The Area Agencies on Aging are the primary federally funded units charged with delivering basic services to older adults. A study of 145 older adults was conducted to determine the extent and effectiveness of services provided by a southern Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to an urban, black, elderly population in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Interview results…

The ability to function independently in the later years has been defined as a combination of capability and support. To examine factors affecting older adults' use of services provided in an accommodating environment, 52 physically independent residents of an Arizona apartment complex for the elderly were surveyed. Time spent living in the…

The Geriatric Assessment Unit (GAU), which has proven successful in urban areas, may be a viable system for providing health care to the elderly in rural areas. GAUs engage in assessment, follow-up response to findings, education, and research. The assessment component includes, at minimum, physical health, functional ability in activities of…

As the numbers of Korean immigrants, particularly Korean elders continues to increase, their adjustment problems and service needs are beginning to receive attention in communities with a large influx of Asian immigrants. To examine Korean elders' use of filial and formal support systems in dealing with their problems, 151 older Koreans living in…

This paper describes the changes in American society which are initiating the need to develop programs aimed at new audiences with diverse needs and interests. The reaction of continuing education units to these needs is discussed and the importance of an interdisciplinary approach is emphasized. The authors describe their use of the Education…

Social and health service utilization have been the subject of numerous studies, but most have examined service utilization from the perspective of the type of service delivered to older adults. To determine the factors that predict overall utilization of services, data that had been collected in 1975 for the General Accounting Offices' survey of…

This publication contains the reports of two major public advisory bodies which studied and conducted hearings on mental health needs of the elderly and developed recommendations for public policy to address these needs. The first report reviews current mental health needs and considers the projected needs for dealing with emotional stress during…

Sexism in women's health care has received increasing attention through the women's movement. Many alternative efforts at reform have been targeted to women in their reproductive years, but the older woman has not had similar efforts designed to alter her situation. A Senior Health Center was established by one community hospital to provide…

The 1981 White House Conference on Aging, particularly the 50 State Conferences on Aging, generated over 1,500 pages of data on aging, addressing over 3,000 issues. To summarize the information from the 16 Technical Committee reports, a conceptual framework was used which focused on the well being of older people in three dimensions - health,…

Because of increased life spans and lower fertility rates, adults over 65 will continue to comprise a larger proportion of the population. The traditional emphasis on individual and family care of older Americans has been replaced by an emphasis on the obligation of society. Currently, poor health is the most prevalent problem reported among older…

The development of alternatives to institutionally based long-term care requires the creation of greater interdependence among community based agencies and the provision of appropriate interdependence as the foundation for coordinated service delivery. Theoretical models of interorganizational interdependence are examined and assessed for their…

This paper describes the continuum of comprehensive services offered by the social work department of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center to a high risk elderly population, i.e., those who are widows, widowers, older divorced individuals and singles, particularly those who have difficulty caring for themselves. Following a brief review of the…

Case management as implemented in programs for the elderly, has focused on interactions between the client and case manager in the areas of assessment, care planning, service plan implementation, and follow-up. Variation in these case management tasks suggests that no single model can be implemented in all local delivery systems. This emphasis on…

Low rates of service to older persons in community mental health programs were investigated in 20 California county government sponsored programs. County administrative officers, mental health advisory board members, directors, clinic supervisors, and clinical staff were surveyed through a mailed questionniare. Levels of awareness of problems of…

Characteristics and problems unique to the rural aged have drawn considerable attention in recent years. Location and environment influence the extent of needs, the availability of services, and a person's willingness to use such services. Religious and ethnic clusters also differ in service needs for their elderly and their willingness to accept…