The Rose and Jacob Ruderman Post Master’s Fellowship in Gerontological Social Work
As the elderly population in the U.S. grows at an unprecedented rate, so does the need for health care professionals who are trained to meet the complex mental, social, and emotional needs of seniors. The Rose and Jacob Ruderman Post Master’s Fellowship in Gerontological Social Work is a one-year program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center that is designed to give social workers specialized training and expertise to care for elderly patients. This highly competitive fellowship was established more than a decade ago by Morton and Marcia Ruderman in honor of Morton’s parents, Rose and Jacob Ruderman.
One social worker is selected each year for this unique training program. Working with interdisciplinary teams in local hospitals and community settings, fellows are trained to treat geriatric patients with dementia, depression, and other issues and conditions associated with aging. In addition to the clinical component, fellows have the opportunity to attend lectures, teaching rounds, and continuing education courses at BIDMC.
By training more social workers in geriatric care, the Rose and Jacob Ruderman Post Master’s Fellowship in Gerontological Social Work is helping to increase the number of providers with the expertise needed to care for the country’s growing elderly population.