In recent years there has been an increased interest in the older person and in the aging process. An important reason for this interest is the recent growth in the proportion of older people in the population of many countries, including Canada.
Gerontology involves a number of disciplines.
For example, Biologists investigate the changes at the molecular, cellular and organismal level that take place over time, with a view to possible modification. Gerontologists trained in fields such as Psychology, Sociology, Health Studies and Environmental Studies focus on other age-related changes in individual and population aging. Similarly, those with a background in Environmental Studies direct their attention to the impact of the environment on aging. Gerontology is intended to provide a focus to aging studies at Waterloo. The latter component may be of particular interest to part-time, mature students.