Although illness is often linked to low morale among the elderly, most persons cope with and adjust to illness. A hypothesized model of favorable family response to illness suggests the importance of resources as mediators to avoid crisis. To test this model, 53 older patients with lung disease and their spouses were interviewed about individual…

A telephone survey was conducted of 12 U.S. pharmacy programs that had been identified as having curricular programs in geriatric pharmacy. The data collected is intended to assist faculty in the Ohio Valley Appalachia Regional Geriatric Center to assess their curricula and determine future directions for the geriatric pharmacy programs. The…

This publication contains the reports of two major public advisory bodies which studied and conducted hearings on mental health needs of the elderly and developed recommendations for public policy to address these needs. The first report reviews current mental health needs and considers the projected needs for dealing with emotional stress during…

Demographic and utilization date are used to project the need for physicians to provide care for the elderly over the next 50 years. The quantitative estimates are coupled with qualitative analyses leading to recommendations for means to deliver the needed services. Estimates are that the United States will require about 8,000 geriatricians by…

The report deals with the design, development, and evaluation of a short-term training program directed toward modifying attitudes and acquiring new information and skills about sensory impairments frequently found among institutionalized elderly people. The training attempted to provide participants with a clearer understanding of the implication…

The effect of personal belongings on perceptions of the elderly in institutions was tested through color slides in two groups of medical students. The elderly person surrounded by personal belongings was perceived in a less negative way than the same person in bare surroundings. (Author)

Characteristics of the target population, services, and potential source of helpers are determining factors in the cost effectiveness of home health services. Welfare of patients in the experimental group was improved, and lower probability of residential care helped keep costs down. (JAC)

A study investigated the effectiveness on entry-level skills of training six pharmacy graduate students in a primary care facility. Required clerkships in medicine, ambulatory care, and geriatrics were combined into a single rotation in a family practice ambulatory care clinic. Results were positive and have implications for improving some…

Responses from 20% of 3,850 nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, and social workers surveyed, from rural and urban areas, displayed variability in preferred continuing education program length and a preference for self-directed learning. Lack of financial aid and preference for local events suggested that programs requiring…

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…

Day care is a growing service in the field of long-term care, increasing the options available to the impaired elderly. To study the development of adult day care centers in southeastern New England, and to identify the relationship of day care centers to the long term care network of services, the 11 day care centers in the catchment area of the…

Because of increased life spans and lower fertility rates, adults over 65 will continue to comprise a larger proportion of the population. The traditional emphasis on individual and family care of older Americans has been replaced by an emphasis on the obligation of society. Currently, poor health is the most prevalent problem reported among older…

A study describing demographic, residential, health, and utilization characteristics of patients over 70 years of age followed in a hospital-based teaching group practice is presented. It is concluded that physicians' training should include management--for an extended period of time--a cohort of elderly, independent, ambulatory patients.…

A survey of chief academic officers and faculty (n=27) in 16 schools of optometry found that, since 1986, there has been a 75% increase in institutions requiring coursework in geriatric optometry and an 83% increase in those offering continuing professional education in this field. However, 67% of faculty report no formal training. Three faculty…

A survey of 58 second- and third-year medical school geriatric fellows found they perceived their research training as inadequate, because of insufficient time for research activities and inadequate exposure to research-qualified scientists. Results suggest a research-focused third fellowship year may be futile without more resources. (Author/MSE)