Presents a historical perspective on the meaning of senility, representing a significant change in beliefs about the nature of old age. Before the nineteenth century, to be senile meant simply to be old. By the late nineteenth century, old age was assumed to be synonymous with debilitating illness. (JAC)

This special issue of "The Gerontologist" contains session-by-session abstracts from the society's 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting. Abstracts are arranged numerically by session number and in the order of presentation within each session. There are a total of 375 sessions. An index of participants is provided with references to their…

This discussion of geriatric rehabilitation stresses the importance of holistic and permanent rehabilitation with a fluent transition from the acute phase to the rehabilitation phase under one specialist's care and in one institution. Recommendations include mixed age groups in one ward; systematic education of relatives; follow-up rehabilitation…

Describes program in which satellite clinics in three apartment buildings for seniors and disabled adults bring primary health care services to individuals. Explains how clinical nurse specialist, social worker, and physician work as team to help clients remain functional and independent, and how health education programs, counseling, and staff…

Efforts to prepare faculty to teach students to work with culturally diverse populations of older adults included conferences on course content and instructional methods and minifellowships in ethnogeriatrics. Most faculty reported changing course content to include knowledge gained from the training. (SK)

Survey of sample of members and nine-month study of all members of comprehensive geriatric program at one hospital revealed that surveyed members joined the program for its reasonable cost but continued with it because of good health care. Medical care and no claim forms or bills were two services surveyed members valued and used more. (Author/NB)

Over the last 20 years, older people have served as teachers for students as part of the formal curriculum in geriatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In recent years, we have supported a more in-depth, longitudinal experience that connects medical students with elders in the community. The program was initiated as a special…

This volume contains materials presented at a one-day conference on family support for the care of older adults. Checklists and guides are included on evaluating and meeting the needs of older persons. A discussion guide for those taking care of older parents covers ways in which to support the older persons and the entire family. Several…

Male extended-care patients (N=81) relocated due to planned demolition of the building in which their ward was located were followed for 21 months in an effort to examine the influence of relocation on mortality. Results show no increased mortality thus suggesting the degree of environmental change may be important. Paper presented at Canadian…

The performance of 60 elderly volunteers on two cancellation tasks was examined under one of three experimental conditions: social praise, social reproof, or no comment. The clear implications from these data are that social incentives may well facilitate behavioral change in the aged. (Author)

Hypothesizes that a geriatric counseling group would have a particularly difficult time with termination because of their unique position in relation to the issues of loss and dependency. Concludes that the major work of group therapy termination involves the issues of loss and separation anxiety. (LLL)

Describes a health education program at a life care community, based on Knowles' theory of androgyny. The program significantly affected participants' health behavior which reduced the effects of aging. Planning guidelines, audiovisual considerations, format, and cost are discussed. (JAC)

Contends that experience with a frail or dying client is a learning opportunity for the counselor. Presents several examples illustrating the reactions of the elderly to approaching death and suggests that successful counselors accept their own mortality and acknowledge the decision of the failing elderly that death is near. (JAC)

Materials are needed for lay and professional audiences interested in aging and the aged. A review of sources for locating materials was undertaken by studying the Book Review Digest'' and the Cumulative Book Index'' to determine the number of books published and reviewed in the past thirty years. (1 reference) (Author/DH)