This section
reviews literature, research and helpful resources pertaining
to older adults
as well as emerging intergenerational issues.
Vital aging addresses
issues of lifelong learning and maintaining civic engagement. It also
touches upon topics concerning seniors and health such as long-term
care and the financial aspects of providing health care to the aging
population.
Intergenerational
issues arise in multi-generational family situations such as grandparents
raising grandchildren and also in fostering relationships between
the young and the old.
Long-Term Care: Collaborating for Solutions, Confronting Today's Challenges,
Informed by Research
These publications are a series of three briefs based on key themes
that emerged from a 2002 conference on building the field of long-term
care. This conference was sponsored by AARP, the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Retirement Research Foundation,
and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Designing
a Life of Wellness
This program, designed at the College of Saint Catherine, aims to
increase older adults' ability to manage their own affairs and life
choices. The study finds evidence that the services improved people's
ability to handle daily activities, regardless of their health or
physical condition.
Affordable
Assisted Living: Surveying the Possibilities
Prepared by Jenny Schuetz and the Joint Center for Housing Studies of
Harvard University for Volunteers of America. This paper examines issues
around the provision of affordable housing for seniors, reviewing the elements
of demand for supportive housing, lessons from private-pay market, and
specific challenges faced in the affordable market.
Grantmakers in Aging
Grantmakers In Aging (GIA), is dedicated to promoting and strengthening grantmaking for an aging society and is the only national professional organization of grantmakers active in the field. Its membership includes leading staff and trustees from all sizes and types of foundations involved directly or indirectly with aging. GIA serves as your personal connection to the information and resources required to strengthen your grantmaking around issues related to older adults.
Poverty Experience of Older Persons: A Poverty Study From a Long-Term
Perspective
The AARP Public Policy Institute’s research studies older persons’ poverty
status and its characteristics from a long-term perspective using
PSID longitudinal data for a 12-year period (1981-1992), revealing
that individuals’ poverty
experience in their older years is significantly different from that
in their younger years.
Identifying and Addressing the Needs of Children in Grandparent Care
Data from the 1999 National Survey of America's Families indicates that
58 percent of children in relative care live with a grandparent, according
to this Policy Brief from the Urban Institute. These children tend to
be younger and live with older caregivers who have less formal education
than children in the care of other relatives. Children in grandparent
care are more likely to live in poverty and with a caregiver in poor health,
but both groups experience similarly high levels of housing problems,
food insecurity, and poor caregiver mental health. Grandparents are as
likely as other relatives to care for children with health, behavioral
or emotional, or school problems. While all are eligible, only 29 percent
of children living with grandparents receive foster care or child-only
TANF payments.
The
Journal of Intergenerational Relationships
The
new Journal of Intergenerational Relationships is
the forum for scholars, practitioners, policy makers,
educators, and advocates
to stay abreast of the latest intergenerational research,
practice methods and policy initiatives. This is the
only journal focusing on the intergenerational field integrating
practical, theoretical, empirical,
familial, and policy perspectives.
Longevity Increased by
Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging
This study
was published in the August 2002 issue of the American
Psychological Association's "Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology." Conducted by Yale University's Department
of Epidemiology and Public Health, New Haven, CT, and
the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University,
Oxford, OH, researchers found that negative thoughts about aging
that elders pick up from society may be cutting years
off their lives. In particular, the research found
that older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging,
measured up to 23 years earlier, lived 7.5 years longer
than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging.
People
Who Give, Live Longer
A
study from the
Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan finds
that older people who are helpful
to others reduce their
risk of dying by nearly 60%
compared to peers who provide
neither practical
help nor emotional support to relatives, neighbors or friends. The study
will
be published
in a forthcoming issue of "Psychological Science." This article
from the University of Michigan News and Information Service describes
it in more detail.
Alliance
for Aging Research
The Alliance
For Aging Research is the nation's leading non-profit organization
dedicated to improving the health and independence of Americans
as they age through public and private funding of medical
research and geriatric education.
The
Aging Research Center (ARC)
The Aging
Research Center is dedicated to providing a service that allows
researchers in this field to find information related to the
study of the aging process. It also endeavors to introduce
this field to laymen who would like to know more about the
research being conducted in this field.
Institute
for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research
Established
in 1985, the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and
Aging Research focuses and facilitates research, applied policy
analysis and the dissemination of research to policymakers,
advocates and consumers. Together these strategies help to
build a more integrated and effective health research and
policy community.
American
Federation for Aging Research
Since 1981,
the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has helped
scientists begin and further careers in aging research and
geriatric medicine. Its mission is to promote healthier aging
through biomedical research.
Infoaging.org
Maintaining health across the life span is an important goal for families today. Infoaging.org from the American Federation for Aging Research provides consumer information on aging and health. It is one of the best sites on the web offering the latest information about groundbreaking aging research tailored for a non-medical audience.
National Council on Aging
Founded in 1950, The National Council on the Aging is a national network of organizations and individuals dedicated to improving the health and independence of older persons; increasing their continuing contributions to communities, society and future generations; and building caring communities. Its 3,800 members include senior centers, adult day service centers, area agencies on aging, faith congregations, senior housing facilities, employment services, and other consumer organizations.
National Hispanic Council on Aging
The National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCoA) was founded in 1980 in Washington, DC as a national membership-based organization. It is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Latino elderly, families, and communities through advocacy, capacity and institution building, development of educational materials, technical assistance, demonstration projects, policy analysis and research.
The National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc.
The National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc.'s mission is “To improve the quality of life for elderly African Americans and other minorities.” Throughout its 33-year history, NCBA has worked to eliminate obstacles to fairness and equal access for one of the most underserved and vulnerable groups in our society – low-income black and minority senior citizens. Its programs have focused on three of the most critical needs: housing, employment and health promotion/disease prevention.
The
Population Aging Research Center (PARC)
PARC, established
in 1994 with a grant from the National
Institute on Aging, fosters research on the demography
and economics of health and aging. Research themes emphasized
at present include intergenerational exchanges associated
with population aging; aging in disadvantaged populations;
and medical demography.
National Ageing [sic] Research Institute Incorporated
The National Ageing
[sic] Research Institute Incorporated of Australia conducts
research into all aspects of the biology of aging, including,
but not limited to, the cause, prevention and cure of disease,
as well as the relief of suffering associated with aging.
It conducts and promotes research and inquiry into the
provision and effectiveness of clinical care, health services
and technologies as well as the health status and health
needs of the aged. The Institute develops the highest academic
standards of study and practice in medicine as it relates
to the aged. It provides and promotes education concerning
aging by the expansion, advancement and dissemination of
knowledge concerning all aspects of aging.
The
Strom Thurmond Institute of Government and Public Affairs’
Retirement and Intergenerational Studies Laboratory
The Retirement
and Intergenerational Studies Laboratory focuses research
on the social, cultural, economic, and political impacts of
retirees across the state and nation, as well as their potential
as significant contributors in the lives of America's youth.
Alzheimer's
Association
The Alzheimer's
Association offers extensive information for caregivers that
applies to people dealing with many health issues including,
but not limited to, Alzheimer's disease.
Generations
United
Generations
United (GU) focuses exclusively on promoting intergenerational
strategies, programs, and public policies. It represents more
than 185 national, state, and local organizations that together
reach 70 million Americans. GU is a national resource for
educating policymakers and the public about the economic,
social and personal imperatives of intergenerational cooperation.
GU provides a forum for those working with children, youth
and the elderly to explore areas of common ground while celebrating
the richness of each generation.
Generations Together
Generations Together (GT) is an international center for intergenerational studies at the University of Pittsburgh. It furthers program development, education and training, research, and dissemination, and technical support that helps professionals acquire the knowledge, understanding, and skills to integrate intergenerational components into their work. Furthermore, it supports university/ community collaboration and public policy initiatives that result in effective intergenerational partnership that positively impact children, youth and older persons in our communities.
Links
to Intergenerational Programs Sites
A listing
of national intergenerational programs with links to their
respective websites.
National
Alliance for Caregiving
The National
Alliance for Caregiving is a national resource for caregivers.
It is dedicated to providing support to family caregivers
and the professionals who help them and to increasing public
awareness of issues facing family caregivers.
Mayo
Clinic's Healthy Living Centers
New and feature articles
from the Mayo Clinic on taking charge of your health.
Older Women's League
As the only national grassroots membership organization to focus solely on issues unique to women as they age, OWL strives to improve the status and quality of life of midlife and older women. OWL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that accomplishes its work through research, education, and advocacy activities conducted through a chapter network.
Family
Reunion 9 Conference: Families and Seniors Across Generations
Family Reunion
9 focused on the issues, strengths and needs of family members
of all ages. The conference explored creative strategies that
improve the lives of these families at home and in the community.
Like previous conferences, Family Reunion 9 highlighted programs,
policy issues, and research to help communities, states and
the federal government respond effectively to these ideas.
Finding
Our Way: Living with Dying in America
Living with
dying in America is a national public education initiative
that brings to light practical information regarding end of
life and its surrounding issues. The series models difficult
conversations to help overcome fear and denial, guiding people
toward embracing dignity and control near the end of life.
Team
Care for the Chronically Ill : Home-Grown Model Spreads Caregiving
Among Friends
National
Public Radio has noted that nearly 100 million Americans suffer
from chronic, incurable diseases. Most get adequate medical
care, but if they need help walking, eating, or getting dressed,
it's usually up to family members to help - an overwhelming
responsibility. In more than 30 states, people have been trying
a home-grown solution to fill the gaps left by insurance and
social service agencies. They're sharing the chores of caregiving
among a wide circle of friends. NPR's Richard Knox has been
following one of these caregiving circles and shares its story.
AARP Foundation Grandparent Information Center (GIC)
Looking for information about being a grandparent? Have visitation problems? Raising grandchildren? Looking for the latest facts and figures or resources? The AARP Foundation Grandparent Information Center (GIC) is here to help! We have a variety of resources to help grandparents in various family roles, and for the professionals who work with them.
A
Positive World View of Aging
To those
who associate high-level international conferences with lofty
idealism wrapped in carefully crafted non-committal ambiguities,
the 2nd World Assembly on Aging provided a refreshing change.
The report on the proceedings focuses on a strengths-based
approach to aging.
