Recent needs assessment studies are reviewed, with emphasis on the needs of adult learners and of needs assessors. Three general purposes of needs assessment are described: (1) providers of educational services are interested in what their market (adult population) wants; (2) public agencies are interested in whether or not all segments of the…

Describing the activities and responses of American Indian women attending the 1975 Southwest Indian Women's Conference in Window Rock, Arizona, these proceedings present the following: (1) the keynote address (focus is on program funding and Indian female civil rights, self-concept, and cultural background); (2) observations derived from…

A study examined the impact of a simulated aging experience on nursing staff perceptions of job satisfaction and job performance. It was hypothesized that nurses and nurse aides who participated in the simulated aging experience would be more satisfied with their jobs and would receive fewer complaints from residents than those who did not…

A review of research literature pertaining to locus of control in older adults and its application to social and educational settings indicates that reliable generalizations about the self-concept of older adults require a careful consideration of both personal and situational variables. Four separate processes are useful in understanding the…

An evaluation of the Seniors Teaching Seniors project conducted at the Columbia University Brookdale Institute on Aging showed that the demonstration program was regarded favorably by those who had participated in it. The project recruited 40 senior citizens who were interested in teaching a course at their senior centers and gave them 8 weeks of…

Data obtained from interviews with 1,804 non-institutionalized Hispanic individuals age 55 and over were analyzed in an attempt to understand how formal and informal social support systems and awareness of available social services (environmental awareness) affect the ability of elderly Hispanics to remain independent within their communities. The…

Multiple regression and path analyses of 29 demographic, social, and psychological variables were carried out to determine those variables that influenced the use of community-based mental health services by the Hispanic elderly. The variables were classified using the Andersen and Newman framework which conceptualizes the individual's demand for…

After reviewing recent gerontological literature on satisfaction and happiness from the point of view of explanations by analysis of constituents, explanations by synthesis of correlates, and mixtures of these two types of explanations, the report describes results of a social survey of 392 Huron County (Ontario) rural residents over age 60. The…

Board members of community colleges need to carefully consider and actively support feasible programs for older people with a firm commitment to fiscal and programmatic decisions assuring lifelong learning opportunities and public service activities. Trustees must be aware of and understand problems and issues of older adults, secure data for…

Forty trainees, consultants, and resource persons attended the 3-day Institute held in Topeka, Kansas. Among the Institute's objectives were to: provide a basic orientation to the roles and functions of the aging services, programs, and the field of gerontology; examine aging services and benefits, both legislative and programmatic relating to…

This symposium on workplace issues in human resources consists of two presentations. "The Effect of Organizational Structure on Single-Source and Multiple-Source Performance Appraisal Processes: Implications for Human Resource Development (HRD)" (Karen K. Yarrish, Judith A. Kolb) investigates ratee acceptance of single- and multi-source…

The 28 papers in this collection were presented at meetings of four sections and three round tables within the Division of Libraries Serving the General Public: (1) "Rural Community Information Services: Guidelines for Researching Need, Setting Up Services and Evaluating Performance" (Elaine Kempson); (2) "Library Activities at the Workplace"…

Although it is now widely recognized that the middle years are a time of development and transition rather than of stasis followed by decline, existing literature tends to portray middle-aged women as generally unattractive, uninteresting, unintelligent and as dependent "labels" rather than persons in the process of growth. To gain a greater…

Two college faculty members have developed two speech communication courses specifically designed to increase the communication skills and self-confidence of non-native speakers of English. One course teaches pronunciation skills, including stress, rhythm, and intonation. The second focuses on speaking and listening skills for getting acquainted,…

The Seniors Teaching Seniors project was conducted at the Columbia University Brookdale Institute on Aging and Adult Development to train older adults to communicate more effectively their skills and expertise. Older adults were to develop teaching skills so that they could conduct classes at senior centers. Two older-adult volunteers were…