Purpose: A gap between research and practice in many nursing home (NH) care areas persists despite efforts by researchers, policy makers, advocacy groups, and NHs themselves to close it. The reasons are many, but two factors that have received scant attention are the dissemination process itself and the work of the disseminators or change agents.…

This article is based on the premise that there is inadequate attention to the link between theory and applied research in social gerontology. The article contends that applied research studies do not often or effectively employ a theoretical framework and that theory-based articles, including theory-based research, are not often focused on…

Sees "biomedicalization of aging" as socially constructing old age as process of decremental physical decline and placing aging under domain and control of biomedicine. Examines effects of medicalization on scientific enterprise and development of knowledge base in aging, status and work of professions, policy, and public perception.…

Notes that United States currently has about 15 research institutes or departments affiliated with nursing homes, and several others are under consideration. Summarizes results of short survey of these institutes. Advantages for both nursing home and research of having research institute in nursing home are discussed along with problems that…

Improvements in the care of older people depend upon basic and clinical research findings that lead to greater independence and health maintenance. Conversely, research depends upon care, since care-related priorities influence society's support for research. More leaders in the field of aging are needed with personal experience in both care and…

Examined attention given in 185 studies to individual differences and empirical patterns of variability reported in studies presenting measures of dispersion (43 percent of gerontological studies reviewed and 24 percent of developmental studies reviewed). Most gerontological studies presenting data reported increases in variability with increasing…

Health survey research assesses health of individuals in population. Measures include prevalence/incidence of diseases, signs/symptoms, functional states, and health services utilization. Although assessing individual biologic robustness can be problematic, testable approaches do exist. Characteristics of health of populations/communities, not…

Notes that subdividing the age group 65 and over into finer age groups unmasks race differentials in mortality and morbidity that often favor blacks in the older age groups. Describes the unusual phenomena; proposes systematic research program to explain them; and discusses existing data sets for their analysis. (Author/NB)

Presents 1993 Kent Lecture. Largely autobiographical lecture focuses on three themes: (1) Aging and Society Paradigm: The Roots--1968 On; (2) National Institute on Aging's Behavioral and Social Research Program--1979 On; and (3) Probing the Future--1993 On. Concludes that gerontological vision is needed if future is to improve upon past. (NB)

Describes history and accomplishments of the Gerontological Society of America's (GSA) Fellowship Program in Applied Gerontology, which places postdoctoral academic gerontologists for three months in agencies and organizations that plan to deliver services to older people. Notes this is one way the GSA encourages policymakers and program directors…

Notes that continuing progress in developing empirical information on different facets of long-term care service use has been possible because of improvements in design of data sets. Highlights some observations about progress in development of long-term care data and relationship between policy questions in long-term care and design of relevant…

Considers social care of the elderly. Presents social care model emphasizing interrelatedness of informal, mediating, and formal care and the need for well-articulated linkages among them. Discusses trends affecting future demand for care, and ability of family and community to respond. Sees family retaining important role, with some of its…

Analyzed support for gerontological education and research (1976-1986) for Administration on Aging, Bureau of Health Professions, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health, and Veterans Administration. Determined that total federal allocations varied greatly between social/behavioral and biomedical components of aging field,…

Purpose: This study examined whether providing outcomes information to 120 nursing homes facilitated improvements in quality over a 12-month period, as compared with 1,171 facilities not receiving this information. The outcomes information provided consisted of a report mailed to administrators that examined six measures of care quality. These…