SemesterFall Semester, 2025
DepartmentInternational Master's Program in Asia-Pacific Studies, First Year International Master's Program in Asia-Pacific Studies, Second Year
Course NameGerontology and Soical Welfare to the Elderly
InstructorWANG MING-SHENG
Credit3.0
Course TypeElective
Prerequisite
Course Objective
Course Description
Course Schedule















































































































































週次



Week



課程主題



Topic



課程內容與指定閱讀



Content and Reading Assignment



教學活動與作業



Teaching Activities and Homework



學習投入時間



Student workload expectation



課堂講授



In-class Hours



課程前後



Outside-of-class Hours



1



09/02



Introduction



*Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (1987). Human aging: usual and successful. Science, 237(4811), 143-149.



¹Movie:《別告訴她》(英語:The Farewell



《我就要你好好的》的英文片名是Me Before You



Expected later life



3



6-9



2



09/09



Successfully aging



*Katz, S., & Calasanti, T. (2014). Critical perspectives on successful aging: Does it “appeal more than it illuminates”? The Gerontologist, gnu027.



*Martinson, M., & Berridge, C. (2015). Successful aging and its discontents: A systematic review of the social gerontology literature. The Gerontologist, 55(1), 58-69.



*Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (1997). Successful aging. The gerontologist, 37(4), 433-440.



¹Movie:《一路玩到掛》(英語:The Bucket List



Who’s successful aging



 



3



6-9



3



09/16



Physical & psychological health, and disease



* Soares, J., Barros, H., Torres-Gonzales, F., Ioannidi-Kapolou, E., Lamura, G., Lindert, J., ... & Stankunas, M. (2010). Abuse and health among elderly in Europe.



* Parker, M. G., & Thorslund, M. (2007). Health trends in the elderly population: getting better and getting worse. The Gerontologist47(2), 150-158.



* Weissberger, G. H., Mosqueda, L., Nguyen, A. L., Samek, A., Boyle, P. A., Nguyen, C. P., & Han, S. D. (2020). Physical and mental health correlates of perceived financial exploitation in older adults: Preliminary findings from the Finance, Cognition, and Health in Elders Study (FINCHES). Aging & mental health24(5), 740-746.



¹Movie:《性福療程》(英語:The Sessions



 



 



3



6-9



4



09/23



Social security & Poverty & homeless $pension



Costa, D. L. (1998). The Evolution of Retirement: An American Economic History, 880-1990. Chicago: he University of Chicago Press.



Crystal, S. (2016). Late-Life Inequality in the Second Gilded Age: Policy Choices in a New Context.  Public Policy and Aging Report, 26(2), 42-47.



Mazzola, P., S. M. Rossi, R. P., Noale, M., Rea, F., Facchini, C., Maggi, S., Corrao, G., & Annoni, G. (2016). Aging in Italy: The Need for New Welfare Strategies in an Old Country. The Gerontologist, 56(3), 383-390.



Manoli, D., & Weber, A. (2015), Nonparametric Evidence of the Effects of Financial Incentives on Retirement Decisions. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 8(4), 160-182.



*Moor, N., de Graaf, P. M., & Komter, A. (2013). Family, welfare state generosity and the vulnerability of older adults: A cross-national study. Journal of Aging Studies, 27(4), 347-357. https://www.ndc.gov.tw/cp.aspx?n=0AC9060A0D2CE9E1&upn=C854C291571A68B5



Natalli, D. (ed.) (2017). The New Pension Mix in Europe: Recent Reforms, Their Distributional Effects and Political Dynamics. Brussels: P.I.E. Peter Lang.



 



3



6-9



5



09/30



Care arrangement



*Fast, J. E., Williamson, D. L., & Keating, N. C. (1999). The hidden costs of informal elder care. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 20(3), 301-326.



*Haberkern, K., & Szydlik, M. (2010). State care provision, societal opinion and children’s care of older parents in 11 European countries. Ageing & Society, 30(2), 299-323.



*Wang, M. S.* & Wu, C. (2018). Assisting caregivers with frail elderly in alleviating financial hardships. Social Work in Public Health, 33(6), 396-406. Published online: 10 August 2018. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2018.1504705



*Ungerson, C. (2004). Whose empowerment and independence? A cross-national perspective on “cash for care” schemes. Ageing & Society, 24(2), 189-212.



Chin, C. W., & Phua, K. H. (2016). Long-Term Care Policy: Singapore's Experience. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 28(2), 113-129.



Wu, B., Z. Mao, et al. (2008). Institutional care for elders in rural China. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 20(2), 218-39.



 



3



6-9



6



10/07



Long-term care system



*Gardner, W., States, D., & Bagley, N. (2020). The coronavirus and the risks to the elderly in long-term care. Journal of aging & social policy32(4-5), 310-315.



*Chen, L., Zhang, L., & Xu, X. (2020). Review of evolution of the public long-term care insurance (LTCI) system in different countries: influence and challenge. BMC Health Services Research20(1), 1057.



*Yeh, M. J. (2020). Long-term care system in Taiwan: the 2017 major reform and its challenges. Ageing & Society40(6), 1334-1351.



 



3



6-9



7



10/14



Car accident, stroke, Fall



*Ang, G. C., Low, S. L., & How, C. H. (2020). Approach to falls among the elderly in the community. Singapore medical journal61(3), 116.



*Rajati, F., Rajati, M., Rasulehvandi, R., & Kazeminia, M. (2023). Prevalence of stroke in the elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery32, 101746.



*Yadollahi, M., Pazhuheian, F., Jamali, K., & Hadi Niakan, M. (2020). Hospitalization due to traffic accidents among the elderly, Shiraz, 2018; mortality, severity, and injury pattern. Archives of Trauma Research9(3), 106-110.



PPT draft



3



6-9



8



10/21



Mid-term



Individual/group project consult



 



3



6-9



9



10/28



Discrimination/Elderly abuse



*Barbara Griffin, B., Bayl-Smith, P., & Hesketh, B. (2016). The Longitudinal Effects of Perceived Age Discrimination on the Job Satisfaction and Work Withdrawal of Older Employees. Work, Aging and Retirement, online published. doi:10.1093/workar/waw014.



*Duncan, C., & Loretto, W. (2004). Never the Right Age? Gender and Age-Based Discrimination in Employment. Gender, Work and Organization, 11(1), 95-115.



*Wang M.S.*, Kang S., & Schiamberg, L. B. (2015). Ecological factors associated with elder abuse in Taiwan: a systematic review. Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 25(1), 13-28. Published online: 31 Aug 2014. http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/AAT46GRmupx6upnKIzbB/full



Bai, X., Lai, D. W. L., & Guo A. (2016). Ageism and Depression: Perceptions of Older People as a Burden in China. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 26-46.



Bayl-Smith, P. H., & Griffin, B. (2014). Age discrimination in the workplace: identifying as a late-career worker and its relationship with engagement and intended retirement age. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 44, 588-599.



 



3



6-9



10



11/04



Elderly abuse (Financial abuse & Neglect)



*Fraga Dominguez, S., Ozguler, B., Storey, J. E., & Rogers, M. (2022). Elder abuse vulnerability and risk factors: is financial abuse different from other subtypes?. Journal of applied gerontology41(4), 928-939.



*Nguyen, A. L., Mosqueda, L., Windisch, N., Weissberger, G., Axelrod, J., & Han, S. D. (2021). Perceived types, causes, and consequences of financial exploitation: Narratives from older adults. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B76(5), 996-1004



*Greene, A. J. (2022). Elder financial abuse and electronic financial instruments: present and future considerations for financial capacity assessments. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry30(1), 90-106.



 



3



6-9



11



11/11



Dementia



*Tuijt, R., Rees, J., Frost, R., Wilcock, J., Manthorpe, J., Rait, G., & Walters, K. (2021). Exploring how triads of people living with dementia, carers and health care professionals function in dementia health care: A systematic qualitative review and thematic synthesis. Dementia20(3), 1080-1104.



*Livingston, G., Huntley, J., Sommerlad, A., Ames, D., Ballard, C., Banerjee, S., ... & Mukadam, N. (2020). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. The lancet396(10248), 413-446. (Two persons lead discussion)



¹Movie:《被遺忘的時光》



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uguuk9sn1AA



 



3



6-9



12



11/18



Activity, exercise, and social participation



Badura, B., Kickbusch, I., & World Health Organization. (1991). Health promotion research: towards a new social epidemiology. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe.



*Chen, K. M., Chen, M. H., Hong, S. M., Chao, H. C., Lin, H. S., & Li, C. H. (2008). Physical fitness of older adults in senior activity centers after 24‐week silver yoga exercises. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(19), 2634-2646.



*Chen, K. M., Li, C. H., Chang, Y. H., Huang, H. T., & Cheng, Y. Y. (2015). An elastic band exercise program for older adults using wheelchairs in Taiwan nursing homes: A cluster randomized trial. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 52(1), 30-38.



*McLeroy, K. R., Bibeau, D., Steckler, A., & Glanz, K. (1988). An Ecological Perspective on Health Promotion Programs. Health Education Quarterly, 15(4), 351–377.



*Wen, C. P., Wai, J. P. M., Tsai, M. K., Yang, Y. C., Cheng, T. Y. D., Lee, M. C., ... & Wu, X. (2011). Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: a prospective cohort study. The Lancet, 378(9798), 1244-1253.



¹Movie:《高年級實習生》(英語:The Intern



Local sport center observation



3



6-9



13



11/25



Living arrangement



*Ren, Q., & Treiman, D. J. 2015. Living Arrangements of the Elderly in China and Consequences for Their Emotional Well-being. Chinese Sociological Review, 47(3): 255-286.



*Sassler, S. (2010). Partnering across the life course: Sex, relationships, and mate selection. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72, 3, 557-575.



*Wang, M.S. (2019). Is home the best place for aging? The complex landscape of eldercare. Social Work in Public Health, published online, May 1, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2019.1606753



 



3



6-9



14



12/02



Final Presentation



Oral presentation 10-12minutes



Peer review & feedback



3



6-9



15



12/09



Final Presentation



Oral presentation 10-12minutes



Peer review & feedback



3



6-9



16



12/16



Final Paper



Turnitin check



 



3



6-9



Teaching Methods
Teaching Assistant
Requirement/Grading

  • Grading Criteria




  1. Weekly reflection (1 page per issue, including questions) (15%), guided reading (20%), and class participation (15%)

  2. Final project presentation (15%) and final project (25%)

  3. Personal course learning reflection (at least 1 page), including self-improvement, strengths and weaknesses of the course, and suggestions for improvement (10%)



Course Requirements



Class issue reports: For the weekly topics (selected by students every 2-3 weeks, depending on class size), students will select articles to report on, and write a summary reflection, commentary, and questions (e.g., the article’s main arguments, findings, strengths, weaknesses, and your own thoughts or doubts). The report must be limited to 15 A4 pages (font size 13) and submitted by 11:30 pm on the final week.



 



Final report writing: Select a topic related to aging issues and needs in Taiwan, focusing on any (but not limited to) of the following current gerontological and social welfare issues:



(1) Elderly poverty and economic security;



(2) The elderly and national pension;



(3) Social participation, leisure, and education for the elderly;



(4) Elderly housing (social housing, intergenerational cohabitation, rental management, house-for-pension policies) and elderly care;



(5) Stress and adaptation of long-term elderly caregivers;



(6) Community care for the elderly and resource networks;



(7) Long-term care for the elderly (retention intentions of care workers) and institutional care;



(8) Ageism, elderly protection, and elder abuse;



(9) Migrant care workers (care quality and training support).



Explore the importance of the chosen topic (current status, problems, and elderly needs), examine corresponding social welfare systems and service implementations in Taiwan and abroad, and propose personal thoughts and suggestions.



Students must collect at least 10 relevant domestic and international literature, write the report in an article-style format, and present it via PPT (or other creative formats) at the end of the semester. The presentation time for each individual, group (for those with undecided research topics), or person is 20-25 minutes, with 5 minutes open for class discussion. The written report must be uploaded to Moodle by 11:30 pm on June 18, with a length limit of 15-20 pages (using standard Kai font, size 12, 1.5-line spacing, and 2.5 cm margins on all sides).



The presentation and report content may include (but can be creatively expanded based on the topic) the following subheadings:




  1. Introduction (importance of the problem or issue)

  2. Current status analysis or literature review (introduction to needs or systems, relevant regulations, etc.)

  3. Foreign policies or research methods (based on collected literature)

  4. Discussion or future outlook (suggestions for policy or practical reforms)


Textbook & Reference
Urls about Course
Attachment

114_1_NCCU Gerontology and Social Welfare to the Elderly ?????????? Syllabus20250728_English.pdf