This paper describes the Intergenerational Program, a high school volunteer program which matches students with older adults who receive help and companionship through the Independent Aging Program (San Jose, California). The history of the student program is reviewed, and the steps involved in establishing the program are outlined. Recruitment of…

Research has shown that older persons who have become widowed after many years of marriage maintain deep attachments to their deceased spouses. Case histories, observations and interviews were used to explore some aspects of the persistence of the marital tie after the first few years of mourning had passed. The major element in this tie was…

Research on social supports of the aged indicates that creation and maintenance of supportive interpersonal bonds among the elderly result in an enhancement of their quality of life. The nature of social support networks at different points in the life course was investigated to determine the relative size of social networks and the way men and…

The booklet describes a sampling of projects and activities carried out by Future Homemakers of America (FHA) and Home Economics Related Occupations (HERO) chapters to indicate how they are concerned for, working with, and learning from older citizens in their respective communities. Projects range from a simple act of friendship to learning…

This booklet explains to a prospective volunteer or other person who deals with the elderly their special needs in regard to human relationships and how to satisfy them. The necessity of reinforcing or restoring the older person's sense of worth and dignity is emphasized. Special hints are given for visiting the elderly in a group facility as…

Responses from 331 elderly mothers and 261 elderly fathers were compared on four indexes of filial responsibility expectations with significant gender differences being found in two of the four measures. The findings indicate that women in this cohort tend to expect more filial support than do their male counterparts. (Author)

Interactional behavior of two groups (N=3 females per group) of elderly mentally retarded group home residents was measured in two generalization situations before, during, and after one group received social skills training. Among conclusions were that generalization to natural interactional situations may be delayed following training.…

Compared adolescents' (N=213) knowledge of aging with the amount and quality of contact they had with an older adult and compared adolescents' knowledge of aging in 1978 with adolescent's knowledge in 1985. Results indicated adolescents were very misinformed or uninformed about aging and older adults. Implications for educational efforts are…

An intergenerational service-learning model to improve well-being of elderly nursing home residents involved 10 college students visiting 20 elderly nursing home residents and interacting with them socially. Interaction resulted in substantial improvements in the residents' psychosocial and physical conditions and in students' perceptions of…

Examined equity in marriage in 400 middle-aged and older married women who described equity at eight points across their lifespan. Results suggested women begin a marriage with a sense of overbenefit, move into a period of underbenefit during their middle years, and feel fairly treated in late middle age. (JAC)

Adolescents' attitudes toward aged were positive, regardless of age. Contact with grand-parents and more positive attitudes were found in middle class compared to lower class, and among whites compared to nonwhites. Questionnaires were given to all 9th and 12th grade students in a rural high school (N=413). (Author)

Developed and administered the Elderly Persons' Attitudes toward Children to a random sample of older adults. Results indicated an overall positive attitude toward children with negative attitudes to some personality characteristics. Discusses implications for intergenerational program planning in school and nonschool settings. (RC)

Suggests that a transactional perspective to interpersonal communication with older persons will facilitate communication cross-generationally. Factors addressed include negative stereotypes, fears of aging, crises encountered as the person ages, and later life cycle changes in exposure to interpersonal communication and ability to negotiate…

Investigated age preferences of older adults (61-89 years) for individuals with whom a relationship may potentially affect life satisfaction. Photographs of young, middle-aged, and old adults were rated by 33 older persons. Found older adults showed preferences for old and middle-aged individuals. (Author)

Suggests scientific investigations of the concept of friendship have been hampered by inadequate conceptualizations. By utilizing a social relations perspective and a network analysis methodology, shows how to overcome the limitations of previous conceptualizations and to attain a more developed scientific grasp of friendship. (Author)