The Gerontologist as an Administrator

(Hardback)

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Offers an indispensable text on administration for undergraduate and graduate students of gerontology as well as established gerontologists seeking to improve their managerial skills and executive abilities. For students and practitioners of gerontology, this indispensable text examines all aspects of administering services to older adults. Jeffrey A. Giordano and Thomas A. Rich, both professors of gerontology with extensive experience in administration, surveyed practicing administrators over a two-year period. The resulting integration of administrative theory and practice is evident throughout this book's 13 chapters, which address everything from leadership styles and management techniques to ethical issues and community relations. In addition, the authors thoroughly examine the most widely encountered facets of the typical gerontologist administrator's career, including communication, organizational structure, the role and function of human resources administration, motivation and productivity, supervisory responsibilities, staff development, financial management, strategic planning program evaluation, and organizational change. Both undergraduate and graduate students of gerontology will benefit from using Giordano and Rich's book as a core text for administration courses. Professors of gerontology administration will be relieved at last to have found a work that emphasizes the unique requirements of administrating order acult programs. The authors consider all three service sectors-private, public, and not-for-proft-in addressing those who are now in administration, those who aspire to be administrators, and those who will be surprised someday to be offered administrative responsibilities. Assuming a basic knowledge of gerontology, the text includes a "learning experience" following each chapter that allows readers to apply their knowledge of the field in a practical manner. Other special features include information on such contemporary challenges as how to use volunteers effectively, how to integrate ethics into programs for older adults, how to involve staff in administrative activities, how to make the most of public relations and fund-raising opportunities, and how to develop special projects.

Reviews

"At last! A textbook for management courses in aging that is not borrowed from other disciplires. The authors, as professors, have each trained hundreds of agency and company administrators in Florida. They blend gerontology and current management theory and practice, applying them to the nuts and bolts of organizational life. If you teach management courses in graduate gerontology program, you must see this text. It is wonderful." Charles F. Longino, Jr., Director, Reynolda Gerontology Program. Wake Forest University. "The authors have provided a unique and comprehensive text for the gerontologist administrators that supplies authoritative and practical guidance on a full range of management and leadership issues and tasks. This book should be in the professional reference library of every organization serving older adults. Each chapter of this well-organize text provides comprehensive, "stand-alone", coverage of seperate topics. The comprehensive coverage provides something for everyone, whether in public, not-for-profit or profit settings. This is the first work that provides comprehensive coverage directly relevant to the gerontologist administrator." Richard D. Tucker, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Director, Initiative on Aging and Longevity, University of Central Florida"

Author Bio

Jeffrey A. Giordano is Associate Professor of Gerontology at the University of South Florida at Sarasota and a management and organizational improvement consultant and seminar leader. Thomas A. Rich was formerly Professor and Chair of Gerontology at the University of South Florida at Tampa.