Elder Advocate Certificate (EAC)

Type: Career, Certificate (C1)

Open Admissions

Division: Human Services

This program provides a basic credential to those working in the field of aging without previous academic training or credentials. The one-year certificate program leads directly into the two-year Human Services Practitioner Associate Degree program.

Students interested in participating in an academic program that involves working with children, the disabled, or the elderly, or which includes a clinical affiliation, internship, or field placement with a private or public healthcare provider, may be required to undergo criminal background checks, including a national as well as local check (i.e. Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and Sex Offender Record Information (SORI)). Depending on the contents of these criminal background check(s), a student's participation in an academic program that involves working with children, the disabled, or the elderly or which includes a clinical affiliation, internship or field placement with a private or public healthcare provider may not be allowed, and therefore may impact a student's ability to complete program requirements. Furthermore, please note that eligibility to participate in the program and/or clinical affiliation, internship or field placement as a result of screening requirements, such as criminal background checks, is not a guarantee of eligibility to sit for professional credentialing examination(s) or employment upon graduation.

If you have questions related to program admissions or applications, please contact [e-mail] or call 978-762-4188.

 

 

First Year

Fall

CMP101	Composition 1	3
HUS101	The Human Services Worker	3
HUS130	Life Changes and Crisis: Adaptation and Intervention	3
LA-ELECTIVE	Liberal Arts Elective	3
PSY112	Introduction to Gerontology	3
Total Credit Hours:		15

Spring

HUS102	Helping Skills in Human Services	3
HUS137	Field Placement & Seminar 1 for Human Services Practitioner	3
HUS107	Nutritional and Health Aspects of Aging	3
HUS201	Advocacy for Elders	3
Total Credit Hours:		12

Program Notes
Communication and Mathematics proficiency required to graduate.
See guided pathway sheets for advising information specific to your area of focus.

Total Credit Hours: 27

Program Student Learner Outcomes

• Establish positive therapeutic relationships with elders and their families that promote constructive change.
• Demonstrate an understanding of cultural competence; provide ethical and culturally sensitive care.
• Develop and utilize a variety of conflict resolution and problem solving techniques in a variety of environments with elders and their families.
• Identify, evaluate and utilize effective verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills.
• Identify factors associated with crisis prevention and intervention when working with elders.
• Engage in ongoing self-assessment and self care to maintain attentiveness to professional competence.
• Utilize a strength based, resilience and humanistic perspective.

Occupational Skills required

• Active listening
• Empathy
• Intercultural competency
• Actively seeking to help people
• Social perceptiveness
• Oral communication
• Documentation
• Ethical decision making
• Critical thinking
• Judgment and decision making

Experiential Learning Required in Program

• HUS 137 Field Placement & Seminar 1 for Human Services Practitioner

Experiential Learning Optional in Program

• HUS 130 Life Changes and Crisis: Adaptation and Intervention

Most Common Linked Occupation Title – All Education Levels

• Counselor and Case Manager

Most Common Linked Occupation Title – Associate’s or Less

• Social and Human Service Assistants