Gerontology Commons^™

Attention And Memory In Young And Middle-Aged Adults, Emily Sorensen

Honors Program Theses

Within the field of communication sciences and disorders, studies concerning performance on cognitive tests tend to focus on the differences between young and old-age groups. The geriatric population has significantly increased over the years and will continue to rise in the coming decades. This rise in the number of older adults has resulted in research that is directed towards investigating the decline in cognitive ability in the aging population.

Predicting Counseling Psychologists' Attitudes And Clinical Judgments With Respect To Older Adults, Jody K. Tomko

Dissertations

With an emphasis on developmental, strengths-based approaches, as well as a commitment to training multiculturally competent practitioners, the profession of counseling psychology and counseling psychologists are potentially equipped to help address the mental health needs of older adults. Amid projections that Baby Boomers will utilize mental health services at a higher rate than previous cohorts (Rosowsky, 2005), understanding the factors involved in preparing counseling psychologists to provide services to older adults is critical. Older adults, however, have not traditionally been a population served by psychologists (Laganà & Shanks, 2002). Further, possible factors involved in the training and experience of counseling …

Psycho-Social Effects Of A Brain-Training Program Among Healthy Older Adults, Desma Hurley, M. Jean Turner, William C. Bailey

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Grounded in cognitive neuroscience and social exchange theory, this research evaluated the relationship between changes in cognitive functioning and two psycho-social dimensions of life among healthy adults over the age of 70 (N=12). Specific psycho-social dimensions examined were social interaction and depression. Six females and six males participated in the study. All were white, college-educated individuals residing in a life-care residential retirement community. The participants used the Posit Science® Brain Fitness Program™, an auditory-based computer training program that improves memory and speed of processing, for forty hours over an eight-week period. Pre- and post-tests related to social interaction and depressive …

Portraits: Discovering Art As A Transformative Learning Process At Mid-Life, William Scott Wallace

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study explores art as a transformative learning process at mid-life. As adults individuate as they develop into middle age and move towards integration, they may experience transformative learning, a process that can lead to a much broader and deeper life view. Most studies have viewed transformative learning as a process that occurs through critical reflection, (Mezirow, 1991, 2000), possible disorienting dilemmas, (Mezirow, 1991, 2000, and Daloz, 2000), influence of personality type (Cranton, 1994), soulfulness (Dirkx), and other means of awareness. While researchers acknowledge the possibilities of experiencing transformative learning through the arts, a review of the empirical literature reveals …

The Influence Of Work And Nonwork-Related Factors On Bridge Employment Decisions, Chanjira Pengcharoen

Theses Digitization Project

The influence of demographic factors, work schedule flexibility, job satisfaction, job involvement, job seeking self-efficacy, certainty of retirement plans, familial and marital satisfaction, and attitude toward retirement on older workers' decision to fully retire, continue career employment, or participate in bridge employment was examined in this study.

The Relationship Between Body Image And Self-Esteem In Older Adulthood, Lucie Guegan

Theses : Honours

Purpose: Given the global trend of population ageing and the fact that Australia will experience a significant increase in the proportion of older adults, research into ageing issues has become a National priority. Whilst body image and self-esteem have been empirically linked, the relationship among older adults has been neglected. The present study investigated several body image variables and their relationship to self-esteem in a sample of older adults. Design and Methods: Questionnaires consisting of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire were administered to 148 adults aged between 65 and 85 years, living independently in the …

A Behavioral Model For The Assessment And Management Of Dehydration In Older Adults, Leilani Feliciano

Dissertations

Dehydration is a serious health concern in the elderly, constituting 1 of the 10 most common causes for hospitalization in this population (Sanservo, 1997). Previous research on dehydration has typically been conducted within nursing home settings (Chidester & Spangler, 1997; Holbren, Hassell, Williams, & Helle, 1999; Spangler, Risley, & Bilyew, 1984) without specific attention to the variables maintaining dehydration for any given individual. A functional behavioral approach to assessment and prevention or intervention for dehydration would involve identifying maintaining variables in the environment that can be altered to produce effective, non-intrusive interventions to increase healthy fluid consumption. The current project …

Representation Of The Elderly In Counselor Education Textbooks, Alicia V. Fahr

Dissertations

The counseling profession requires multicultural competence in meeting the needs of diverse groups. The responsibility for training counseling students to work effectively with the elderly falls upon counselor educators. Textbooks convey cultural values and contribute to what is learned by students. Specifically,textbooks may contribute to how counseling students think about older adults and aging issues. This study was designed to determine how older adults and aging issues are represented in counselor education texts.

The textbooks used most frequently by 11 randomly selected master's degree programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (2001) were identified …

Perceptions Of The Transition To Assisted Living As A Function Of Psychological Well-Being, Instrumental Activities Of Daily Living, And Coping: A Prospective Study, Brooke Evangeline Crabb

Theses Digitization Project

This study examined the influence of three predictor variables on perceptions of assisted living: psychological well-being, functional status, and coping strategies. A multiple regression analysis was used to examine the influence of these factors on perceptions of the transition to assisted living.

The Effects Of Quality Of Social Networks On Psychological Well-Being In The Visually Impaired Elderly, Marsha Dee Cole

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between several theory based strategies for adaptive coping and well-being in a community of visually impaired elderly.

Issues Impacting The Quality Of Mental Health In Older Adults, Rachel I. Pettit

Graduate Research Papers

Older adults are confronted with a variety of developmental and unexpected issues that can impair or strengthen their mental health. Affective and anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and suicide are some of the mental health issues when older adults experience difficulty with the aging process. On the other hand, the quality of their physical and mental health, their support system, the resolution of grief and loss issues, and the strength of their spirituality assist older adults in recreating meaning. Thus, they are able to live their senior years with purpose. These issues will be addressed and recommendations will be described with …

The Effects Of Life Review On Well-Being In The Elderly, Karen Michelle Fagerstrom

Theses Digitization Project

It is widely believed among developmental psychologists that old age is a distinct developmental stage with unique goals, struggles and opportunities for growth. Achieving integrity involves making sense of disparate aspects of one's life and seing life as one complete whole, rather than bits and pieces of a puzzle. Integrity is achieved when each part of the puzzle is put into place, forming one complete picture.

Correlates Of Life Satisfaction After Retirement, Richard A. Tackett

Dissertations

Much of the literature on aging, retirement, and stages of life has focused on men. The changing role from productive members of society to that of being retired can be either viewed as an opportunity to experience new adventures or depressing for those who are unable to move successfully into the next developmental stage of life. This study examined factors that could contribute to life satisfaction in 144 individuals who were over 65 years of age. The factors that were included in this examination are self-esteem, morale, depression, and demographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, educational level, marital status, income, …

The Role Of Life Review In The Negotiation Of Ldentity In The Elderly And Dying, Edith Kathleen Robertson Sheehan

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Sociology by Edith Kathleen Robertson Sheehan on June 7, 2000.

Cognitive Components Of Social Anxiety: A Comparison Of Elderly And Young Adults, Jeffrey Alan Mcneil

Dissertations

The present study investigated the underlying cognitive elements of social anxiety in elderly and young adult samples. The young adult participants in this study were 99 undergraduate students from a Midwestern university, recruited through scheduled undergraduate classes from both the Communication and Education Departments. Fifty elderly participants from two independent living senior residence centers were recruited through organizational meetings and contacts coordinated through the housing director or the wellness director. One senior residential center was located in the Midwest, while the other was in the Southeast. The study employed well recognized self-report cognitive measures to assess social anxiety: the Fear …

Psychological Well-Being And Spirituality: Constituents Of Successful Aging, Dorothy Sheilah Armstrong

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Modeling Retiree Reciprocity In Organizations, Tracy Lynn Lindbo

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Activity Level For Memory In The Elderly, Lori Ann Johnson

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Attitudes Toward Old People And Beliefs About Aging: A Generational Study, Julie Ann Miles

Theses Digitization Project

Attitudes toward the elderly were examined in three generations through analysis of media use, gender, contact with elderly, age, factual knowledge about aging, and parental influence on attitude formation. The results revealed that age, factual knowledge, perceived ageism in mass media and parental influence were significantly related to attitude toward the elderly.

Elderly Hispanics In The United States: Their Use And Non-Use Of Social Services, Paulina X. Ruf

Masters Theses

The Commonwealth Fund Commission on Elderly people Living Alone (1988), conducted the National Survey of Hispanic Elderly, 1988. Using data from this survey, the present descriptive work, examines the use and non-use of selected social services by general demographic characteristics of the elderly Hispanic sample. In addition, general characteristics of this sample are discussed. A summary of the findings and recommendations for future research conclude this thesis.

The findings indicate that although the elderly Hispanics in the United States reported needing the selected social services used in this thesis, many of them reported not using these services. Additionally, as the …

Dementia Caregivers: Educational Intervention And Coping Styles, Joan Dolores Ladderbush

Theses Digitization Project

Caregivers of dementia patients who were referred to a community-based comprehensive assessment program for demented and/or chronically ill older adults by physicians or community agencies were studied for this thesis.

Relieving Strain In Informal Caregivers Of The Elderly, Roberta Louise Babbage

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Altruism On Activity Productivity In Elderly Women In Skilled-Care Nursing Facilities, Carol J. Getz

Masters Theses

This study investigated altruism as a factor in productivity in elderly women. Eight groups of institutionalized elderly women (n = 33) stenciled personalized (initials) stationery. Groups were randomly assigned to either the non-altruistic condition or the altruistic condition; there was control for time of day and location of the activity. Subjects in the non-altruistic condition made stationery for themselves, while subjects in the altruistic condition made stationery for abused children living in an innercity. The number of pieces of stationery produced and the duration of time engaged in activity were recorded for each subject. Mann-Whitney U tests revealed that subjects …

Age Differences In Comprehension Of Affirmative And Negative Information In Verbal And Symbolic Traffic Signs, Sharon Lee Morey

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Age And Vigilance: The Effects Of Event Rate And Task Pacing, Jack D. Mohney

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Qualitative Measures Of Prose Recall In Young And Older Women, Susan F. Achuff

Theses Digitization Project

No abstract provided.

Themes Elicited By The Senior Apperception Test In Institutionalized Older Adults, Nancy A. Stock

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the major themes elicited by the 16 stimulus cards of the Senior Apperception Test (SAT) (Bellak, 1975). The SAT was administered to 40 institutionalized male and female volunteers from seven nursing homes in the central Illinois region. They ranged in age from 61 to 97 years of age. There were 20 females (mean age = 78.6 years, S.D. = 8.3 years) and 20 males (mean age = 78.l years, S.D. = 10.4 years). All subjects were initially given a brief organic screening device to rule out those subjects with severe or moderate …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Relationship Between Personality And Intelligence With Community-Living And Institutionalized Elderly Females, Richard D. Stolp

Masters Theses

The Hand Test and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale were administered to 25 institutionalized (Mage = 80.00) and 25 community-living (Mage = 72.92) elderly females to investigate personality differences between the two groups, and to explore the relationship between personality and intelligence in regard to the aged. It was discussed that the results of the present study should be interpreted with caution, since significant age and educational differences were found between the groups that may have contributed to the results. The hypothesis concerning greater personality deterioration in institutionalized subjects than in community-living subjects was given partial support inasmuch as depletion …

The Subculture Of The Aging: An Empirical Test, William C. Lane

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

During the past twenty-five years the discipline of social gerontology has emerged as a major field of interest among sociologists. A number of theories concerning the social aspects of the aging process have been proposed, but few have been empirically tested.

The central concern of the present study was to conduct an empirical test of the subculture of the aging theory developed by Arnold M. Rose. The subculture of the aging theory proposed that there is a growing awareness among many older people that they are not merely members of a social category, but are members of a social group …