Darlene Heian

Professor of Gerontology

Program: Gerontology

Read more about Darlene Heian

Darlene easily uses her own life as an example when talking with students about life course changes that occur for many of us. While owning/operating a small landscape design firm for many years, she designed sites older adults found accommodating and pleasant. She became skilled in the ways design facilitates aging in place while working with Main Street programs. These understandings later influenced the creation of a number of course offerings in Utica College's undergraduate and graduate gerontology programs and guided their wellness/planning focus. Further, earlier time spent living and teaching overseas fueled an interest in designing programs which address our diverse yet increasingly connected world. "The knowledge, skills, and abilities developed today become the stepping-stones for tomorrow's joys and creations."

Darlene received the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education's 2009 Part-time Faculty Recognition Award and currently co-chairs the Association's Environmental Design Task Force. During AGHE's 35th Annual Conference, Darlene facilitated a Resource Exchange, "Teaching Gerontology to Non-Health Care Professionals: Planners, Architects, Landscape Architects, Public Administrators, Contractors, etc." She is also co-author of a textbook chapter on environmental design for the aged. Darlene co-chaired the State Society on Aging of New York's Education Committee from 2006 – 2009.