An outline is given of an exercise program for older adults which is designed to increase strength, endurance, and flexibility. Brief descriptions are provided of exercises progressing from modest tone-ups for flexibility to activities involving mildly strenuous physical efforts such as jogging, bicycling, and hiking. Suggestions are offered for…

Looks at Commission on Religion in Appalachia (CORA) programs uniting 23 church denominations behind social and volunteer projects designed to improve quality of rural life. Describes CORA and its projects. (TES)

The Morale, Welfare, and Recreation program is responsible for the training of personnel who administer, manage, and operate the military recreation system. These personnel must be familiar with both military and public recreation approaches. Army, Navy, and Air Force training programs are discussed. (DF)

Describes a day-long Aging Awareness workshop in which a group of 12 elderly were involved in a poetry-writing exercise focusing on meaningful life change. Ramifications of this positive experience are discussed in view of the cultural/language barrier and traditional aging awareness issues such as reminiscence. (JAC)

The Department of Defense (DOD) operates 59 elementary and secondary schools serving over a dozen military bases in the continental United States. Periodically, questions have been raised concerning the continuing need for such schools. In 2002, DOD commissioned the Donahue Institute of the University of Massachusetts to examine the potential for…

Uses objective and subjective data to document the triumphs and tragedies of the environmental movement and environmental education during the 1970's. Proposes that members of the National Association for Environmental Education dedicate themselves to a decade of integrated environmental management education. (DC)

Maintains that adoption in and of itself puts the family at some degree of risk and suggests a conceptual framework of prevention with adoption workers acting as mental health counselors working with the families. (CM)

In June 1996, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, whose mission is to help people with disabilities achieve their life goals with technology, met in Salt Lake City (Utah). This article provides an overview of the conference, describing product exhibits, courses, meetings, and particularly research…

Reviews cardiovascular changes occurring during the aging process and the trainability of older persons. Although cardiovascular changes are part of life, activity levels need not decrease. Beneficial aspects of exercise include improvements in muscle strength, joint mobility, flexibility, coordination, and weight control. (SM)

Discusses quality-of-life issues for ever-increasing population of American elderly, emphasizing value of recreation. Offers organized camping as way of exposing older adults to enjoyable physical activities. Cites evidence supporting beneficial effects of regular exercise for elderly, beginning at any age. (TES)

Problems with assessment of the quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities are cited. The Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale-Intellectual Disability is described as a scale that measures both objective and subjective data, uses simple language, tests for competence in using Likert scales, and covers the full range of quality of…

This paper reports a multi-stage study carried out between 1999 and 2001 which aimed to develop an instrument to address the need for a culturally relevant measure of quality of life for Chinese older persons in Hong Kong and similar communities. The first stage of the research involved a focus group study conducted in August 1999 which it was…

Quality-of-life in nations can be measured by how long and happy people live. This is assessed by combining data on life expectancy drawn from civil registration with survey data on subjective enjoyment of life as a whole. This measure of "apparent" quality-of-life is a good alternative to current indexes of "assumed"…

Consideration of the relationship between physical and mental health co-morbidities in ageing persons with Down syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is of clinical importance both from a care and resource perspective. To investigate and measure health co-morbidities in ageing persons with Down syndrome with and without AD. Recorded physical…

The international implementation plan for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) identifies four elements for the achievement of sustainable development through education: (1) recognising the challenge; (2) collective responsibility and constructive society; (3) acting with determination; and (4) the indivisibility of human…