Elderly persons (N=310) attending outpatient psychiatric clinics were given an interview on the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (T. L. Brink et al., 1982; J. A. Yesavage et al., 1983) and received an independent psychiatric evaluation. A 3-step binary logistic regression showed that 2 items measuring positive affect and 2 others measuring…

Describes sub-acute diagnostic and treatment nursing home program for difficult to manage older adults with medical and psychiatric illness. Notes that assessment and discharge can be completed within seven months, and that among sample population studied, almost equal percentages were discharged to state institutions, remained in the study home,…

Workshops in caring were designed to expose attitudes, biases, and concerns of a nursing home staff toward aging, illness, and death. Touches on techniques and materials for encouraging participants to focus on and share feelings. What inhibits or facilitates a caring relationship was the prime focus of both sessions. (Author)

Summarizes the initial results of the regional geriatric medicine curriculum retreats for family practice residency directors provided as part of the American Academy of Family Physicians multi-part project to improve the amount and quality of geriatric medicine education received by family practice residents. (EV)

The John A. Hartford Foundation, in collaboration with the Gerontological Society of America, has developed new models to create geriatric faculty capacity within social work. The Faculty Scholars Program is building faculty leadership in academic geriatric social work through a strategic approach that includes long-distance national and…

A study to assess how much geriatric medicine and gerontology was included in Part I and Part II of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) examinations, how well students performed in these areas, and whether the amount of content had changed since 1978 is described. (MLW)

This paper describes the rationale for and the development of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). The GOHAI has demonstrated a high level of internal consistency and reliability. Poor GOHAI scores were significantly correlated to having fewer teeth, wearing a removable denture, and perceiving the need for dental treatment.…

The predoctoral dental curriculum cannot provide the depth of experience and knowledge needed for the increasing representation of geriatric patients in family dental practices. A curriculum model designed to enhance knowledge and refine clinical skills in caring for the elderly is proposed. (MSE)

Urinary incontinence is common in the elderly. The epidemiology of fecal and double (urinary and fecal) incontinence is less known. The Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) is a national study of elderly living in the community at baseline (n = 8,949) and interviewed in 1991-1992, 1996, and 2001. Using data from the CSHA, we report the…

This study examined the validity of Geriatric Depression Scale--5 (GDS-5) scores among older sedentary adults based on its structural properties and relationship with external criteria. Participants from two samples (Ns = 185 and 93; M ages = 66 and 67 years) completed baseline assessments as part of randomized controlled exercise trials.…

The desirability and format of a network among libraries and resource centers serving the gerontological/geriatric field were addressed in a research project funded by the Special Libraries Association. Heads of 50 gerontological and 50 geriatric libraries were surveyed by mail to determine if there was interest in a joint network, i.e., a formal…

A program sensitizing health professional students to the elderly's health care needs produced student information gains in the area of aging, favorable changes in attitudes toward the elderly, and positive course evaluations. The broad range of evaluation approaches and the multi-year replications demonstrate the course's value in a pharmacy…

A case study assessing a psychogeriatric service in the United Kingdom is evaluated. The methodology, combining naturalistic and scientific approaches, was found to be useful in extending access to decision making and improving information, but it was expensive to support, requiring high commitment and willingness to compromise from all…

Context: Home-based comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) has been effective in urban areas but has had little study in rural areas. CGA involves medical history taking, a physical exam, and evaluation of functional status, mental status, cognitive status, gait and balance, medications, vision, extent of social supports, and home safety. We…

An analysis of policy implementation by the Geriatric Education Centers (GEC) program is presented, using a model developed by Sabatier and Mazmanian (1980). A policy by the Bureau of Health Professions to expand education and training efforts in geriatrics and gerontology led to the creation of four GECs in 1983. By 1989, 38 centers had been…