With the demographic transformation experienced today, the world's population is aging, and the proportion and number of elderly people within the population are increasing in almost all countries. In Turkey, the share of the population over the age of 65 within the total population has reached 10.2% as of 2023, in a shorter period than projected.
The need for professionals who can take a holistic view of aging and elderly health, which is a multidisciplinary field, is increasing day by day. Each profession evaluates aging from its own perspective, but it is overlooked that the subject of all headings and subheadings is the same "elderly." The aging world and our country's elderly need gerontologists to provide a holistic view.
In the province of Burdur, the proportion of the elderly population is over 17%. It is very suitable for applications and new models to be made in terms of gerontology. Mehmet Akif Ersoy University aims to lead the development of the province with all its departments and integrates academia with the field. MAKÜ wants to be alongside the "aging Burdur" with its gerontology students.
What is Gerontology?
Gerontology is the science of aging and old age. Gerontology is one of the scientific fields that seeks ways to intervene in the aging processes. In a world where the proportion of the elderly population to the total population is increasing day by day, the elderly need to be supported socially to live without being isolated from social life and dependent on others, not just for health care due to illness. Gerontology is a multidisciplinary, theoretical, and applied science.
Working Areas of Gerontologists
Graduates of the Gerontology Department work in primary and secondary health institutions of the Ministry of Health, hospitals, clinics, institutions of the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, nursing homes, physical therapy and rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, family counseling centers, day care centers, universities, research centers, companies developing new services/products, non-governmental organizations, local governments, and home care services. Additionally, considering the need for scientists in the field of Gerontology, graduates can pursue an academic career by participating in Master's and Doctoral programs.
Mission
Our mission is to train Gerontologists who, with undergraduate and graduate education programs, are open to lifelong professional and personal development, adhere to ethical rules, have sufficient knowledge and skills, can evaluate the needs of society related to aging, provide gerontological services to the individual and their environment, and adopt and implement interdisciplinary cooperation and teamwork.
Vision
Our vision is to be an educational institution that, with its members and programs, first reaches its own elderly locally to develop models, and then is accepted and preferred on national and international platforms; training well-equipped gerontologists.