The aim of this study was to develop and validate an assessment tool for research consent competence in older participants. A four-item instrument was developed to assess the capacity of the older adults to consent to research. Data were obtained from 203 nursing home residents from two facilities and 201 community-dwelling older adults in a…

The rural elderly have been socialized to different values from their urban counterparts. A better understanding of the rural aging is needed by gerontological educators, researchers, and practitioners. Urban methods may not work. Rural programs must build on existing values and social structure. (Author/JAC)

A telecourse on "Growing Old in a New Age" had three components: television program, printed support materials, and faculty participation. Formative evaluation and pretesting helped shape the final product. (SK)

A survey of six universities offering doctoral programs in gerontology identified enrollments, costs, graduates' employment, and faculty characteristics. Not all offer a mix of specialties; none requires internships. Respondents agreed on the need for additional doctoral program development, but funding and faculty availability limit growth. (SK)

Describes a music program designed for the older, healthy, and active adult. A classroom or group setting, has been highly successful, social contact and therapeutic satisfaction often being derived from group activity. Program planners are encouraged to have some knowledge and background in social gerontology to be aware of issues in dealing with…

Presents a continuum of service learning projects in higher education that has four dimensions: amount, duration, and type of experiences; degree of student choice; type and amount of supervision; and amount of internal/external oversight. Offers considerations for faculty involved in organizing, managing, and evaluating service learning projects.…

Service-learning opportunities are prominent on many college campuses. The process of designing and implementing service-learning experiences, especially for students of gerontology, however, has rarely been addressed. The current article briefly reviews the background and utility of service-learning in gerontology courses, describes our…

As intergenerational service-learning becomes an increasingly popular means for providing gerontology and health professional students with "real-life" experience, it is essential to consider the importance of strong community partnerships. Drawing upon a range of intergenerational service-learning experiences from two programs at…

Reviews the literature on short-term educational programs on death and dying and aging to offer practitioners some guidance for efficiently structuring programs to bring about desired changes. From 15 selected studies, the length and type of treatment and the nature of the target group involved are reviewed. (Author/JAC)

Focus group and survey results were used to create a continuing education outreach program in gerontology. The model includes aging knowledge and interpersonal and organizational skills. Core areas included the structure, contexts, theories, and concepts of aging; stability and change; ethics; scholarship; and practice. (SK)

Researchers initiated a pilot program to develop techniques of assessing previous art background, arts and humanities preferences, leisure time patterns, preferences for certain presentation techniques, and previous, postsecondary educational experiences of elderly participants. Researchers prepared arts and humanities programs specifically…

Focuses on problems associated with program development for older adults. Dangers are exemplified by the inability of program designers to share expertise. Territoriality becomes central in determining who should develop and implement programs for and about older people. Collaborative efforts between gerontologists and educators are suggested to…

Reviews problems of the elderly consumer and describes efforts to provide consumer education to rural elderly individuals through two series of one-day workshops. Evaluations indicated that consumer education can be effectively provided to rural elderly with a high degree of perceived usefulness and sharing of information. (Author/JAC)

Offers practical suggestions for the design and implementation of peer counseling programs for older adults. General suggestions include trainee selection, setting goals, and providing followup. Also presents specific recommendations on group size, format, leadership qualities, and conducting training. (Author/JAC)

Proposes a framework for assessing the needs of the older learner/consumer. Includes recognition of the physiological and psychological characteristics of the elderly. Explores the impact of components of the technological and social-psychological systems. Emphasizes the adragogical approach to the actual teaching process. (Author/JAC)