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,…

This paper provides an easy to use methodology describing the composition and setting of interdisciplinary activities within a gerontological education center. For 147 activities, using questionnaires completed by 75 participants, investigators determined the number of people, number of disciplines, number of people per discipline, and the…

This paper describes a new model for teaching nursing homes, which places a strong emphasis on teamwork by combining the resources of a comprehensive retirement community and three universities to train faculty, students, and staff, and to generate research basic to geriatric care. The four organizations involved in the project (Southwestern Ohio…

An innovative effort in problem-solving has resulted in mutual cooperation between community volunteers, social service agencies, interested individuals, and private enterprise in funding the provision of social services to senior citizens living in a downtown Cleveland resident hotel, the Carter Manor. The cooperative effort began with the…

This paper describes a nurse practitioner directed health center education program for senior citizens in Medford, Massachusetts. The planning process, including needs and location decisions, is defined, and a summary of needs survey data on the population is offered, including health problems (medication problems, lack of exercise, depression,…

The number of people who are living past age 65 is increasing dramatically. Although few stereotypes or generalizations apply to this population, older citizens still suffer from a societal attitude of agism. Studies on aging have demonstrated that chronological age does not predict physical condition or behavior. In fact, the current generation…

Following a brief introduction, this paper focuses on how the Texas Project for Elders, one of ten sites in the country participatng in the National Long-Term Care Channeling Demonstration Project (Channeling), has taken into account the mental health needs of clients and caregivers both in the development and delivery of services. The clients…

Community-based educational programs for older adults are difficult to evaluate due to randomization and control factors. In order to investigate, under a quasi-experimental research design, the contribution of an educational program on retirement issues to participants' quality of life, and to study the program enrollment patterns, 21 people…

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…

The university for the third age (U3A) began in 1973 when a professor organized a summer program for retired persons at the Universite des Sciences Socialies, Toulouse, France. The Toulouse model included a weekly public lecture on a major topic of concern for older persons, discussion groups, seminars, and recreational facilities, taking…

A graduate-level management training program in gerontology is presented through a description of a consortium of two universities (Boston University and Brandeis University) and consisting of three types of training (gerontology and aging, sociology and social work, and management techniques). The areas of interest described in these materials…

This paper describes a simulation experience to help people understand the feelings of the elderly through a program conducted by the Jewish Center for Aged in Chesterfield, MO. The four-hour program is divided into four sections: (1) a true-false test is given to assess participants' concepts of the aged; (2) inhibitors are applied to limit…

This paper describes research on the kinds of information needed by individuals in human service delivery and older persons' organizations. The Gerontological Information Program (GRIP) uses an integrated approach to gerontological information: research, systems development, and education. An information needs assessment questionnaire survey of 65…

The ongoing project described in this paper seeks to develop an economical, effective means through which communities can establish writing workshops that will provide the aged with constructive environments for life review. It is aimed at identifying the methods and materials useful in a workshop setting for stimulating reminiscence and personal…

This paper describes a program designed to help preretirees and retirees prepare for retirement. The program explores the needs, stereotypes, dilemmas, challenges, and satisfactions of retirement. An exercise to explore personal values is described in which previous program participants rank ordered 10 top-priority concerns of income, health,…