Purpose: This article describes an innovative practice called Blended Learning Networks (BLNs) whose aim is to enable older people, their families, and care providers to exchange knowledge, learn together, and support each other in local development work so that care is improved for older people. BLNs were established in 31 municipalities, headed…

Purpose: Past research has demonstrated the importance of civic engagement for older adults, yet previous studies have not focused specifically on the potential benefits of civic engagement for older adults with functional limitations. This pilot study explored the feasibility and effectiveness of an intervention designed to promote civic…

Purpose: Effective strategies to recruit minority elders into health research (e.g., through churches, partnering with community gatekeepers) often involve nonrandom sampling methods. The current study has two aims: (a) to examine some new practices in recruitment of African American elders and (b) to determine the similarities and differences of…

Purpose: We test the efficacy of an intervention based on the transtheoretical model to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables and to describe differences in psychosocial variables based on the achievement of the 5 A Day Program target. Design and Methods: This study is a randomized controlled trial comparing a 12-month fruit and vegetable…

Purpose: This study sought to advance the state of knowledge regarding physical activity and aging by identifying areas of agreement among experts regarding topics that are well understood versus those that are in urgent need of continued research efforts. Design and methods: We used a web-based survey with snowball sampling to identify 348…

Purpose: We tested the effectiveness of a brief educational program that is based on proactive coping theory. The program entails a four-session group intervention for people aged between 50 and 75 years and was intended to improve proactive coping competencies. Furthermore, we investigated the positive as well as negative side effects and…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between Adult Day Health Center (ADHC) participation and health-related quality of life. Design and Methods: Case-controlled prospective study utilizing the Medical Outcomes Survey Form 36 (SF-36) to compare newly enrolled participants from 16 ADHC programs with comparable…

Purpose: Creative expression (CE) programs are emerging interventions to improve the quality of care and life of persons with dementia (PWDs) in long-term care settings. However, limited empirical evidence exists to support the effectiveness of these programs. Here, we report the findings from an assessment of the impact of TimeSlips (TS), a group…

Evaluated the effectiveness of group interventions for caregivers of elderly dementia patients. Indicated that, although caregivers rated the groups as quite helpful, group participation did not lead to improvements on objective measures of depression, life satisfaction, social support, or coping variables. (Author/ABB)

Purpose: This study assessed the impact of a low cost, multicomponent physical activity intervention for older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis. Design and Methods: A randomized controlled trial compared the effects of a facility-based multiple-component training program followed by home-based adherence (n = 80) to a wait list control…

Assessed the effectiveness of the Gerontology Alcohol Project, a self management treatment program for adult-onset alcohol abusers. Results indicated a marked success for those completing the treatment program, including an improved social support network. (JAC)

Purpose: We examined the impact of caregiver neuroticism on longitudinal change in depression among spouse-caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease receiving either enhanced psychosocial treatment or usual care. We were interested in whether high levels of caregiver neuroticism would lead to a diminished response to the enhanced…

Describes LINC (Living Independently through Neighborhood Cooperation), which formed intergenerational helping networks in which the elderly served as donors as well as service recipients. The project's evaluation indicated that frail older persons received services, acted as volunteers, developed friendships, and increased life satisfaction. (JAC)

Purpose: This article reports findings from a nationwide study on factors associated with the perceived effectiveness of state Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs (LTCOPs). Design and Methods: Researchers conducted telephone interviews with ombudsmen from the 50 state programs as well as from Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Data from the National…

Trained healthy, elderly residents of retirement community in facilitative communication skills. Tested before and after training were 12 residents who revealed significant increase in self-perceptions of helpfulness. Also found significant increase in abilities to discriminate between helpful and unhelpful ways of responding to people with…