Older adult inmates have grown both in proportion and in number due to the confluence of a number of factors. This aging of the prison population has created a host of policy and practice issues that encompass justice considerations, cost containment issues, and biopsychosocial care needs. The older prisoner's physical, social, and psychological…

Practical reasons to consider standards for gerontology are presented in this perspective on developing gerontological curriculum. The creation of a statewide task force in Virginia to provide guidelines for the organization and evaluation of gerontology programs in higher education is described. Assumptions which underscored task force activities…

Designed for college administrators, this guide provides a synthesis of a broad spectrum of approaches to creating gerontology courses and curricula. First, an introductory chapter looks at reasons for developing a gerontological curricula, potential audiences for such a program (i.e., health care providers, other caregivers, older adults, and…

Narrative approaches in the field of aging are receiving increasing attention by theorists and practitioners alike. This article draws on recent thinking in narrative gerontology to look at three aspects of aging on which a narrative perspective can shed further light. In relation to the temporal aspects, the notion of storytime is examined.…

Provides suggestions for a unit on the biological process of aging. Includes three activity sheets on the comparison of jaws and dentition from differently aged people, a denture survey, and eating and living without teeth. Includes a framework for organizing a course on the physiology of aging. (RT)

The process and content of the life review should not be separated from the creation of an oral history. Several projects, undertaken at the University of Louisville Oral History Center, support the therapeutic aspects of reminiscence. The dichotomy between oral history, as an historical database, and life review, as a therapeutic exercise, breaks…

The findings of this study provide insight into possible methods and techniques for changing attitudes of ninth graders toward older persons. The same principles could be applied in an infinite number of situations in which attitude change is desirable. (Author)

Federal support for adult day care centers began in the United States approximately 10 years ago. To examine the counseling practices in the adult day care centers across the country and to explore how the services are affected by the staffing patterns at these centers, 135 centers completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed…

An overview of selection criteria and sources for the acquisition of gerontological materials is supplemented by a list of selection sources and a list of suppliers (non-federal and federal agencies) of free or low cost materials. Eight references are cited. (EJS)

Describes an interdisciplinary curriculum on aging that incorporates intergenerational activities, inquiry-oriented research, narrative histories, and field trips. Includes separate questionnaires for older adults and primary grade students, an annotated bibliography, and a chart of activities emphasizing knowledge, comprehension, analysis,…

Describes The Road of Life, a board game developed to increase understanding of the experiences of the elderly by simulating the gains and losses of old age. The game, followed by a group discussion, is an effective way to facilitate an increased understanding of old age. (JAC)

This description of the volunteer program at the Andrus Gerontology Center at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, suggests that older adults can improve the quality of life for themselves and others by building bridges of understanding between: generations within an organization, paid and unpaid workers, parts of an organization,…

The development of professional gerontology instruction is examined in the context of previous research on the development of professional education more generally through six stages: apprenticeship, knowledge generation, knowledge classification, knowledge teaching, formalization of teaching, and improvement of the profession. Implications for…

This document contains a final report of a project which developed a model multidisciplinary graduate curriculum in mental health and aging. The introductory chapter, "Career Preparation: A Curriculum in Mental Health and Aging for Service Providers" (Thomas A. Rich, et al.), includes background information and discussions of the curriculum…

Research has shown that the majority of Americans believe in the concept of life after death in some form. To investigate the effects of afterlife anxiety on wellness in the elderly, 293 Los Angeles elderly were interviewed. An afterlife anxiety measure and measures of physical and psychologial health were administered. Pearson correlations failed…