Purdue News

December 6, 2005

Purdue students get fresh look at aging

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Young graduate students in Karen Fingerman's gerontology class at Purdue University got a new sense of what it means to grow old when they looked in the mirror and saw an older person looking back.

Applying aging makeup
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Fingerman, an associate professor in child development and family studies, teamed up with Joel Ebarb, an assistant professor in visual and performing arts, in an experiment to see how students reacted to looking older. Ebarb used stage makeup techniques to visually age two 25-year-old students.

"I wanted to give the students a sense of how real aging is and that it will happen to them," Fingerman says. "I think it's hard to imagine your face older, especially for someone in their 20s. Seeing themselves as an old person might change that and help them in their work with aging populations once they leave Purdue."

Before and after makeup
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The students were part of a class called Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Aging, a graduate-level course required for students who minor in gerontology. Students major in all areas, including pharmacy, fitness, nutrition, finance and other disciplines related to aging populations.

"Increased life expectancy is the most profound change in the history of human existence," Fingerman said. "Life expectancy has nearly doubled over the past century, so it's our duty as educators to give our students the background to effectively work with that population."

Purdue is the only university that offers a dual doctorate in gerontology. Guest lectures introduce students to experts in gerontology on Purdue's campus. The students examine major sociological, psychological and biological theory and research in the field of aging.

"We cover the aging process from cells to Social Security," Fingerman says.

Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu

Source: Karen Fingerman, (765) 496-6378, karenf@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

 

Related Web site:
Center on Aging and the Life Course

 

PHOTO CAPTION:
Joel Ebarb, assistant professor in visual and performing arts, uses stage makeup techniques to visually age John Apolzan, 25, a graduate student in foods and nutrition from Indianapolis. In the background, Angela Yoder, a sophomore theater major from Lafayette, applies makeup to Karis Pallone, 25, a doctoral student in sociology and gerontology from Baltimore. The students were part of a class called "Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Aging" taught by Karen Fingerman, an associate professor in child development and family studies. The course is required for graduate students who minor in gerontology. Fingerman said she wanted the students to get a sense of aging and visually grasp the reality that it will eventually happen to them. (Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)

Publication-quality photographs are available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2005/aging.jpg

PHOTO CAPTION:
John Apolzan, 25, a Purdue University graduate student in foods and nutrition from Indianapolis, before (left) and after aging makeup and Karis Pallone, 25, a doctoral student in sociology and gerontology from Baltimore. The students were part of a class called "Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Aging" taught by Karen Fingerman, an associate professor in child development and family studies. The course is required for graduate students who minor in gerontology. Fingerman said she wanted the students to get a sense of aging and visually grasp the reality that it will eventually happen to them. (Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)

Publication-quality photographs are available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2005/aging-mugs.jpg

 

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