Residential specialists (N=759) in public and private facilities for mentally retarded adults were surveyed to identify the skills that they consider essential for mentally retarded adults to function in different residential settings (unsupervised apartment, supervised apartment, and group home). Significant differences were found among settings…

Describes the development and evaluation of a community-based program that provided an alternative to residential care by providing "wraparound" services to children with moderate to severe emotional difficulties. Program goals were preventing admission to residential care, maintaining children in the area, and assisting in early…

Children with serious emotional disturbance receiving community-based services were compared to children with other disabilities and children with no disabilities. For the sample of 228 children, factors considered include: gender, race, guardianship, psychotropic medication, criminal record, previous involvement with the service system, and…

This article reports on a deinstitutionalization project for children with severe multiple intellectual and physical disabilities, in which 98 hospital residents were relocated to small group homes. Relocation generally resulted in a more varied life-routine for residents, a broader range of social activities and greater contact with their…

A series of 6- to 10-week programs in creative collage were given to disabled elderly residents within a special care facility. The program stressed choice, decision making, and personal autonomy in the design process. Participants were involved in all stages of the creative process including exploration, manipulation, establishing a unity,…

Interviews with a random sample of 1,598 persons aged 65 years and older in 1975 with followups in 1984 provide information about the distribution between community and institutional care of urban elderly in Cleveland (Ohio). Support factors that enable persons to remain in the community are identified. (SLD)

Reviews the limited outcomes research on residential and inpatient psychiatric treatment of conduct disorder in elementary school children. Considers the literature on outcomes studies of outpatient treatment in conduct-disordered children and discusses the implications of these studies for a model of residential treatment. Outlines a…

Private, unregulated residential care facilities have become an increasingly important component of the continuum of housing and care for frail older adults in Canada. To date, this growing segment of the older population has received very little research attention. This study involved an in-depth examination of the functional/health profile,…

Terminology in the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale of DSM-IV often is irrelevant to the realities of nursing homes, assisted living centers, and similar facilities in which residents encounter stressors that are unique to their living environment and circumstances. As the mental health needs of long-term care residents are…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the decision-making abilities of residents in assisted living regarding abuse and neglect. Design and Methods: Twenty-seven residents in assisted living facilities were recruited for this descriptive study. Participants were administered an interview to assess baseline knowledge of support…

In this article, the author describes the intergenerational service-learning program at South Scranton Intermediate School in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Currently in its fifth year of operation, the program was originated by William King, a former principal, as an attempt to develop a working relationship between Oakwood Terrace, an Alzheimer's care…

For the past two decades, economic influences have significantly impacted the provision of health and welfare services for children, young people and their families in communities around the world. The dynamic of cost has reshaped both the nature and provision of group care services, promoting de-institutionalization and transforming the nature of…

The training needs of Ohio eldercare workers, with a special emphasis on the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) population, were studied. A task force created a job matrix of the 100 most prevalent positions in the eldercare work force. For each identified job title, occupational tasks, related training, and wage and salary information were…

Perhaps no facet of long-term care (LTC) research has received as much attention as the evaluation of community-based LTC demonstrations. Recent thinking has called into question the validity and policy relevance of the findings of these studies, yet their efforts will continue to receive strong financial backing. The time has come for LTC…

This report presents annual basic descriptive and longitudinal population statistics on people with mental retardation and related conditions in state-operated residential facilities in the United States. Part I presents data on numbers of persons with mental retardation and related conditions, including first admissions, readmissions, releases,…