This article explores the representation of disability and academic identity in two award-winning films: "Still Alice" and "The Theory of Everything." Drawing on scholarship about embodiment and the 'normal professor body', I demonstrate how the complex images of disabled academics in these films take up and replicate (to…

A light exercise program was set up for 11 patients with Alzheimer's disease who exercised each day for 40 minutes. Their sleep patterns were compared with a control group who did not exercise. Results indicate that those who participated in the exercise program manifested 40% less restless behavior, while those in the non-exercise group showed a…

After reading a newspaper article on Alzheimer disease, an incurable medical problem involving gradual and debilitating loss of memory, students examine the key elements of the scientific method as conveyed in the story. During their analysis students explore the workings of the nervous system and consider the role of animal model systems in…

Contrary to dogma, the human brain does produce new nerve cells in adulthood. The mature human brain spawns neurons routinely in the hippocampus, an area important to memory and learning. This research can make it possible to ease any number of disorders involving neurological damage and death. (CCM)

A role-play exercise about Alzheimer's disease was designed to teach group work with memory-impaired elders. Written comments from 26 social work students revealed four outcomes: demystifying practical knowledge, respect for diversity among memory-impaired individuals, increased awareness of elders' internal states, and awareness of the challenges…

The Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Test (ADKT) was administered to samples of practicing nurses in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Overall, U.S. nurses were significantly more knowledgeable, but exhibited more negative bias than Hong Kong nurses. Findings suggest that nurses in both countries need more training. (JPS)

Examines two illness trajectories, Alzheimer's disease and stroke, to illustrate emerging changes in human development over each course of illness and the increasing importance of attachment behavior among ill elders and their family members. Argues that attachment links ailing older people to their environment, and that attachment is vital if…

Advisors from universities, human services agencies, and Alzheimer's Association identified the educational needs of family caregivers; results were used to prepare training materials. Family caregivers who were trained, mostly African American and rural (n=106), increased knowledge of the disease and caregiving. Economic barriers to participation…

In order to assess vision in Alzheimer's disease, gerontologists must use tests that make minimal cognitive demands on the subject. Using such tests revealed a pattern of deficits in color discrimination, stereoacuity, contrast sensitivity, and backward masking. Impaired vision predicts deficient performance on numerous tests of cognition. (JPS)

Eastern Kentucky University's The Place to Be, an Alzheimer's day-care program, provides a fieldwork placement for occupational therapy students, meaningful activities in a safe environment for persons with dementia, and respite for family caregivers. (SK)

This article derives from the experience of teaching an asynchronous web-based course, Communicating with Older Persons with Alzheimer's Disease, taught by a multidisciplinary team of three faculty. The students also were multidisciplinary with diverse cultural and educational backgrounds and varied professional experience with older adults. Our…

Describes and evaluates an elder rehab program, which offers credit to students who serve as rehab partners and fitness supervisors to noninstitutionalized persons with dementia. In addition to aerobics and weight training workouts, participants engage in supervised volunteer work and memory- and language-stimulation activities with their student…

Describes problems encountered by language-disordered users when using hypertext software. Explores methods and provides guidelines for developing user interfaces so that the search techniques are easier to use and yield good results; the information layout is easy to understand; and the system may learn more about the habits and information needs…

Papers in these proceedings are organized into four sections: (1) Research Studies in Aging; (2) Innovative Approaches in Geriatric Education; (3) Faculty Development Models; and (4) "The Publication Process: Perils and Pearls" (Workshop). Clinical Experiences: Design Not Chance" (Matzo); "The Development of a Collaborative Gerontological Research…