It is no wonder why people are scared to get old. There are many negative connotations associated with age. First, the assumption that as one ages they are suddenly out of the loop, un-hip. Second, the assumption that with age beauty fades. The body changes shape and what was once tight, smooth, fresh, and new becomes soft and creased with wrinkles.

Typical stereotypes on aging in America, however, fall short of convincing students in the gerontology department that there is something wrong with age.

"What we must consider are the tremendous years of life we have ahead of us," said Diane Griffeath, 45, a student in the gerontology department, "especially now considering that in the U.S. the American population over 85 is the largest it has ever been."

Required of students in the Masters program in gerontology at SF State is a 20-hour-a-week internship that sends fledgling student interns to various senior care centers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Griffeath and fellow gerontology student John Fecondo, 39, are doing their internships at the recently opened AlmaVia Senior Care Center located at One Thomas More Way, in San Francisco.

Griffeath went back to school once her children were grown and has always had an interest in working with elders.

"I was raised in a multigenerational family and enjoyed relationships with elder persons my entire life," Griffeath said. "I had close relations with all four of my grandparents and gained such a sense of history from listening to their stories. I remember one of my grandfathers describe watching the fire as it burned after the earthquake in 1906. And another, who told stories of sitting at the Marine Headlands, watching while they built the Golden Gate Bridge."

Fecondo is a career changer. After 14 years working as a landscape contractor, he found himself drawn to introductory classes in gerontology at SF State. Of SF State he said fondly, "It's like a multi-versity we have here. There are so many different options."

As Fecondo's interest in gerontology deepened so did the demand of his classes. He took a long-term care course that met for five weeks and took place all day each Friday.

"I met people whose hearts were in the right place, all really caring and compassionate," Fecondo said.

According to Fecondo, the gerontology program at SF State is first rate largely because of its administrators, Dr. Brian de Vries, Dr. Anabel Pelham, and Dr. Darlene Yee. Fecondo says Yee's dedication to the department and her connections in the field are what make the experience for students in gerontology a successful one. Griffeath agreed. "I feel very fortunate that my advisor was able to forge these alliances with community organizations because otherwise we wouldn't get the training we need."

Yee directed both Fecondo and Griffeath to the AlmaVia Senior Care Center, a faith-based not-for- profit organization.

AlmaVia was founded in partner by Elder Care Alliance, an organization of individuals dedicated to the aging community in the Bay Area.

At his internship Fecondo spends time "shadowing" the center's executive director, Tom Pembleton, through meetings, tours, discussions, and sessions where prospective residents and their families come to check out the center.

"It's an emotional thing for individuals to move in," Fecondo said. He also noted, however, that most of the residents move from near by and receive frequent visits from family and others in the community. Volunteers are encouraged to spend time with the residents at AlmaVia.

"It's not like we put people in and forget about them," Fecondo said. Of aging himself, Fecondo said that by working with the aged he is meeting his own aging process half way, "rather than waiting for it to meet me," he explained. "It's more proactive."

Fecondo doesn't have regrets about his career change. What he used to do for work was really technical and was constantly changing.

"You really have to be on your toes," he said. "Now I get to use my head and my heart. It's about the people."