Widowhood may pose a threat to the adjustment and life satisfaction of older women. In order to examine the relationship between life satisfaction of elderly widowed black women and their involvement in formal and informal support systems, 65 women ranging in age from 64 to 92, were asked 326 questions by trained black interviewers. Interviewers…

Conducted qualitative interviews with 30 African-American women to examine meanings of leisure within context of lifelong work histories. Respondents participated in unpaid agricultural work in childhood, paid work in domestic and service occupations as adults, and volunteer work as retirees. Women continued their history of self-reliance,…

Examined ethnic diversity of the grandmother role and implications for strengthening support networks of older African-American women. Findings from 79 African-American grandmothers and 87 white grandmothers 65 years of age and older showed cultural distinctions in grandmother role. Results have important implications for strengthening the natural…

A survey of 35 cases of reported abuse to individuals aged 60 and older in the state of Tennessee sought to determine demographic characteristics of the abused, perpetrators of elder abuse and neglect, types of abuse that occur, and any existence of relationships in elder abuse and neglect between urban and rural counties and eastern and western…

Women, blacks, the poor, and the elderly view more television than the population as a whole. Does TV serve the needs and interests of these primary viewers? Professor Comstock doubts it and finds these viewers largely disenfranchised by shallow news programs and entertainment that reinforces accepted norms. (Editor/RK)

This essay provides an assessment of the plights of economics, loneliness, mortality and isolationism confronting aggregated older black women as they age in the United States. The most exacerbated plights relate to those of insufficient monies and insufficient men. (Author/AM)

Reports on observations of interpersonal touching behavior patterns among residents of homes for the elderly. Analyzes behavior for Blacks and Whites, males and females, in terms of who initiates touching and parts of the body touched and used for touching. (JMF)

This study (the second of a 2-part project exploring the communication patterns of the elderly) examined whether the quantity and frequency of conversational talk affected how favorably an individual was viewed as a partner for activities within a small social network of elderly black persons. Subjects, 5 black women ranging in age from 65 to 78,…

A study investigated the role of specific functional communication skills in the choice of peers within a small social network in a single population: older Afro-American women. Subjects were nine women aged 55-79 attending a senior citizens' center. A questionnaire was used by subjects to rate the importance they attach to 26 specific expressive…

A nationwide Harris survey examining public attitude toward older Americans and documenting older American's expectations and personal experiences revealed that: more than one-third of the retired were forced to retire, most Americans oppose forced retirement, and income was an important factor in affecting people's attitudes toward work and…

Contains four articles focusing on the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and Themes Concerning Blacks (TCB). Compared use of the TAT and TCB with Black children. Used the TCB and oral history to identify values of older Black adults. Compared TCB and TAT response characteristics in Black males and females. (RC)

Used 13 scenarios to measure and compare perceptions of elder abuse and help-seeking behaviors of African-American, Caucasian American, and Korean-American elderly women. Significant group differences existed in perceptions of elder abuse with regard to six scenarios, and Korean-American women were substantially less likely to perceive given…

A learning activity level scale was developed to assess the learning efforts of older persons with minimal formal education. The sample consisted of 132 urban, black men and women, aged 60-94, with mean educational attainment of six grades. Results showed that sex and self-perceived reading ability emerged as the most significant predictors.…

Discusses the problems of economically disadvantaged Black elderly women, focusing on such problem areas as age, racial and sexual employment discrimination; health; housing; nutrition; and public policy. Advocates new governmental programs, investigations of the problems of the elderly, and support of militant groups supporting the aged. (JM)

Examined social support and cognitive and active coping responses of 80 Black and White urban elderly women to the stressful event of a medical problem. Findings revealed these women were similar, although racial differences were found in level of social support, use of prayer in coping, and use of nonprescription drugs. (Author/NRB)