A study of adults aged 65 and older who were interviewed in 1991-92 (n=1,399) and in 1995 (n=956) showed that 1 in 5 attended senior centers. Social factors such as living arrangements were the primary influence on participation. Those living alone or desiring more family contact were more likely to participate. (Contains 34 references.) (JOW)

Food insecurity in older adults is influenced by financial constraints, functional disability, and isolation. Twenty-eight social- and community-service providers participated in four focus groups to report (a) perceptions and experiences with food insecurity in their older clients, (b) beliefs about their potential role(s) in promoting food…

Adults aged 65 and younger make up a significant proportion of nursing-home residents. To date, however, there is no research examining their quality of life (QOL), including how their perceptions of QOL compare to those of older nursing-home residents. This study used a multidimensional approach to (a) assess the QOL of younger nursing-home…

Communication abilities are known to decline with age. In daily life, such abilities are frequently of the non-literal type, which require more cognitive resources to be processed. Since these resources tend to diminish with age, this study seeks to identify a possible effect of age on non-literal language abilities. Forty young and 40 older…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of diagnosis and treatment of depression with anhedonic and dysphoric symptom presentation, using the Minimum Data Set 2.0. Participants were from two sectors of longterm care: 70 nursing home residents and 92 residents in a Veterans' Care Service. The samples differed in their sex…

In a randomized trial of Steady as You Go, a falls-prevention program for the elderly, the treatment group (n=235) reduced eight of nine risk factors. Over a 4-month follow-up, the treatment group fell less than controls (n=236) and significantly fewer treatment group participants who had fallen before experienced falls (20%) compared to 35% of…

Uses a feminist analysis to critique health promotion, identifying gender, class, race, and age biases that influence older women's health and recommends changes in health promotion theory, research, practice, and education. (Author/JOW)

A study examined types of and reasons for volunteering among Canadian adults over 64 (n=1,569) and compared them with those given by adults aged 45-64 (n=5,563). Results indicate that the older group volunteers out of self-interest and are more likely to volunteer because of a feeling of obligation and social value than those aged 45-64. (JOW)

Fear of aging may be a fear of disability and fear of disability can be understood as fear of dependence. The ubiquity of disability across age groups indicates a need to reconceptualize disability as a part of the human experience. (Contains 56 references.) (JOW)

A study of 150 subjects aged 20-84 found that (1) the encoding strategy used was not characteristic of a given age; (2) elderly subjects reproduced less during encoding and retrieved fewer elements during recall; (3) until 74, there was a relationship between the encoding strategy and performance; (4) after 75, memory problems developed…

Four hundred community-dwelling older persons were asked about their age and if they were worried about growing older. Results showed significant relationships between dependent variables and characteristics including age, health, expectations of older age, and gender. Respondents held a positive view of old age that was coupled with an…

Half of a group of 46 younger and 45 older adults watched a slide sequence once (one-trial learning), the other repeatedly (criterion learning). Three weeks later, they were asked questions with misleading information. When event memory was poor for older adults in the criterion group, they were more suggestible. In one-trial learning, younger…

Objectives: Are people 75 or over enabled to stay at home longer through annual assessments and referrals to health/social services than through assessments only or without assessments? Design: Randomized controlled trial. Participants: 520 people 75 or over living in their own homes. Intervention: Four annual RAI-HC computerized functional…

Cross-sectional data on Canadians born 1924-1928 indicate that from ages 50-64, those who had early socioeconomic advantages improve absolute and relative income compared with others in the cohort. At ages 65-74, economic well-being of the advantaged and disadvantaged converges. Canada's pension systems seem to counter status effects. (Contains 25…

A Seniors' Independence Research Program involved older adults, family caregivers, and professionals in shaping health-care policy and delivery. The project was a case illustration of how research has made a difference to policy choices by stakeholder involvement throughout the research process. Strategies ensured stakeholder collaboration,…