Older adults' participation in the University for the Third Age (U3A) positively influences their physical and emotional well-being and thus increases their quality of life. However, the number of the elderly participating in the U3A has remained low in China, especially in rural areas. This study explored the factors influencing older adults'…

Retirement may have a negative effect on a person's health, and may even accelerate death. To determine the validity of this effect, time intervals between reported retirement date and death date were tabulated for retirees from a large petroleum corporation. A regression analyses was performed to control for physiological factors, job status, and…

The issue of accidental environmental contamination of homes and businesses has been of increasing concern. Actual costs to state and federal governments for relocation of persons and restoration of habitats have run into the tens of millions of dollars. In addition to these real costs, there have been more illusive costs to public health. These…

An analysis of the differences in the degree of retirement satisfaction was made, with respect to place of residence, perception of mental health and perception of physical health. The sample size consisted of 744 retired individuals who were part of a state-wide probability sample of 1133 residents of the state of Wyoming, age 60 and over. As…

The growing body of gerontological research examining the correlates of life satisfaction indicates that physical health is its strongest correlate. Within this framework, the relationship between satisfaction and health among 29 institutionalized subjects was investigated through a longitudinal study. Unlike previous studies, objective measures…

The most common psychological disorder found in the elderly is depression. To investigate the relationship between numerous age-related stresses and depression in older adults, 68 residents of a retirement center completed a questionnaire assessing depression and a wide range of possible losses or stresses. Depression was related to poorer…

The association of life events and mental health impairment in a community population of older adults (N=986) was investigated. Data, collected in 1972 and analyzed during 1979, examined the relationship between the two variables while controlling for age, sex, race, social resources (a measure of social support), economlc resources, and physical…

While the relationship between stressful life events, social support, and health outcomes has received much attention, efforts to quantify social support and directly examine specific ameliorative effects have resulted in mixed findings. Direct and mediational effects of two psychometrically validated measures of perceived and received social…

Some research suggests the existence of differences in characteristics between older adults who are continuing to earn money through employment and those who have retired from gainful employment. Data on a national random sample of men and women (N=1000) between 68 and 73 years of age were examined to contrast the characteristics of employed and…

A holistic approach to health education is presented with a model outlining the scope, direction and impact of such education on individual development. The fundamental concept in this model is the interrelationship between physical, mental, and spiritual health, and it expands from these three areas into dimensions that may and may not be altered…

The 1980's may be remembered as the decade of the older woman, due in part to demographics and also to public awareness heightened by the women's movement. If psychology is to exert a constructive force towards the optimization of mental health of older women, it is essential for psychologists to be aware of the limits of current knowledge and the…

Because of increases in life expectancy and early retirement, the quality of life during retirement is of concern to many people. Previous research has found that health and adequate income have consistently been related to life satisfaction during retirement. Several satisfaction measures were administered to a group of 55 retired coal miners.…

Ways in which health professionals may improve the quality of life for older adults are considered. Needs must be met in the following areas: (1) safe housing; (2) convenient transportation; (3) protection against street crime; (4) improved communication systems; (5) educational programs; (6) nutrition for the elderly; and (7) physical fitness and…

This paper reports the results of an interview survey of 108 Chinese American residents of San Francisco, California's Chinatown. Subjects' attitudes were examined in six areas: quality of life, environment, physical health, mental health, psychological attitudes, and employment. Chinatown residents were found to be two to three times more…

Data obtained from interviews with 1,039 non-institutionalized Hispanic elderly (55 and older) who identified themselves as having one or more psychological difficulties were analyzed to determine what factors best predicted subjective well-being. The study was a secondary analysis of data collected in 1979-80 using a national sample stratified by…