Interprofessional Aging and Palliative Care Certificate

Yeshiva University

Caring for older adults, people with serious illness, and their family caregivers are among the most challenging issues facing clergy and mental health professionals today. This program is designed for clergy, social workers, chaplains, graduate and seminary students, spiritual leaders, mental health professionals, and nurses. Students who enroll in this fully online program will develop skills that will prepare them to address the needs of and enhance life for those facing aging and serious illness. The Interprofessional Aging and Palliative Care Certificate program addresses a growing need for well-trained clergy, social workers, and mental health professionals who can deliver sensitive, informed care and compassionate guidance for those facing the many complexities of aging and serious illness care, while maintaining a quality of life. This 18-credit advanced certificate can be earned separately, or can be applied to Wurzweiler’s top-ranked MSW program, enabling them to be eligible for licensure as a social worker. Students may take two asynchronous online courses each semester over a period of nine months (three terms) or they may choose to complete the certificate in two years. The certificate provides flexible solutions to meet the demands of professionals’ multiple obligations. We use a holistic social work lens to address the biopsychosocial and spiritual needs for individuals, families, and communities facing concerns related to the aging process, serious illness, difficult conversations about advanced care planning, end-of-life decisions, and bereavement. Clergy and mental health professionals who enroll in this program will develop skills and knowledge that will enable them to address the complex needs of their congregants, clients, and communities. They will be better prepared for positions with the older adults in diverse long-term, community, hospice, and palliative care settings.