While some people have difficulty adjusting to retirement, others seem to adjust easily. The search for theory to explain the source of positive retirement may require research methods to develop theory rather than to test theory. Grounded theory methodology was used to determine the characteristics and sources of characteristics of adults who had…

Given current and projected divorce rates, many people will find themselves faced with being divorced in their later years. To determine if the way of becoming single affects well being, a matched sample of 40 divorced and widowed elderly women were compared. Results showed that the method of becoming single had some differential impact but…

Decision making processes among older adults were investigated within the context of grocery selection, using a stimulus array involving two product classes (bread and cheese) with 10 items per class. The sample (N=580) was stratified by sex, household status (living alone or with spouse), and age, employing three age groupings: 25-34 (young),…

The effects of three levels of living conditions for two age groups of individuals were examined relative to sub- and total-alienation scores as measured by the Dean Alienation Scale. Subjects were 38 older adults and 42 college students. The young adults felt more isolated than the elderly, and nursing home residents felt more powerless and…

The basic premise of this dissertation is that racial, ethnic, and religious differences although significant, are not sufficient in and of themselves, to account for aging individuals' self-appraisal. Two distinct groups of aged, urban poor, blacks and Jews, compose the study population. The sample resided in deteriorating urban areas…

Analyzing selected data on North Carolina's aged population (65 and over), this report utilizes U.S. Census figures, providing tabular data on the migration of the aged and the distribution of the aged population by residence in North Carolina and the U.S. and by North Carolina counties (rural and urban places). Major findings reveal that North…

Investigates the effect of residence and race on life satisfaction among older persons living in rural and urban counties in the mid-South. Finds satisfaction highest among rural Blacks followed by urban Whites, rural Whites, and urban Blacks. Examines income and social contact as correlates of life satisfaction. (Author/KC)

Young and middle-aged adults contrast with aged adults in their reactions to sudden economic expansion in a small town favored by many as their retirement community. During anthropological research in this community, conflicts between various age strata were noted to be more intense when persons are strangers. (Author)

Compares the United States and Canada in the funding and organization of psychiatric services for the elderly. Acute hospital, medical, and nursing home services are more accessible in Canada because of universal health insurance, but in both countries, services are limited by the small number of professionals. (JAC)

Over 80 percent of a sample of community-living elderly were self-sufficient in performing basic activities of daily living (ADL); only 18 percent were self-sufficient in performing instrumental ADL. Most elders who use long-term care assistance relied solely on the informal support network in both instrumental (86 percent) and basic (50 percent)…

Supported earlier findings of Black-White differences in attitudes toward the elderly. Blacks under 65 have more favorable attitudes than Whites under 65. Suggests a gap exists between the perceptions of younger Blacks and the reality experienced by older Blacks. (JAC)

Examined the hypothesis that aging and hemispheric laterality interact to produce relatively greater decrements in older individuals in right hemispheric dominant (visuospatial) than left hemispheric dominant (verbal) tasks in 24 early middle-aged and 24 older males. Data did not support the notion of a laterality effect associated with aging.…

Compared neighborhood perceptions and use and social network involvement in urban and suburban older people. Urban older people reported more frequent interactions with friends, greater dissatisfaction with friendships and greater organizational participation. Informal social relationships were related to elderly urbanites' morale but had…

Studied feelings of loneliness in relation to disease, handicaps, social network and social background in (N=1,007) 70-year-old people in Sweden. Loneliness was a problem to 24% of women and 12% of men. Most important factors related to loneliness were loss of spouse, depression of mood, and lack of friends. (Author)

Volunteer workers over sixty-five were compared to retired elderly who did not engage in work activity. Volunteers had significantly higher degree of life satisfaction, stronger will to live, and fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatization. No differences were found on demographics or background. (Author)