This advanced third-year course, Gerontology – Pastoral Care and Counselling, is designed to provide the professional Christian counsellor with a bio-psycho-social-spiritual integrative theological and psychological understanding of Gerontology.
Emphasis will be given to the theoretical aspects of gerontology from a multi-systems perspective and the implications this has for the pastoral counselling professional will be explored from a bio-psycho-social-spiritual, best counselling practice.
The course examines the psychological theory and practice of the care and counselling of ageing individuals and
the terminally ill. Attention will be given to the ethical considerations in the care of ageing individuals, societal attitudes, ageism, care facilities, and end of life issues. Special attention will be given to end of life issues, death and dying, grief, and the grieving process.
This course will equip the professional Christian counsellors with the theory and praxis to care for and provide pastoral care and counselling for seniors in the local church and/or a community, and to come alongside people dealing with end of life issues.

Course Outcomes – On completion of this module, you should be able to:

  1. Describe the scientific field of Gerontology from an integrated bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective
  2. Evaluate the biological, psychological, spiritual, and interpersonal aspects of ageing from a pastoral professional counselling perspective
  3. Minster to and do counselling with the elderly and their families utilizing best counselling practices.
  4. Conceptualise death and dying from a Christ centred, biblically based, Spirit led, and psychologically sound
    perspective, and provide professional counselling to the terminally ill and dying.
  5. Provide professional grief and bereavement pastoral counselling.