Intended as a practical guide for the administrator in homes for the aging, this booklet provides direction on how to set up a volunteer program. Five steps in organizing a volunteer program are: (1) Launching a Volunteer Program, (2) Recruitment and Selection of Volunteers, (3) Orientation and Training Program (The Role and Function of a…

Describes the Merit Gram, an alternative to tipping, which was devised to give nursing home residents and their families the opportunity to acknowledge staff and to give staff, in turn, the recognition they needed. Discusses the effectiveness of the Merit Gram in reinforcing the no tipping policy while providing an alternative means of…

Compared mortality rates for residents who transferred rooms within long-term care facility for reasons other than health (N=207) and for residents who did not move (N=353). Found mortality rates higher for moderately competent residents who moved than for non-movers; mortality rates for movers of high or low competence did not differ from those…

Considers informed consent standard inadequate for insuring autonomy in long term care. Argues for complex standard of "negotiated consent." Illuminates philosophical argument by qualitative data from interviews with physicians, nurses, and social workers in nursing homes, which demonstrated continuum of interventions ranging from…

There is a trend toward viewing activities as an integral part of basic care in the nursing home, although the setting is extremely challenging to the recreation service provider. This article discusses nursing home personnel, assessment of residents' needs, activities, programs, and future directions of nursing home recreation. (MT)

Points out health hazards in some art materials, which may pollute the air, contaminate food and utensils, produce flammable vapors, cause chemical burns or allergic reactions, or damage the eyes. Suggests how these hazards may be compounded in nursing homes or senior citizens' agencies. Lists safety tips. (SJL)

Describes the alcohol-related policies, practices, and problems experienced by a sample of intermediate care facilities and homes for elderly people. Despite the problems reported, screening for alcohol problems among residents, treatment of identified problems, and training of staff were not found to be widespread. Challenges to social workers…

Estimated length of stay (LOS) for elderly nursing home patients. Converted discharges from 1985 National Nursing Home Survey into admission cohort and adding reported immediate previous nursing home LOS to surveyed LOS. Ultimate length of aggregated stay was longer than unaggregated estimates for elderly discharged residents. Mean aggregated stay…

Estimated impoverishment risk for two samples of community-living elderly (N=900+). Found that for elders over age 75, 46 percent of those living alone and 2 percent of couples would spend lifetime assets and current income, becoming impoverished in 13 weeks if institutionalized in skilled nursing facility. Rates were comparable for elders over…

Using data from 1981-82 Channeling Demonstration project, examined types of health care costs (hospital, physician and ancillary care, nursing home, and prescription medicine) that contributed to overall expenses to determine sources of financially catastrophic health care expenses among disabled elderly persons. Found expenses for prescription…

As part of 5-state study of impact of special care units for demented residents, surveyed approximately 2,000 nursing homes to identify facilities that maintained some form of special care unit. Estimated prevalence of such units was 11 percent, suggesting that special care units are far more numerous than had previously been reported. (Author/NB)

Investigated contention that differences in styles of reminiscence of older persons could be explained by their levels of ego development in women (n=75) residing in long-term care facilities. Found women with affirming styles of reminiscence had higher levels of ego development than women with negating and despairing styles. (Author/ABL)

Implemented and evaluated primary care model of delivery of nursing aide care in small, rural nursing home and large, urban facility. Findings suggest that primary care nursing as applied to nursing attendants in long-term care was beneficial to residents in terms of decreasing disturbed behavior and improved affect. (Author/NB)

Examines the role that hopelessness plays in the suicidal ideation of a geriatric population (N=60). Results show that the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal ideation depends on the level of depression. Highlights the importance of considering depression and hopelessness simultaneously when assessing and treating geriatric suicidal…

Provides information about correlates of disruptive behaviors among nursing home residents with dementia. Observation of a wide range of behaviors (N=45) across 11 months were analyzed. Findings suggest that cognitive status, but not health variables, predicts disruptive behavior among nursing home residents with dementia. (Author/MKA)