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Primetimes Newsletter, Winter 2004, 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.

Aging In Place At Harbor Point: Outreach Follow-Up Of Older Adults Living In Independent Mixed-Income Apartments, Judith M. Conahan, Nina M. Silverstein, Kelly Fitzgerald

Gerontology Institute Publications

Most older people, despite functional impairments, plan to stay in their homes and/or communities as long as possible. According to an AARP survey, 82% of adults 65+ reported that they believe that they are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to stay in their current homes or apartments for the rest of their lives. With increasing age, housing and community characteristics and services gain importance in meeting the challenges of “aging in place.” Staying in their homes maximizes elder’s independence, sustains their social connections, and reaffirms their identity and value.

Supportive Communities, An Optimum Arrangement For The Older Population?, Miriam Billig

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The preference of older people to stay in their own natural environment requires a reassessment of the approach in dealing with this population group. This exploratory study examines a program conducted in Israel called the "Supportive Community", that provides an emergency call service and other essential services at the homes of older people. A case study was performed in two such supportive communities. Interviews conducted with those who operate the programs and with its members seem to indicate that supportive communities provide a satisfactory solution to the needs of older people who continue to live in their natural environment. Many …

Primetimes Newsletter, Fall 2004, 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.

Access To Training For Mature Workers Through One-Stop Career Centers In Massachusetts, Francis G. Caro, Kelly Fitzgerald

Gerontology Institute Publications

The major purpose of this research is to determine the extent to which career centers in Massachusetts are providing mature workers with access to federally funded training. The research is based on two large administrative data sources: The MOSES database made available by the Massachusetts Department of Employment and Training (now Division of Career Services and Division of Unemployment) and a customer service database maintained by The Career Place, a career center in Woburn, MA. The MOSES data file provided for this research includes data on user characteristics and service transactions for all career centers in Massachusetts from July 1, …

Implications Of Changing Social Norms For Social Security Benefits: Results Of Pilot Research, Francis G. Caro, Yung-Ping Chen

Gerontology Institute Publications

Problem. The U.S. Social Security program is designed to protect the American family structure that existed when the program was introduced in the 1930s. Both family structure and social norms regarding family life have changed substantially in the interim. Major changes in family structure invite proposals to modify Social Security benefits to accommodate contemporary conditions. To remain politically viable, the program must make adjustments to reflect contemporary public opinion regarding family life. We asked to what extent contemporary public opinion is supportive of the current benefit structure and the extent to which public opinion points to possible changes in benefits? …

Consumer Perspectives On Quality In Adult Day Care, Amy Leventhal Stern, Francis G. Caro

Gerontology Institute Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to gain insight into the quality of care and services provided through adult day care from the user’s perspective. Design and Methods: The project utilized 13 focus groups to explore aspects associated with user needs, preferences, and satisfaction with adult day care centers. Results: Focus group participants described aspects of adult day care that are important in delivering quality care, program features that are effective, and key areas in need of improvement. Ensuring the safety of clients; having caring, friendly, and compassionate staff available to provide one-on-one attention; engaging clients in stimulating activities; …

Back To The Future: The Future Of Long-Term Care In Massachusetts, Deborah H. Thomson, John J. Ford

Gerontology Institute Publications

The state of Massachusetts, like the rest of the United States, is facing an approaching crisis in long-term care. Over the next few decades the number of Massachusetts residents age 65 and older will soar. As these numbers increase, so will the need for long-term care.

Massachusetts is ill prepared to provide the services that will be needed. Our current system of health care benefits leaves many elders with gaps in coverage. Those individuals who need long-term services often impoverish themselves and their spouses before the state pays for their care. Others languish on waiting lists to receive services. Our …

Population Aging And The Rising Cost Of Public Pensions [Arabic], John Bongaarts

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Rapid population aging is raising concerns about the sustainability of public pension systems in high-income countries. The first part of this study identifies the four factors that determine trends in public pension expenditures: population aging, pension benefit levels, the mean age at retirement, and the labor force participation rate. The second part presents projections to 2050 of the impact of demographic trends on public pension expenditures in the absence of changes in pension benefits, labor force participation, and age at retirement. These projections demonstrate that current trends are unsustainable, because without reforms population aging will produce an unprecedented and harmful …

Trends And Transitions In Children's Coresidence With Older Adults In Beijing Municipality, Zachary Zimmer, Xianghua Fang, Toshiko Kaneda, Zhe Tang, Julia Kwong

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The reduction in family size in China and concurrent social and economic change are raising concerns that traditional sources of support may be eroding. This Population Council working paper paper examines a) whether rates of coresidence between older adults and their adult children in the Beijing municipality of China have been declining, and b) the determinants of coresidence and coresidence transitions. Results suggest that family support structures for the elderly, when they are facilitated through coresidence, remain basically intact, particularly for those who require the greatest amount of support. Further assessment is required to elucidate the effects of availability, need, …