Examined preferences of 275 health care providers for working with elderly patients exhibiting symptoms of normal aging or diseases. In comparing descriptions of two hospitalized patients, physicians, nurses and social workers expressed a preference for working with patients with disease symptoms, raising concerns about geriatric care. (JAC)

Surveyed 335 older adults to examine knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of older people about cancer. Found that the elderly hold a number of false beliefs and negative attitudes that might keep them from seeking treatment. An education program was developed on the basis of the findings. (JAC)

Explored the effects of locus of control and severity of hearing impairment on amount of denial in 39 older adults with hearing loss. Results suggested that locus of control and severity may affect the amount of denial exhibited to some extent, but other factors enter into the relationship. (JAC)

Discusses delirium and how it differs from other types of mental status changes seen in the elderly and what interventions are most appropriate in affected individuals. Presents data from a study regarding nursing assessment of patients with delirium and outlines an educational model. (JOW)

Nurses (N=30) employed in nursing homes were trained as Geriatric Nurse Practitioners and then implemented their new clinical roles as direct employees of the original facility. Results showed the nurses, their directors, and administrators perceived the nurses as having positive effects on resident outcomes, but described difficulties in…

Despite findings that depression is a risk factor for heart disease and for death following cardiac events and that depressed cardiac patients experience significantly reduced quality of life and are less likely to follow treatment regimens, depression is neither adequately identified nor treated in cardiac patients. Recent calls in the literature…

Surveyed 24 key informants concerning new geriatric program. Found inservice education program and hospital-based community resource directory were received positively and implemented quickly. Community physicians hesitated to make referrals to geriatric assessment team, citing fear that team would steal patients and threats to physicians'…

Examined knowledge of geriatric health policies of 154 physicians training in medicine, surgery, and psychiatry. Found a widespread lack of knowledge that could interfere with physicians' ability to use the health care system appropriately for patients' benefit and to function effectively as a gatekeeper to health care utilization. (Author/ABL)

Surveyed a national sample of 416 hospitals to describe the range and frequency of services offered specifically for older adults and to identify characteristics of hospitals associated with particular services. The findings show that hospitals of all types throughout the nation offer a broad array of health and related social services for older…

From 1985-1992 the Virginia Geriatric Education Center broadcast via satellite 22 videoconferences involving over 22,000 health professionals in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda. The program required substantial marketing to attract sufficiently large audiences to be cost effective, was labor intensive, and necessitated technical expertise.…

Survey of sample of members and nine-month study of all members of comprehensive geriatric program at one hospital revealed that surveyed members joined the program for its reasonable cost but continued with it because of good health care. Medical care and no claim forms or bills were two services surveyed members valued and used more. (Author/NB)

In a study of the discourse of 100 people with Alzheimer's disease treated for 12 months with donepezil, we observed that, as a group, they used a form of tag, described here as a self-referential tag (SRT), 14 times more frequently than did caregivers. Patients use SRTs to check propositions dependent on episodic memory as in I haven't seen the…

A national study of geriatrics in baccalaureate nursing programs (n=480) found that gerontological content was integrated in 63%; stand-alone courses were typically electives for nursing students. Full integration of geriatric content into nursing programs was recommended. (JOW)

Purpose: We sought to determine the prevalence of remediable health conditions from in-home geriatric assessments of referred adult protective service (APS) clients suffering elder mistreatment. Design and Methods: We used a retrospective cohort study of 211 APS clients (74% female; age, M = 77 years) in two central New Jersey counties. Results:…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between functional disability and the use of health care services in a nationally representative sample of older adults by using the Andersen behavioral model of health services utilization. Design and Methods: The study used 12 years of longitudinal…