Gerontology Commons^™

Gerontology Newsletter, September 2011, University Of Northern Iowa. Gerontology Program.

Gerontology Newsletter

Inside this issue:

-- Rural Aging Conference
-- Congratulations Graduates
-- Webiner
-- New Website
-- Recent Cuts to the State Budget

Coming Of Age In Marshfield: A Needs Assessment Of Aging Services, Jan Mutchler, Sandra Mccoskrie Blanchette

Gerontology Institute Publications

The purpose of this needs assessment is to investigate the needs, interests, and opinions of mature residents of Marshfield, Massachusetts, relating to their aging experiences and needs for age‐related services. On behalf of the Marshfield Council on Aging (COA), this assessment was conducted by the Collins Center for Public Management and the Gerontology Institute of the McCormack Graduate School at UMass Boston. The focus of this report is on Marshfield residents aged 60+ (referred to here as “Seniors”) and residents aged 45‐59 (referred to here as “Boomers”). Information about these two age groups was obtained both through the U.S. Census …

Massachusetts Senior Legal Assistance Project Needs Evaluation: Current Demand For Legal Services, Alison Gottlieb, Lauren A. Martin, Ellen A. Bruce

Gerontology Institute Publications

The Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston was contracted to conduct a statewide needs assessment for the MSLAP. As agreed upon by the MSLAP Advisory Board, the focus of this assessment was to analyze the demand for services Massachusetts legal service providers have experienced recently as a means to understanding the legal needs of Massachusetts elders (age 60 and older). A second needs assessment was conducted by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. That needs assessment surveyed home care workers and other elder agency personnel to gauge their assessment of elders’ legal needs in Massachusetts. Read together, …

Net Worth Accumulation By Different Quintiles Of Older Adults Approaching Retirement Age And 10 Years Later, Martha N. Ozawa, Yeong H. Yeo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The shift in responsibility for income security from the government to individuals makes the accumulation of net worth a vital issue. We investigated the rate of net worth accumulation for people aged 51 to 61 in 1991 (N=7,544) and 61 to 71 in 2001 (N=5,711) using the RAND Health and Retirement Study. We found that the rate of net worth accumulation by the fifth (top) quintile was extremely high in 1991, and the distribution of net worth became more skewed in favor of the wealthy in 2001. Older adults in the first and second quintiles are unable to face the …

Primetimes Newsletter, Fall 2011, 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.

Protecting Your Retirement Savings From Potential Creditors, Pension Action Center, Gerontology Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Pension Action Center Publications

State and federal laws provide strong protections to New England residents to shield their retirement savings from creditors. The particular protections available depend on whether you have filed for bankruptcy, how your retirement savings are kept, and where you live.

Primetimes Newsletter, Summer 2011, 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.

Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs: Relevance For Persons With Dementia, Nina M. Silverstein, Alison S. Gottlieb

Gerontology Institute Publications

The context for this study is the work of the Healthy Brain Initiative. The CDC has established a cooperative agreement with the Alzheimer’s Association to develop and implement a multifaceted approach to look at cognitive health as a public health issue. Late in 2010, the Association commissioned a review of the major chronic disease prevention programs from a systems approach to begin to understand the source of findings that Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s and related disorders are much higher cost than those simply with a single chronic disease and no AD. This led to the conclusion that Chronic Disease Self‐Management …

Protecting Older Workers: The Failure Of The Age Discrimination In Employment Act Of 1967, Jessica Z. Rothenberg, Daniel S. Gardner

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A growing number of older adults are finding that retirement is no longer affordable and they must work well into their later years. Unfortunately, over 42 years after passage of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967, age discrimination in the workplace continues to present serious impediments to employment in later life. Using a critical gerontology perspective, this paper reviews the history of work-related age discrimination and analyzes the ADEA and its limited effectiveness at protecting the civil and economic rights of older workers. The authors discuss implications and suggest policy alternatives that would support the employment and …

Exploratory Study Of Neglect Among Elderly In Hong Kong : A Family Perspective, Asia-Pacific Institute Of Ageing Studies, Lingnan University, The Central Policy Unit, Hong Kong Sar Government

APIAS Research Report 研究報告

Elder neglect, instead of abuse, forms an obvious focus in studying changes before irreversible damages are made to the families over time to examine the family cohesion factors as well as to identify interpersonal or helping relationships among elder parents and adult children, in particular during the time of sickness when an older person requires intensive care. Such occasions reveal the impacts of family dynamic on the vulnerability of elder neglect. It is under this background, Family Council and Central Policy Unit, commissioned the Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies of Lingnan University to undertake the study, in April 2010, with …

Fun With Numbers: Disclosing Risk To Individual Investors, Christian A. Weller

Gerontology Institute Publications

This paper discusses the need for better information on investment risks. The information should be relevant, concise, and accessible to individual investors. More and better information on factors that are likely to influence an investment’s performance and investors’ decisions should eventually lead to better investment decisions – more savings and higher retirement incomes. This paper presents a number of ways to disclose risk to individual investors. There are three numerical and three visual representations to risk. The discussion centers on the pros and cons of each risk representation. All risk descriptions show relevant information, are concise, and more or less …

Massachusetts’ Home Care Programs And Reasons For Discharge Into Nursing Homes, Cathy M. Wong, Nina M. Silverstein

Gerontology Institute Publications

Home and community-based services (HCBS) are a range of long-term care services intended to enable older adults and persons with disabilities to “age in place” in their own homes and communities. Previous studies well document that older adults prefer receiving HCBS rather than institutional care at a nursing home. One study concluded that 84 percent of older Americans, aged 50 years and older, want to remain in their homes for as long as possible. Medicaid is a major source of funding for long term care. Currently, a large proportion of Medicaid funds in most states has been spent on institutional, …

The Spiritual Dimension Of Aging And Forgiveness, Darlene Faye Olson

Master of Arts Theses

No abstract provided.

Baby Boomers At Work: Growing Older And Working More, Eve M. Brank

Nebraska College of Law: Faculty Publications

In the current chapter, I will first detail the legal framework for workplace age discrimination and court case examples that have largely mirrored race and gender discrimination law. Next, I will discuss the psychological research that details the consequences of age discrimination with a particular focus on the combined effects of stereotype assimilation and notions of deservingness of respect. Last, I will suggest that until we know the causes of age discrimination, we cannot legitimately address its consequences the same way we have addressed other forms of discrimination. Specifically, I will argue that legislating against age discrimination is inherently different …

Can Social Workers Recognize Depression In The Elderly?, Teresa Ramon, Monica Maria Wettengel

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to explore whether social workers can recognize depression in the elderly. The elderly who are experiencing depression usually do not seek treatment from mental health professionals. Instead they go to primary care personnel in medical settings. Yet, social workers are employed in medical settings and are part of the primary care personnel. But, often the medical and/or mental health communities' lack of recognition of late life depression results from the attitude that old age is innately a downward spiral into limitations, weakness, helplessness, and burdensome existence.

Motivation For Paticipation In The Senior Peer Counseling Program, Stephanie Auld Kleppe

Theses Digitization Project

This study looked at the Senior Peer Counseling Program to see what motivated these seniors to volunteer. Much research has been done on voluteering and the older adult population, much of it showing the benefits of volunteering on the health and well-being of the seniors that volunteer. The San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health's Agewise program has has a Senior Peer Counseling Program in effect since 1987 and increased it through MHSA (Mental Health Services Act) funding in 2007.

The Impact Of The In Home Support Services Program Reformation On Its Recipients, Jamie Michelle Neal

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the reformation of the In Home Support Services (IHSS) program. This study is significant because the IHSS program keeps many elderly citizens out of assisted living facilities. Surveys were sent to the San Bernardino County IHSS social workers to determine how the program reformation has affected their clients.

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 …

Massachusetts State Public Worker Retirees: How Are They Doing?, Ellen A. Bruce, Lauren A. Martin

Gerontology Institute Publications

Although much has been made of the Massachusetts State Retirement System’s funding and abuses, little has been written about the benefits it provides. A retirement system should be judged first on whether it meets its goal of providing for workers in retirement.

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

Gerontology Institute Publications

This report addresses income adequacy for Washington’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.