“What on earth is gerontology?”, I hear you say. It’s not exactly a word that comes up in day-to-day conversation. Well, unless you’re a gerontologist! But if we’re going to talk about anti-aging, we need to talk about aging more generally, and that’s where gerontology comes into play.
Gerontology is the study of aging, like psychology studies the mind and biology studies life. In fact, it can include elements of both psychology and biology, as well as sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, social work, medicine, geography and a host of other fields. It is related to but not the same as geriatrics, the treatment of disease in the elderly.
The reason it’s so broad-ranging is that aging can affect every aspect of our lives, including our physical appearance and health, our mental and emotional wellbeing, our position in society, and our ability to work. It affects how we are treated by others, where we live, and the attitude of the legal system. Understanding these things is the first step to trying to improve conditions for older people.
In 1945, the Gerontological Society of America was founded. It continues to be the largest organization of its kind. In 1946, the Journal of Gerontology released its first issue. Since then, countless scientists in different disciplines have worked together to try to figure out better ways to treat people as they age.
This includes studying the most effective ways to communicate with older people, developing better screening for the diseases of aging to allow earlier diagnosis, educating people both old and young about the effects of aging, and helping design policies that account for the effects of age. It could mean creating new technologies, establishing new programs or training new support workers.
People are living longer, and questions about the most appropriate ways to care for the elderly are becoming more prominent. Gerontology is an increasingly important field if we want to take a scientific, evidence-based approach to alleviating the worst side effects of aging.
There are three big areas that gerontology needs to focus on to tackle this effectively. First, it needs to study the effects of aging on individuals. Then, it needs to explore how society reacts to these changes. Finally, it needs to develop practical responses that can be used by individuals, families, communities, healthcare professionals, businesses and governments. It’s challenging but important work.
