Ageism is highly prevalent, especially among college students. However, efforts to reduce ageism largely take place in helping professions. This activity seeks to promote positive perceptions toward older adults and aging among communication undergraduate students through gerontological education, a positive intergeneration contact experience, a…

As the number of older adults increases, it is important to understand how attitudes toward aging influence society, the aging process, and the counseling profession. Ageism--defined as social stigma associated with old age or older people--has deleterious effects on older adults' physical health, psychological well-being, and self-perception. In…

The availability of user-friendly technological tools is allowing instructional designers and subject matter experts to create innovative online instruction. This article describes the implementation of a multimedia case-based approach that employs narrative to create a fully online course on complex continuing and long-term care for older adults.…

With the advent of an aging society, the older population is gradually increasing and people are living longer than ever before. However, older people are often portrayed in school textbooks as insignificant, unhealthy, sad, passive, and dependent. That is, ageism emerges in school textbooks in subtle ways. Under this circumstance, children may…

This paper serves as a summation of literature on children's attitudes toward older adults and aging. Research indicates that the vast amount of information available provides varying levels of understanding toward children's actual views of older adults. Differences between measurements, settings, and procedures stand as barriers in…

Americans are living longer than ever before. A child born today can expect to live 80 years, 90 years, or longer. Many of today's children will live to be centenarians. Aging education to prepare people for the long life ahead has been endorsed since the first White House Conference on Aging in 1961. However, little is happening with aging…

This article presents findings from a questionnaire dealing with what young people think about the elderly and aging and how to bridge the generation gap. The role of the young in helping old people to become integrated in society is to encourage contacts in all fields. (UNESCO, Place de Fontenoy, 75700 Paris) (SSH)

This study argues that education should be a fundamental aspect of any public policy related to aging and elderly persons. Education should not be conceived of as a process limited to the formal transmission of knowledge and techniques but rather as a fundamental human right. (UNESCO, Place de Fontenoy, 75700 Paris) (SSH)

Ageism is a relevant topic of study because of its inevitability for all humankind. Student attitudes toward the elderly are generally negative and often follow stereotyped views found in books. An outline for use in developing a curriculum on aging is provided. (DF)

Reviews research on the portrayal of the elderly in United States print media. Finds that children are learning subtle stereotypes of the elderly. Offers recommendations to editors, publishers, writers, illustrators, and teachers to help children develop more realistic attitudes toward both the elderly and the aging process. (RS)

America is rapidly becoming an aging society. This phenomenon is supported by statistics and fueled by socioeconomic developments, medical advances, and the probability of continued lower fertility. Seven themes provide some solutions for the successful process of aging: (1) "Vital Involvement" stresses interactions that are important to the…

Investigates the manner in which five basal reading series portray older characters between 1975-1983. Examines the problem of negative and prejudicial portrayals of the elderly. Concludes with evidence to suggest that stereotyping of the elderly is reduced in current readers. (DR)

Studied whether middle-aged adults' attitudes toward the aged could be changed through specially designed educational experiences. The adults' attitudes toward older persons changed significantly in a positive direction following the workshop experience, while those in the control group decreased. It was concluded the workshop had a significant…

Provides an inquiry lesson on aging for the intermediate grades. The goals of the lesson are to provide accurate information about the elderly, to enable children to assess their perceptions of the aging process, and to expose children to an unbiased look at the attributes, behaviors, and characteristics of the elderly. (JDH)

Schools have a role to play in educating young people about aging and the elderly. Education also has an obligation to the aged. Educators have an obligation to themselves to tap a vast resource stockpile that lies waiting. (BRR)