The current prevailing professional opinion is that the prevalence rates of alcohol abuse among the elderly are low compared to the general population. The prevalence of alcohol abuse among the elderly was examined through a review of the empirical research. This review revealed a number of serious methodological problems. The most important of…

This study was designed to provide answers to three questions: Does language facility decrease as a person ages? What effect does educational level have on language facility as people age? and, Does language facility vary significantly between the sexes as age increases? Subjects for the study were 59 females and 30 males between the ages of 60…

This literature review explores societal attitudes about older individuals and the influence of these attitudes on the self-esteem of older persons. These topics are examined: identification of common stereotypes and myths about older persons; media depiction of older persons; influence of stereotypical images on older persons' self-perceptions;…

Selected recent adolescent novels which center on a young adult's relationship with an older adult are analyzed. In these novels which feature older adults and young adults as main characters, the older character has qualities that the teenager examines, then accepts or rejects. In today's nuclear family, teenagers sometimes have very little…

This study investigated the effect of training in general semantics on social adjustment. Acting on the Whorfian Hypothesis that the language structures we use influence our feeling, thinking, and behaving and therefore our social adjustment, the Is of Identity Test and Uncritical Inference Test were used as measures of social adjustment. The…

This study systematically examines the reading habits and in-house library use of a group of survey respondents in the Independent Living complex at a retirement community located in Westlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. The residents responded to an anonymous questionnaire requesting information about their reading habits and their preferences…

This survey investigated the services offered to older adults by public libraries in northeastern Ohio. Questionnaires were mailed to 120 public libraries in that region, and 80 (66.6%) of them were returned. The responding libraries were divided into three categories based on the size of their service population: (1) over 50,000 people (16.3%);…

The effectiveness of various procedures in maintaining attendance at activities of residents at a geriatric facility was examined. A special, intermittently programmed or delayed consequence for attendance was added to regularly scheduled activities. Attendance at activities with and without the consequence was compared. Later, antecedent events…

The basic premise of this dissertation is that racial, ethnic, and religious differences although significant, are not sufficient in and of themselves, to account for aging individuals' self-appraisal. Two distinct groups of aged, urban poor, blacks and Jews, compose the study population. The sample resided in deteriorating urban areas…

Four readers, ranging in age from 62 to 82, were selected for intensive analysis of their reading strategies, habits, and interests. Interviewing provided demographic information and reading habits and interests. Each person read orally an unfamiliar expository selection rated at ninth-grade-level difficulty by the Dale-Chall Readability Formula…

The public library is uniquely situated to meet the information needs of older adults and can also assist them in both finding ways to make their lives meaningful and staying in the mainstream. This study involved a mail survey of the public libraries of Ohio regarding their services for adults aged 65 and over. One hundred and eighty-four…

As the nation's population of persons aged 65 and over increases to 20% of the total population by the end of the twentieth century, and as this group grows in size and political influence, their educational and related needs must be met. Educational support requirements include programs which will improve the individual's potential to lead a more…

The study is directed to the entry crisis faced by the elderly in moving to institutions for the aged. The Skaalen Sunset Home for the Aging, a 273-bed nursing home located in Stoughton, Wisconsin, was selected as the research site. Initially, a group interview was conducted with members of the Skaalen residents' council of 13 elderly to discuss…

This study investigated the effects of reading stories depicting older-adult characters on the attitudes of fourth-graders toward older adults. Attitudes were measured by means of a semantic-differential attitude scale constructed for this purpose. One hundred five students from five fourth-grade classes were randomly assigned to two experimental…

This paper details plans for a one-and-one-half-day volunteer training workshop specifically designed to consider limitations such as manpower, money, time, and distance that are often encountered in the development of training events for rural areas. The paper begins by providing background on rural aging, and needs assessment information on the…