Purpose: Despite growing awareness of elder abuse, cases are rarely prosecuted. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an elder abuse forensic center compared with usual care to increase prosecution of elder financial abuse. Design and Methods: Using one-to-one propensity score matching, cases referred to the Los Angeles County…

Purpose: This study explored the process of decision making about hospice enrollment and identified factors that influence the timing of that decision. Methods: This study employed an exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional design and was conducted using qualitative methods. In-depth in-person semistructured interviews were conducted with 36…

Purpose: This article explores primary care physicians' (PCPs) self-reported approaches and barriers to management of patients with dementia, with a focus on comparisons in dementia care practices between PCPs in 2 states. Design and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, questionnaires were mailed to 600 randomly selected licensed PCPs in…

Purpose: Given concerns about end-of-life care for many nursing home (NH) residents, this study sought to understand factors influencing hospice referral or nonreferral as well as timing of referral. Design and Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with personnel from seven participating NHs and two hospices. We interviewed NH directors…

Surveyed 24 key informants concerning new geriatric program. Found inservice education program and hospital-based community resource directory were received positively and implemented quickly. Community physicians hesitated to make referrals to geriatric assessment team, citing fear that team would steal patients and threats to physicians'…

Analyzed data from 125 questionnaires completed by callers of telephone helpline specializing in Alzheimer's disease and related dementing illnesses. On average, 3.94 requests for information were made per call. Most common requests concerned home services, general information about dementia, information about adult day care, and support group…

Surveyed nine Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) sites to identify barriers to recruiting African-American subjects. Major cited obstacles were expenses, transportation difficulties, and especially lack of rapport with clinic staff. CERAD efforts to increase community awareness of Alzheimer's disease and staff…

Examined effects of acute and long-term exercise on perceptions of personal efficacy in sedentary, middle-aged adults (n=81). Both males and females demonstrated increases in efficacy following exercise. Females, who had demonstrated initially lower self-perceptions than males, made dramatic increases in efficacy during the exercise program,…

Of 189 nursing homes, 83 percent reported that Medicare's hospital Prospective Payment System (PPS) affected patient needs, 53 percent said it affected patients and services provided, and 25 percent said it affected referrals to hospitals. PPS effects depended on facility factors of size, Medicare certification, tax status, and on local market…

Gatekeepers, or nontraditional referral sources, have proven to be an effective means of case finding and outreach for mental health needs of isolated senior citizens. A two-year project administered by county public health department found the gatekeeper concept to be an effective means of case finding in the public health setting. (ABL)

Describes elderly outreach program designed to identify and provide mental health services to rural elderly. Identifies and describes five referral sources and the assessment, treatment, and referral process. Discusses outcomes in terms of characteristics of persons served, ability of project to identify and deliver mental health services,…

Major evaluative techniques are reviewed in terms of ability to improve results of information and referral (I and R) programs by resolving six major program issues. Because the best I and R systems are also the most expensive, an "appropriate" level of expenditure becomes a political decision which requires thorough benefit-cost evaluation.…

Describes a unique funding and working relationship between an agency on aging and community mental health center, which focuses on community-based care, utilizing a multidisciplinary in-home case-management approach to serve elderly persons at risk. Nontraditional referral sources known as "gatekeepers" are organized to identify such…

Project Safety Net identifies low-income urban frail elderly and provides comprehensive geriatric assessment and referral. During 8-month period, 814 older persons were screened including high proportions who were widowed (51%) and who lived alone (66%). Effectiveness of program remains to be determined in randomized clinical trials. (Author/NB)

The Supplemental Security Income program, introduced in 1974, brought with it an increased need for Information and Referral (I and R) services for the elderly poor. A study of I and R at federal, state, and local levels showed limited impact of federal and state initiatives aimed at improving I and R. (Author)