This paper develops the idea that the family of the aged participant is also a day-care client and should be considered as such in planning and delivering services. Ways of involving the family at the point of intake and in on-going treatment are suggested. (Author)

Italian and Polish residents of Baltimore were sampled to ascertain their attitudes toward care of aged relatives. A majority of the respondents indicated a preference for intergenerational household arrangements for ambulatory relatives, a preference for church rather than governmentally operated services, and a positive attitude toward…

The Wickens "release from proactive inhibition" task involves presenting several trigrams of one type for several trials and then shifting to another type. College students, elderly community residents, and elderly rest-home residents were compared on the Wickens task. College students were superior in over-all memory. (Author)

Reports the results of a state-by-state (N=27) survey of mental health services available for older persons and compares the extent of need and existing federal mandates. Results show 52 percent of respondents provide mental health services for older adults, while 22 percent include older adults with the general public. (Author/JAC)

Examined the relationship between age and perceived health status in 660 adults. Number of symptoms was the strongest predictor of perceived health status employed in this analysis, followed by age, education, and race. Persons over 60 tend to perceive their own health in a significantly more positive fashion. (Author/JAC)

Studied the effect of progressive muscle relaxation training on a group of anxious older widows (N=10). Found training decreased the severity of stress-related disorders when compared with controls. Results indicated, with state anxiety, improvement continued during home practice after treatment. (Author/JAC)

Explored the life-styles of elderly wanderers and nonwanderers in long-term care. Paired t-tests confirmed hypotheses indicating that wanderers had engaged in a higher level of social and leisure activities and had experienced more stressful events, motoric reactions to stress, and motoric behavioral styles prior to their illness. (Author)

A good experiential training program in geriatrics provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge in the basic pharmaceutical disciplines; develop management and communication skills; formulate corrective and preventive strategies; and learn rational, safe, and effective drug use among the elderly. (MLW)

Indirect self-destructive behavior (ISDB) is associated with direct suicide potential, dissatisfaction with the treatment program and with life in general, confused reasoning and judgment, poor prognosis for discharge, the absence of religious commitment, and significant losses in the patient's life. ISDB is an alternative form of suicide. (Author)

Workshops in caring were designed to expose attitudes, biases, and concerns of a nursing home staff toward aging, illness, and death. Touches on techniques and materials for encouraging participants to focus on and share feelings. What inhibits or facilitates a caring relationship was the prime focus of both sessions. (Author)

Gerontology is a young science and this article explores some of the problems involved in properly diagnosing residents at a geriatric center. Suggests methods of effectively treating geratric patients. (Author/RK)

Although the use of date of birth is a method of classifying people has certain legal advantages because it provides a convenient dividing line, it results in misclassification of people into inappropriate categories. (Author/AM)

Notes that programs to insure the elderly's community or social participation in the later years must be designed with the input of elderly and retired citizens. (Author/AM)

Notes that attempts to apply research findings based on undifferentiated comparisons between black and white elderly toward the solution of problems faced by black elderly are doomed to ineffectiveness. (Author/AM)

Reviews the various emerging roles that senior citizens can play in the educational field. (AM)