor may offer pre-recorded lectures that are available for students to review or monthly check-in sessions that students can participate in via phone or video.

The Instructor Supported format offers students continued support from a dedicated Instructor with the flexibility to complete the certificate over a longer period of time.

The Aging Process

The Aging Process training module will explore the social, biological and psychological aspects of aging. Social theories of aging will be explored. Students will explore the functional changes of aging, common illnesses related to aging, and the relationship between aging and quality of life. Diversity in aging will be explored from a cultural and religious perspective. Psycho-social issues facing aging population will be explored including: relationships with children, sexuality and love, retirement. A brief orientation to death and dying is discussed.

Cognitive Issues in Aging

The Cognitive Issues in Aging training module will look at issue of mental health as it relates to the aging process. Illnesses such as dementia, depression, and delirium will be explored in the context of causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. Students will explore various cognitive assessment tools and supports available. Current issues related to mental health and aging will be discussed.

Ethical and Legal Aspects of Aging

The Ethical and Legal Aspects of Aging training module explores the issues of consent and capacity as they relate to aging. Students will identify and discuss when capacity is assessed and how; issues of consent, including substitute decision makers. Advanced care planning is discussed. The issue of MAID (medical assistance in dying) is explored and discussed. Elder abuse is explored in the context of signs & symptoms and how to report.

Health Promotion

The Health promotion training module explores how to engage people in adopting a healthy lifestyle during the aging process. Recreational activities and programs are explored as well as community resources available. This module also explores pain management and issues of sleep. Aging and technology are also explored in this module.

Community Resources and Social Policy

The Community Resources and Social Policy training module explores community resources available for seniors. Social issues related to aging including housing, transportation, income will be explored. Long-term care and palliative care are explored in relation to funding and policy. Edit Course

Instructors

Meet our industry-expert Instructors.

Rose Ceci

Instructor, Healthcare

I have been a mental health nurse for 18 years. I have a Masters degree in nursing and am a certified psychiatric mental health nurse with the Canadian Mental Health Association. Most of my experience has been working in adolescent mental health at the Sick Kids Centre for Community Mental Health (formerly the Hincks Dellcrest Centre) in Toronto. I was a volunteer nurse with the Sherbourne Health bus, providing medical care and basic hygiene supplies to marginalized people in downtown Toronto. I am currently a Nurse Clinician at Humber River Hospital, providing mental health assessments, consultation, and staff coaching.

I have experience running various groups such as CBT based groups, structured relapse prevention, and self esteem groups as well as various methods of counselling including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.

Overview

START DATES

Weekly (Mondays)

TOTAL PROGRAM LENGTH

3-6 months

DELIVERY

Online (Instructor Supported)

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENT

Post-secondary education (degree or diploma) OR experience in a related field

Scholarship Offer

Ready to start?

Classes begin every Monday!

Related Certificates

Community Mental Health and Addictions

Who Should Take the Certificate?

The Gerontology certificate is designed for professionals seeking to more effectively support and care for seniors. Anyone who regularly interacts with seniors will benefit from this training, including:

Healthcare workers
Social workers
Community outreach professionals
Caregivers

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Post-secondary university degree or college diploma; OR
Relevant professional experience

Gillian, Community Mental Health Student

I have just completed the Community Mental Health certification and I absolutely loved it. The format of the course was very accommodating to those with busy schedules and still managed to be consistent, informative and interactive. The professors I had were both very engaging, knowledgeable and made already interesting material even better! Their slides, links and discussions were fantastic and I learned a lot that I will carry on with more towards future endeavours. Definitely recommend!

Tuition

**Register for a certificate and receive a $500 scholarship towards tuition!**

The chart below outlines the cost of the classes if you choose to take them individually. Once you register for 3 more classes within a certificate you will be charged the non-refundable $200 registration fee. Individual classes must be paid in full at time of registration.

To register for a certificate we charge a $200 non-refundable registration fee. We offer payment plans for the remaining tuition (Total due is $1,995 after the $500 scholarship discount) in 3 equal payments of $665 that are charged week 1, week 5 and week 9 of your course.

We also offer an extended payment plan over 6 months for monthly payments of $333 over 6 months. Please note your course must be paid in full prior to completion.

Kompass Alumni Benefit: If you successfully complete a certificate with Kompass you are eligible for 20% off the tuition of future certificates and classes!

**Group and employer discounts and custom corporate training options are available for 3 or more students**

Textbooks

All reading materials are provided for this course.

Courses

Individual Cost

The Aging Process (3-6 weeks)

$624

Cognitive Issues in Aging (3-6 weeks)

$624

Ethical and Legal Aspects of Aging (2-4 weeks)

$415

Health Promotion (2-4 weeks)

$416

Community Resources and Social Policy (2-4 week)

$416

Program Overview