Research indicates that leisure participation enhances health at various levels, reducing stress and promoting better physical and mental health. Participation in personally meaningful leisure activities serves as a buffer to life's stressful events. Leisure professionals must work to promote leisure as a priority in people's lives. (SM)

Investigated self-reported health differences between elderly Alaska Natives and Whites (N=9,897) and effects of socioeconomic factors upon health and physical well-being. Found greater variety of impairments suffered by elderly Alaska Natives than Whites but that health differences disappeared when socioeconomic factors were controlled. Found…

The UK has the highest rate of cannabis use among young people worldwide. Dr. Alan Leshner, Director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse reports, "Every year more than 100,000 people, most of them adolescents, seek treatment for their inability to control their marijuana use." According to the Scottish Drug Misuse Statistics in…

A national sample of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) was used to describe practice patterns of MFTs whose clients use psychotropics and to compare medicated and nonmedicated clients. Marriage and Family Therapists (n = 283) reported on 195 medicated and 483 nonmedicated adult clients. Clients (n = 375) rated their improvement and…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the work of evening and night home care patrols in Swedish old-age care by examining how staff members view their work and the specific work content. Design and Methods: The authors developed two questionnaires: one that was to be answered jointly by the patrol teams, and one to be completed by…

The shift in living situations for adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (IDDD) from family homes to group homes has raised questions about their healthcare needs and access to appropriate healthcare services. This study was undertaken to describe the disability characteristics and medical conditions in a sample of adults…

Individuals with autism and their caregivers face unique challenges in later childhood and adolescence, yet this period is often neglected in the professional literature. This much-needed volume translates current research on the needs of this population into practical recommendations for clinicians and educators. Featuring vivid case examples and…

This curriculum guide shows how to develop a cooperative learning, interdisciplinary unit on self-esteem, coping skills, and healthy lifestyles. It offers teachers, using a team-teaching approach, instructions and activities for helping children to become successful in life. The emphasis is on cooperative learning methods. The matrix of lesson…

The Tenderloin Senior Outreach Project (TSOP) in San Francisco facilitated the development of intentional networks among elderly residents of eight single room occupancy (SRO) hotels in an attempt to improve residents' health and well being, and to focus on social and environmental change. The 45 block Tenderloin area is one of the largest…

The Alabama Adolescent Health Survey was a comprehensive survey of the knowledge and behaviors of eighth- and tenth-grade students in the public schools. The sample consisted of 3,803 students from school systems that were rural, metropolitan, and mixed. The survey measured student attitudes toward, and knowledge of: (1) mental health; (2)…

This Federal Council on Aging report contains recommendations for a national policy regarding services for the frail elderly and describes the principles on which the recommendations are based. Recommended core services are discussed and characteristics and statistics relating to the frail elderly are identified. The report describes existing…

Ways in which health professionals may improve the quality of life for older adults are considered. Needs must be met in the following areas: (1) safe housing; (2) convenient transportation; (3) protection against street crime; (4) improved communication systems; (5) educational programs; (6) nutrition for the elderly; and (7) physical fitness and…

This paper reports the results of an interview survey of 108 Chinese American residents of San Francisco, California's Chinatown. Subjects' attitudes were examined in six areas: quality of life, environment, physical health, mental health, psychological attitudes, and employment. Chinatown residents were found to be two to three times more…

Reflecting 10 years of actual retirement experience, the author attempts to prove that older people can live interesting dynamic lives right to the last moment. The book, with its conversational, step-by-step style, has been written for anybody over 50. It presents retirement as a "stepping out" rather than a "stepping down"; the solid realities…

By considering daily health needs, safety, emotional and social health, sexuality, health services and products, disease prevention, and drug use, students using this book will have the opportunity to examine some ways of providing for their physical needs and will become aware of their health responsibilities to themselves and the outside world.…