Inside Behavior Analysis
Volume 3 | 2011 | Number 2 | Online ISSN: 2151-4704
Behavioral Gerontology
By Jonathan Baker
Behavioral gerontology is the application of behavior analysis to aging and age-related issues (LeBlanc, Raetz, & Feliciano, in press). By the year 2030, nearly 20% of the American population will be over the age of 65 and our society will face increasing challenges in providing adequate and affordable supports to the growing number of older adults who need them. The Behavioral Gerontology SIG (BGSIG) has the mission of fostering interest among behavior analysts in addressing and researching aging-related issues. Even as we grow the number of potential providers in this area, we face the barrier that most existing care agencies for seniors are unaware of the potential benefits of incorporating opportunities for behavior analysis into their practices. Thus, there are many opportunities for behavior analysts to make a powerful social impact, but those opportunities come with the challenge of convincing consumers of the value of our craft. The BGSIG holds a meeting during ABAI's annual convention and honors a student presenter each year. In addition to ongoing business activities, this meeting typically includes a discussion of challenges involved in working in multidisciplinary service settings and brainstorming of ideas for research studies to foster future student participation. A newsletter is distributed twice per year and the spring newsletter always includes a list of the aging related presentations at the upcoming convention. Information about the SIG, including previous newsletters, is available on the website (http://bgsig.wordpress.com/).