Gerontology Commons^™

The Elder Economic Security Initiative™: The Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index For Iowa, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Wider Opportunities For Women

Gerontology Institute Publications

This report addresses income adequacy for Iowa’s older adults using the national WOW-GI National Elder Economic Security Standard Index (Elder Index) methodology. The Elder Index benchmarks basic costs of living for elder households and illustrates how costs of living vary geographically and are based on the characteristics of elder households, including household size, home ownership or renter status and health status. The costs are based on market costs for basic needs of elder households and do not assume any public or private supports.

A Functional Analysis Of Elderspeak Use By Certified Nursing Assistants In Caregiving Situations, Nathaniel Joseph Lombardi

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the current study was to assess the function of Elderspeak (i.e., a patronizing style of speech used with older adults) use by Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA's) in caregiving situations, with the intention of identifying factors or variables related to its use. This was done using a questionnaire intended to ascertain CNA's general evaluations of the likelihood and appropriateness of Elderspeak use in a variety of different contexts. The questionnaire included a total of 36 items that identified positive and negative factors pertaining to residents and caregivers. Consistent with existing models and previous research, it was hypothesized that …

Dying Today: Perspectives Of The Modern Hospice Worker, Nicholas Jay Mac Murray

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

From a sociological standpoint, death is relatively difficult to research. While some individuals may describe near-death experiences, the actual act of death cannot be fully known to the living. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the nature of death and dying in the United States today. This research examines the perspective of modern hospice workers. These individuals work near death on a regular basis and therefore have a privileged understanding of what death is like in US society today. Data consist of ten in-depth interviews with hospice/ palliative-care workers in the Midwestern United States. Respondents were …

Different Patterns Among Caregivers In Their Utilization Of Formal Services And The Influence On Caregiver Burden And Health, Jeehoon Kim

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study examined how older adults and their primary family caregivers utilized formal services; and how formal service utilizations were associated with the caregiver's burden and health status. Conceptually, the caregiver's stress/appraisal model was modified by adopting a relation between formal and informal care from health economics or policy.

First Elderly Client In Therapy: Factors That Influence Student Interest In Geropsychology, Cristina E. M. Filippelli

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

In the coming decades, the elderly population in United States (U.S) is expected to grow significantly (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1996). Consequently, the number of older individuals seeking mental health services will be greater than at any other time in the history of the U.S. The field of clinical psychology, however, is unable to meet the mental health needs of the current elderly population, and this gap is expected to widen in coming years. There is an ongoing discussion within the field of professional psychology as to how to train more clinicians to work with the elderly population (Gatz …

The Relationship Of Race And Social Integration On The Health Status Of Older Adults In An Urban City, Thomas T. Jordan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Durkheim argues that an individual is more vulnerable to self-destruction the more s/he is detached from the collective. This dissertation will explore the relative impact of social integration on older adults who have transitioned into their new roles in the social structure in relationship to their physical (obesity) and psychological (stress) health status. Additionally, the dissertation examines how social integration varies in its impact from one racial group to another, and how such variations influence the health status of the older adults who are members of these groups.

This dissertation employs data from the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging and …

Volunteer Patterns Of Mid- And Later Life American Couples, Deborah B. Smith

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The expectation for older people to volunteer has increased, and married Americans are more likely to volunteer. Drawing on life course and couple decision-making theories, this research examines mid- and later life American couples' volunteer patterns. Ninety-five (95) couples are analyzed to determine characteristics of three groups of couples-both volunteer, neither volunteer, or only one spouse volunteers. Multinomial logistic regression comparing all couples simultaneously finds significant diferences. Couples with no volunteers are more likely to report lower joint marital satisfaction and at least one spouse out of the labor force than couples where one spouse volunteers. Couples who have both …

Primetimes Newsletter, Fall 2010, Office Of Lifespan Studies

PrimeTimes Newsletter

PrimeTimes is the newsletter of the Office of Lifespan Studies in the College of Science at Coastal Carolina University.

Program Evaluation Of A Community-Based Door-Through-Door Medical Escort Service, Lauren A. Martin

Gerontology Institute Publications

This report summarizes the program evaluation findings of a Boston-based organization’s Medical Escort program. This “door-through-door” service strives to provide medical transportation, physical assistance, and emotional support to elders on their way to the doctor’s office, during medical appointments and on the way back home again. By offering added assistance the program attempts to remove environmental barriers associated with access to health care. This evaluation combines previously collected program statistics with surveys (32) from program volunteers and phone interviews (78) with recipients.

Silverwire Newsletter, Lenard W. Kaye

Maine Center on Aging Education and Training

The Silverwire Newsletter is a triannual publication that highlights the work of the UMaine Center on Aging. The topics covered in this edition of the Silverwire Newsletter include initial results from the Maine Medication disposal program, sexuality and aging, and the success of the Encorps summit.

The Relationship Among Counselor Demographic, Training, And Employment Variables And Self-Reported Multicultural And Gerontological Counseling Competence, Rebecca G. Mcbride

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

As the "Baby Boom" population ages, the geriatric population will grow to be the largest cohort in history. Elders are considered to be members of a diverse population and, therefore, topics related to older adulthood should be addressed within multicultural training. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship among counselor demographic variables, training variables, employment variables, attitudes toward the geriatric population, and self-reported multicultural counseling competence. Participants consisted of graduate students in both CACREP and non-CACREP accredited counseling programs, master's and doctoral level practitioners, and counselor educators. No statistically significant relationship was found between demographic, training, or …

Empowerment In The Caritas Federation For Senior Citizens, Kong Sang Lou, Mei Yuk, Doris Yu

APIAS Monograph 專題論文

According to the Hong Kong population projection the proportion of the population aged 65 and over is projected to increase markedly, from 11.7% in 2003 to 27% in 2033. This increase is expected to be gradual between 2003 and 2015 (14.3%) and it will then be followed by a period of rapid growth to 27% in 2033 (Census and Statistics Department, 2004). Concomitant to the rise in elderly population, the demand for community and residential services that meet their specific needs is also expected to increase. The success of meeting these needs depend on the cooperation of various parties: individuals, …

An Examination Of Caregiving Dyads: Community Dwelling Chronically Ill Older Adults And Their Caregivers, Jessica E. Haxton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increases in life expectancy among older adults raise important concerns about the availability of resources for an aging population living with chronic and debilitating illnesses. Living longer is complicated by the fact that many elders prefer to reside in their homes until medical or other conditions require an alternative living arrangement. The strong desire to remain at home expressed by older persons in the United States has in turn created an increased demand on informal caregiving. Consequently, adult children often bear the burden of providing care to their aging parents. In view of this demand it is critical that research …

The Elderly In Empty Nests : China’S Challenge, Kong Wei

APIAS Monograph 專題論文

China has the largest elderly population in the world. At present, the older population aged 60 and above is close to 145 million while US had about 46 million people aged 60 or older (U.S. Census Bureau 2001). The older population in China made up about 10.2 percent of the total, with an annual growth of 3%. It is projected that by the middle of this century the figure will reach 400 million. Along with this increase, the number of elderly in empty nests is projected to soar. Among these empty nesters, many are weak and disadvantaged, insecure, unable to …

Life-Long Learning Among The Elderly In Hong Kong : The Experience Of Caritas Evergreen College, Hong Kong, Siu Ching, Selina Lo

APIAS Monograph 專題論文

The dynamism in the society we live today has demanded a new approach to life in the dawn of a knowledge society which permeates the entire globe including Hong Kong. The knowledge society has been driven by the advancement in the information communication technology (ICT) in particular which demands new skills and hence is seen as an obstacle to the elderly even in their daily living functions. At the most basic level of daily life, many products including television and washing machines are today computer-aided or chip-based that requires some minimum knowledge about “buttons” and simple operations in order to …

Primetimes Newsletter, Summer 2010, Office Of Lifespan Studies

PrimeTimes Newsletter

PrimeTimes is the newsletter of the Office of Lifespan Studies in the College of Science at Coastal Carolina University.

States To The Rescue: Policy Options For State Government To Promote Private Sector Retirement Savings, Christian A. Weller, Amy Helburn

Gerontology Institute Publications

We provide an overview of retirement plan proposals that could be implemented at the state level. All aim to increase participation in retirement savings, mainly by lowering the cost of doing so and possibly by offering some employer or government matches to employee contributions. The proposals vary widely on how much risk employees are exposed to. Some proposals leave most of the risks of saving for retirement – investment, market, and longevity risk – with the employee, while others try to eliminate them all. The tools of risk management range from well-diversified index funds and default investments to required offers …

Later Life Decision-Making: Experiential Adult Learning And Successful Aging, Shauna Pearce Breland

Dissertations

The focus of this study was on how aging adults make critical life decisions such as those involving health care and health care benefits, living arrangements for later life, and organizing personal affairs. The participant group consisted of 8 sexagenarians and 4 septuagenarians who had recently made or were currently making these critical life decisions.

The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to allow the researcher to examine the phenomena of decision-making and aging within the context of the life experiences of the individuals being studied. Each subject participated in a single in-depth …

Primetimes Newsletter, Spring 2010, Office Of Lifespan Studies

PrimeTimes Newsletter

PrimeTimes is the newsletter of the Office of Lifespan Studies in the College of Science at Coastal Carolina University.

Aps: Neglected Agency In Feed Of Transformation, Suncica Sue Vilic

Theses & Honors Papers

Approximately 3 million elders are mistreated annually in the United States. Due to factors such as increase in life expectancy, this number is likely to amplify. Adult Protective Services agencies across the nation have been established by The Social Security Act, with purpose and goal of providing services to stop elder mistreatment and prevent it from occurring further. Although program was created over 40 years ago, APS agencies continue to make little progress and are publicly and legislatively neglected when compared to child welfare programs and domestic violence programs.

This thesis presents overview of APS problems on local, state, and …