The rationale behind adult foster care (AFC) has been that "participation in the life of the family" is superior to institutionalization. Discusses extent to which elderly clients are integrated into the family and the method by which such integration was measured. (Author)

Researchers have repeatedly found negative attitudes toward the aged among health professionals. Evaluates the impact of oral health status upon dental student attitudes toward the aged. Suggests that attitudes of students may become initially more negative due to exposure to generally poor oral conditions of elderly patients. (Author)

Interviews with 6 of 10 Veterans' Affairs programs offering postdoctoral fellowships in geropsychology indicated that only 30% included palliative care or hospice training, despite the fact that the veteran population is likely to have an increasing need for terminal illness care. (SK)

Describes the design of two 40-hour geriatrics education programs based on Moore's Theory of Transactional Distance and delivered via interactive televison to mental health/mental retardation professionals. Discusses budgeting, technical support, and training issues involved. (Contains 28 references.) (SK)

Administered Palmore's Facts on Aging Quizzes I and II and Facts on Aging Mental Health Quiz as single test to third-year medical students before and after their six-week Community Health and Family Medicine clerkship. Clerkship contributed to small improvement in students' knowledge about aged; net bias scores decreased from pretest to posttest.…

The effects of using comprehensive geriatric assessment with 24 community-based elderly individuals with mental retardation/developmental disabilities were evaluated. The evaluation found significantly greater numbers of medical and dental diagnoses than were found by the subjects' previous medical evaluations. (Author/DB)

"Positively Aging (TM)" is a middle school curriculum designed to provide effective gerontology teaching materials for math and science, teach students about making life-defining decisions, and help students develop sensitivity about aging. Preliminary evaluation of the 12 interdisciplinary units shows they improved student attitudes about aging.…

This paper provides insight into the reasons underlying medical students' interest in geriatrics. Semi-structured interviews, informed by attitude theory, were conducted with first-year medical students who indicated that they were not interested in geriatric medicine and those who indicated that they were moderately to very interested in…

We considered whether positive and stable self-stereotypes of stigmatized group members can influence functioning (in contrast, stereotype threat theory suggests these influential self-stereotypes are limited to ones that are negative and situational). Specifically, we examined older individuals' positive age stereotypes after a life-threatening…

The report is a general multidisciplinary survey of current areas of interest in the field of gerontology, especially those having to do with retirement and the provision of social security. Chapter 1 discusses social security as an issue in gerontology and the concern of social security with retirement and aging. Chapter 2 discusses the…

Studied the effects of monthly psychiatric consultation in a nursing home. Suggested that consultation was primarily useful to staff providing direct care to referred residents. Cited benefits to residents as increased staff awareness and acceptance of emotional problems and increased frequency of therapeutic programs offered at the nursing home.…

Results of a study showed: a one-month geriatrics rotation had only a slight positive effect on the attitude of interns toward care of the elderly; senior residents felt they had adequate exposure to geriatric medicine; and attitudes toward care of the elderly changed little during residency. (MLW)

Assessed whether depressed geriatric patients (N=33) would respond to group psychotherapy and, if they would respond differently to cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic modes. Results indicated that patients showed statistically and clinically significant reductions on observer-rated measures of depression and anxiety, as well as on self-report…

Reports data on admissions, discharges, and changes in health status of eight admission cohorts to nursing homes in a jurisdiction with universally-insured nursing home and home care services. The findings are compared to U.S. studies and disclose differences which may reflect differences in payment mechanisms and admission policies. (Author/JAC)

One stationary camera with an audio-video taping system permitted systematic comparisons of staff-initiated touching in relation to naturalistic variations in the physical appearances of patients, and the sex, age, and social statuses of interaction partners at a home for the Jewish aged. This procedure is discussed with regard to the…