Presents a framework that identifies variables associated with relationship dynamics that exist between older persons and their social network members. Suggests framework can be used by case managers to help them assess the characteristics and functioning of their clients' social network relations and develop service strategies that maximize the…

In a study using qualitative and quantitative indicators to measure adjustment to retirement, it was proposed that people come to understand who they are in relation to the other social objects in their environment, including other persons. The study sample was comprised of 12 retired and 12 nonretired persons, all within about 18 months of their…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 34 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) marital communication; (2) aspects of dyadic communication, including self-disclosure, trust, dominance versus recessiveness, and influence of sex role…

Sociodemographic variables, social support, and physical health have been used previously in a few predictor models of loneliness and psychological distress in late life. The present study, however, was designed to test the hypothesis that self-efficacy beliefs of elderly persons are significantly stronger predictors of loneliness and…

Communication imposes a social order and interaction patterns which individuals accept as children, but it is not known to what extent or when in the life cycle preferred rhythms of social involvement and withdrawal are established. To assess the extent to which the elderly lose control of their patterns of interaction, case studies of four…

This case study represents an attempt to develop knowledge and understanding of "community supports," those formal and informal supports necessary to enable people with disabilities to live in the community and participate fully in community life. The individual in the case study is a white man with severe cerebral palsy born in 1912. The study…

A 3-year (1978-81) participant observation study examined the involvement within the spaces and places of the lives of 15 elderly residents (ranging in age from 62 to 91) of a declining rural Appalachian community, to develop an understanding of their milieu and its relationship to their level of well being. Close interpersonal relationships were…

The Wayne State College Lifestyle Improvement Program for Seniors, based on the wellness concept, is designed to facilitate social interaction and health through physical activities. It is adaptable to a variety of individual needs and preferences, including exercises for cardiac rehabilitation patients. Any person over 50 can participate at no…

A study examined the impact of a simulated aging experience on nursing staff perceptions of job satisfaction and job performance. It was hypothesized that nurses and nurse aides who participated in the simulated aging experience would be more satisfied with their jobs and would receive fewer complaints from residents than those who did not…

Abstracts are presented of 34 papers on adult education research. They cover adult dropouts, age differences in learning, older adults, motivation and orientations of adults, interpersonal relationships; adult educators, change agents, and leaders in Cooperative Extension; teacher training and multimedia instruction; diffusion of innovation,…

What might add quality to life during the last period of the life cycle? In study I, five focus groups of elderly participants representing different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds provided descriptions of quality of life (QOL) from their own perspectives. These descriptions formed the basis of a questionnaire that was administered to a…

This paper presents a curriculum model designed to incorporate the concept of collaboration through a student partnership program with retired persons. This descriptive study is based upon on-hand observations by the author during the course of the program. Thirty eighth-grade students were paired with retired persons who lived in a retirement…

This study examines the relationships developed between elder mentors and at-risk youth in the following exemplary intergenerational programs: (1) IUE/The Work Connection (Saugus, Massachusetts); (2) Teen Moms (Portland, Maine); (3) School Volunteers for Boston (Massachusetts); (4) Teenage Parent Alternative Program (Lincoln Park, Michigan); and…

The report describes a 3-day, two-part (community education and in-home counseling) rural elderly mental health project conducted in Waushara County, Wisconsin, during 1980-81. The first section details activities of the two components and the second section reports the clinician's experiences in the project. As covered in the first section,…

An exploratory study was designed to assess (1) whether a class created around older adults' personal recollections would motivate the class's involvement in adult education activities, (2) the oral history preparation process's impact on younger interviewers and older respondents, and (3) the instructional approach's strengths and weaknesses. The…