Describes a study of 703 faculty at 7 Mississippi community colleges regarding their willingness to participate in aging education training and incorporate related content into curricula. Reports that 60% were uncertain about including aging education in curricula, but 61% indicated interest in attending courses on aging issues. (13 citations)…

Notes that, as the composition of the American family has changed, children often have limited experiences with their grandparents or other older adults. Discusses ways to help young children eliminate stereotypical views associated with aging by learning to appreciate the diversity and vitality of older persons and becoming comfortable with the…

In industrialized societies, life expectancy is increasing while the elderly are increasingly marginalized. Aging, especially with respect to social demography, should be an essential educational topic for teachers and those who care for the elderly. Education for the elderly should help them assume the role of transmitting their knowledge and…

The article addresses special problems of aging in persons with mental disabilities, including needs of persons living out their lives in institutions, normalized services for community residents, early preparation for aging, and appropriate residential placement. (DB)

Has two principle thrusts: a reflection on the graying of American society and a perspective on its implications for social work education. Calls for social work educators to reassess their role in contributing to society and individuals dealing with the issues of aging. Discusses the phenomenon of the "third age" of members of society.…

Uses Cronbach's alpha and correlational methods, including factor analysis, to evaluate the performance of four short scales measuring psychosocial aspects of well-being (depression, quality of life, sense of coherence, social support) in two samples of community-dwelling persons ages 75 and over. All scales exhibited good range, high internal…

Examines the importance of economic factors in physician and other health service utilization among older adults living in Bermuda. Using data from a national survey of 500 Bermudian elders, findings reveal economic factors to be unrelated to the use of physician services directly, but to be significant determinants of the use of other health…

Describes a model developed at Ithaca College to increase the exposure of secondary school students to information on the aging population. College faculty and social studies teachers collaborated on the program to develop lesson plans that infused information on aging into social studies courses. The success of the partnership allowed for…

The adult cerebral cortex can adapt to environmental change. Using monocular deprivation as a paradigm, we find that rapid experience-dependent plasticity exists even in the mature primary visual cortex. However, adult cortical plasticity differs from developmental plasticity in two important ways. First, the effect of adult, but not juvenile…

Older adults have specific physical education needs that should be addressed by physical educators. As the need for programs increases, physical educators must be trained to use research to set standards for safe and effective participation. (FG)

Evaluated the impact of adding a brief unit on aging to the first-year curriculum of a school of osteopathic medicine. Analyses revealed a mild but significant improvement in knowledge and attitudes with respect to the elderly. Subjective responses to the program were very positive. (Author)

Investigates paranoia in older adults. In cross-sectional analyses, symptoms were strongly associated with black race, lower income and education, less exercise, and more depressive symptoms. In longitudinal analysis, three years following initial interview, symptoms were predicted by baseline paranoid symptoms, education and depressive symptoms…

To help dispel myths and stereotypes about the elderly, young children should learn about the elderly and the aging process. Children need to see old age as a part of the total life cycle and can benefit from having contact with senior citizens volunteers in the classroom. (MDM)

Service-learning is increasingly becoming an avenue used in a variety of disciplines to provide students with real-life experience regarding aging and older adults. Developing and implementing meaningful service-learning experiences, however, requires consideration both of the discipline-specific content to be addressed, as well as the varied…

The development of gerontological education is lagging behind in Japan in spite of Japan's large population of elders. Nevertheless, there are signs that this may be changing. In this paper we discuss how gerontology education has evolved in Japan over the past 40 years. Specifically, we provide an overview of the development of academic societies…