Emphasizes need for feminization of geriatric mental health and calls attention to issues for older women. Warns that few mental health professionals are knowledgeable about gender differences in development or about late life development/aging. Notes that therapists who rely on personal experience with older persons, both positive and negative,…

This theme issue discusses maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks of drug therapy for older people. It includes articles on psychoactive drugs, drug-related problems, medication compliance, geriatric psychopharmacotherapy, consumer guidelines, and outpatient prescriptions drug coverage as it relates to health care reform. (JOW)

Describes Rosemary Rizzo Parse's Man-Living-Health theory that was used to describe how gerontological nursing knowledge could be developed through a nursing conceptual model that includes a defined practice and research methodology. (Author/JOW)

Purpose: We describe and evaluate a project designed to pilot test an evidence-based clinical intervention for assessing and treating depression in older adults in rural primary care clinics. Project ADAPT--Assuring Depression Assessment and Proactive Treatment--utilized existing primary care resources to overcome barriers to sustainability…

During the coming years the need for professionals to work with the nation's elders will increase several fold. This will place a great responsibility on university educational programs to prepare enough qualified future professionals to work in the greatly expanding field of gerontology. Prior research has identified several nonacademic and…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between functional disability and the use of health care services in a nationally representative sample of older adults by using the Andersen behavioral model of health services utilization. Design and Methods: The study used 12 years of longitudinal…

The entire second part of the October issue presents the program for the 28th Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society. Abstracts of papers are included. (EJT)

Funding educational programs for the aging and developing undergraduate interdisciplinary programs in gerontology at St. Clair Community College and Central Michigan University are discussed. (SM)

This three-phase literature review focusses on the dangers of drug misuse or abuse by the elderly, and seeks to assist in the development of prevention and treatment strategies. The first phase focusses on the aging process and psychoactive drug use in clinical treatment. The second phase identifies and synthesizes information on the patterns of…

This second of three institutes for developing and improving educational programs for older persons was composed of 45 administrators, teachers, and counselors from universities, community colleges, and public school systems. Addresses presented were: "Aging--The Need for a Choice" by Dr. Thomas Rich; "The Physiology of Aging" by Dr. Fred B.…

The key to successful aging is successful living, and an important part of the strategy for successful living, in the later years, is the maintenance of an active sex life, concordant with the desires and abilities of the individuals who are involved. (RC)

A summary of the literature on the goals, content, and techniques of psychotherapy with the elderly client is presented, and supports the conclusion that this therapy is different from similar work with the younger adult, only in terms of a focus on different content areas. (Author)

Examined use of Geriatric Consultation Team in acute care hospital among 185 older veterans. Intervention patients were more likely than controls to have recommendations concerning discharge planning and long-term care. Groups had similar discharge placements. Preadmission location, functional status, mental status, occurrence of hospital-acquired…

Describes demonstration by an interdisciplinary geriatric evaluation team that a newly described syndrome of hysterical pseudodementia in elderly patients often originates in developmental phenomena rather than in basic personality disturbances. Discusses team members' observations of clinical behavior which frequently differed from results of…

Discusses literature on the physician-elderly patient-companion triad and proposes conceptual framework and methodological approach for understanding the companion's presence during the geriatric visit. Suggests agenda for both clinical and social science research. (Author)