Purpose: Theory and research suggest that congruence between individuals' preferences for future care and the patterns of care received will affect well-being. In this article, we explore whether older mothers' psychological well-being was affected by the children they preferred as future caregivers and provide assistance at a later point when the…

Purpose: This study examined whether recalled childhood parental emotional abuse and support were associated with emotional reactivity to network stress among middle-aged and older adults. Design and Methods: Hypotheses were tested by performing 2-level multilevel modeling analysis on 787 participants aged 33-83 who participated in the Daily…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether childhood misfortune reduces the likelihood of being disease free in adulthood. Design and Methods: This article used a sample of 3,000+ American adults, aged 25-74, who were first interviewed in 1995 and reinterviewed in 2005. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of avoiding…

Purpose: Older adults are less likely than any other age group to use the federal Food Stamp Program. The personal and social costs of elderly diet insufficiency include disease exacerbation, depression, and increased hospitalization. In order to improve targeting and outreach efforts, this study identifies the characteristics of eligible older…

Notes that, in contemporary Western society, people feel death of small child is greater injustice than death of older adult and experience correspondingly greater sorrow, anger, regret, or bitterness when very young person dies. Contrasts these attitudes with those of ancient Greece and shows relevance that different attitudes toward death have…

Purpose: We examined whether the presence of a spouse and the frequency of interaction with children, relatives, and friends significantly influence the risk of dying in late life. We assessed these effects separately by gender, controlling for self-reported health. In addition, we examined whether interaction with the co-twin has a different…

Responses from 125 Black and 130 White children identified three subdimensions (personality characteristics, affective relations, physical abilities) in an index measuring children's perceptions of aging. Findings indicated that children did not differ significantly by race or age on any of the three dimensions. (NRB)

Examined identity and activities of secondary caregivers of elderly persons. Found that secondary caregivers were often spouse and children of primary caregiver. They provided wide variety of help, but much less than primary caregiver. Help was provided in pattern supplementary rather than complementary to that of primary caregiver. (Author/NB)

Examined impact of various social relationships on level of loneliness reported by 208 elderly residents of 10 senior housing apartments, controlling for depression. Subjects who were less satisfied with quality of their relationships and had less contact with close friends were more lonely. Whether one had children, grandchildren, siblings, or…

Compares Japanese and American television programs most often watched by children and evaluates frequency and quality of portrayal of older characters. American television was found to portray older characters more frequently and more positively than Japanese television. (NRB)

Results showed no significant difference in the morale scores of older rural adults living with children (N=97) and those in other arrangements (N=243) when health was controlled. However, more than twice as much variance in morale scores could be explained for parents in child-shared housing as for other parents. (Author)

Examines the health and school adjustment of children raised solely by grandparents. Results indicate that these children fare quite well relative to children in families with one biological parent present with or without a spouse. These children are not significantly different except in academic performance. (JPS)