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For most graduate writers, acclimating to doctoral-level inquiry is fraught with numerous tensions, whether regarding the development of scholarly identity (Gardner et al., 2014), navigating graduate school's newly decentralized sources for support (Simpson, 2012), or mastering the writing and research conventions that govern disciplinary practice. Using a Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) framework, this case study analyzes the first-term experiences of Miranda, a first-year PhD student from the field of gerontology (who is also a co-author), and the tensions she feels around the drafting and revision of a single paper. Drawing from Engeström (1987), we theorize Miranda's challenges around motive, authority, and expert feedback as comprising three "contradictions" engendered by the contemporary activity system of doctoral-level learning-to-write, contradictions that at once challenge the writer's going presumptions about writing even while they enable new concepts and solutions to emerge. This analysis finally encourages researchers to take a wide, cultural-historical view of the many contexts in which doctoral students write during their first terms, including the instructor-led classroom, the larger culture of the program and institution, and the current high-pressure realities of doctoral-level academic study in the United States.

With global increases in the population of older adults, there is a critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address the complexities of aging. Interdisciplinary research is well suited to facilitate trainee development; this venue provides opportunities for engagement in collaborative projects and networks, positioning trainees to become effective interdisciplinary researchers. This project examined the experiences of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows participating in an interdisciplinary trainee network for research on aging. The methods were informed by principles of reflexivity whereby participants reflected on their experiences of engaging in the network. Key findings included: the contribution of institutions and structures, transcendence of boundaries, and development at the level of the individual and community. Findings highlight the value of investing in trainee development in interdisciplinary collaboration, within and beyond aging research, and can inform the development of interdisciplinary trainee initiatives in other areas of research, policy, and practice.

The rise in older population in Ghana is accompanied by challenges that may require trained professionals with specialized knowledge in geriatrics and gerontology to help address. Research, however, points to an existing shortage of geriatric-trained professionals in Ghana; a problem that can be addressed with the education and training of students with interest in aging. This paper offers a review of the state of geriatric and gerontology education in Ghana. The paper specifically examines current geriatric-focused training programs in public universities, and existing national aging policies with implications for the development and implementation of aging education in institutions of higher learning in Ghana. The review findings point to an urgent need for governmental and institutional commitment to promote aging studies as a component of health professions curricula in Ghana. Critical steps to prioritizing and forging a path to instituting geriatric and gerontology education in Ghana are discussed.

This article presents an interdisciplinary collaboration to address the needs of older adults at risk of social isolation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An intergenerational service-learning program developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging was offered to several universities across the state of Pennsylvania. The authors share their experience and lessons learned from pairing older adults with graduate students studying in the fields of Gerontology, Public Health, and Social Work.

The aim is to describe the development of a novel interdisciplinary graduate school, using the Swedish National Graduate School for Competitive Science on Ageing and Health (SWEAH) as a case example. We explore doctoral students' perceptions of being part of SWEAH and provide implications for practice. Written self-reports reflecting 78 students' experiences and perceptions were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that affiliation with SWEAH is highly valued. The students emphasized the tailored courses and learning activities and reported that it was instrumental in deepening their knowledge and broadening their research perspectives. The findings demonstrate how students navigate between disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts and become enculturated with intellectual mindset and understanding of the importance of network building. The graduate school adds an interdisciplinary layer of learning, influenced by peers and researchers, and demonstrates the importance of community building within interdisciplinary environments and how it can be achieved.

During a time of increasing shortages in the eldercare workforce, attracting new workers to the field is imperative. It can be difficult to engage students in the field. One method to engage students with aging is through oral history assignments. This study explored the impact of an active assignment (interviewing an older adult) compared to a passive assignment (watching a video of an older adult being interviewed) on ageism. Students were randomly assigned into two sections of an online gerontology course. The sections were identical except one section conducted an interview of an older adult (n = 40), and the second section watched a video of older adults being interviewed (N = 37). Each student completed a pre- and post-assignment survey, which included an ageism scale. Differences were analyzed using t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Ageism declined significantly for both sections (from an average of 56 to 50 for the interview section, and from 55 to 47 for the video section). The change was not significantly different across sections. Both sections reported high satisfaction with the assignment. A majority (97%) of students in both sections reported that they were able to relate class lessons to the interview and that the assignment impacted their thoughts about aging (95%). Conclusions: Both watching and actively participating in an interview was a positive assignment for students and resulted in a decrease in ageism. Using a video alternative may be particularly useful for classes where facilitating community interaction may be difficult.

The aim of the article is to understand ageing as a process of lifelong learning through a whole variety of experiences, to consider what ageing in a biographical perspective means, and to investigate the process of biographical ageing within identity formation. The method of the project was based on the employment of in-depth narrative interviews with older Polish migrants now living in Sweden. The author argues that ageing is a natural process of the life cycle and is socially and culturally constructed and that consequently everyone experiences this process individually. One of the paper's conclusions is that we do not age according to the numbers of years we live, but due to our life experience and the social-historical contexts in which we have lived. Furthermore, we age due to the biography we re/ construct while we are ageing during our life course. Ageing, from a biographical perspective, is a learning process in which people re/ construct their lives with social, educational and cultural contexts and from which they draw from their experiences relating to social practices and historical events.

The population of older adults is growing rapidly and there will be an increased need for psychological services for this population. Current estimates indicate a significant workforce gap such that all psychologists, regardless of specialty area, will likely be called upon to work with older adults. Education and experience in the care of older adults has been consistently connected with improved competence and interest in working with this population. Further, the APA requires that training programmes adequately cover aspects of individual diversity, though age-related education and training may be largely lacking and/or minimally addressed. The present study explores age-related training within a sample of psychology doctoral students. Participants (n = 85) consisted of doctoral trainees recruited via email (listserv) to complete an anonymous online survey as part of a larger study. Results indicate that (1) training in aging varies and is inadequate in some programmes; (2) knowledge in aging varies and is associated with training opportunities; (3) training in aging is less than training in race/ ethnic diversity; and (4) attitudes toward older clients are most strongly predicted by extent of training in aging. The authors offer suggestions for expanding age-related aspects into generalist training.

Objective: To describe the creation of an educational podcast with 'living cases' of older adults to support students' learning on a gerontology course and report on students' evaluation of the project. Setting: Gerontology course in a graduate programme. Method: We developed a podcast series based on interviews with older adults in the community following recent guidelines for creating educational podcasts. The podcast episodes were used in a case-based group assignment to work on during the course and to present findings at the end. Evaluation: Student experiences were evaluated using a mixed-methods survey. Results: From November 2019 to January 2021, case-based podcasts, averaging 17 minutes in length, were created and evaluated. Most students found the content of the podcasts relevant to working with older adults and increased their understanding of the issues facing members of that population. Qualitative analysis of the survey findings found that the overall strengths of the podcasts were that they were well structured, provided an authentic, real-world experience, allowed listeners to experience an innovative teaching strategy, promoted reflection, and encouraged students to consider a future career working with older adults. Students also recommended ways to improve the podcasts. Conclusion: Delivering living case studies using podcasts is a feasible, inexpensive and effective teaching method for improving physiotherapy students' attitudes towards caring for older adults. Students enjoyed learning via the podcasts and found them a valuable way to better understand the issues facing older adults. The living case podcasts could have broad applicability to other aging and health courses.

Most of the studies exploring social work education's impact on working with older adults (OA) examine intentions among students. This study goes beyond expressed intention and focuses upon the actual post-graduation career choices of 20 cohorts (1996-2016) of BSW graduates of an OA concentration at an Israeli school of social work. The 203 study participants comprise 60% of all the concentration's graduates. Findings showed that 47% of the graduates never worked with OA after graduation, 25% reported that they had but this was no longer the case, and 28% are currently working with OA. Graduates distanced themselves from the aging field primarily because they found it uninteresting or unappealing and viewed social work with OA negatively. However, most of those currently working with older adults associated this work with positive feelings toward OA and work with them, favorable workplace conditions, and a commitment to advancing the field of social work with OA. Social work educators now need to rethink how to better expose students to work with OA during the concentration in ways that increase their positive experience and attitudes toward working with this population and that can increase the likelihood of a career choice to work with them.

Experiential learning and reflection activities are often used to enhance students' understanding of and attitudes toward aging; however, deep reflection is difficult to achieve, and research shows students demonstrate varying abilities to reflect. This study examined the extent to which students in a third-year gerontology course were able to engage in reflection after completing an assignment that included an interview with an older adult. Data included 72 student-written reflections that were classified as descriptive, analytical, or critical based on their depth. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted to understand what students reflected on within their experience and how this varied across levels of reflection. Overall, the assignment fostered a greater understanding of aging and prompted students to think more about what they wanted for their own aging process. Most students, however, reflected at the descriptive (32%) or analytical (50%) level; only 18% engaged in a critical reflection, indicating that critical reflection was not a skill demonstrated by all students. We make recommendations on how to enhance experiential learning activities to encourage critical reflection among students, including more structured and frequent reflection activities, more interactions with an older adult to build a deeper relationship and learn more about their life experiences, and more opportunities to develop qualitative interviewing skills.

This evidence-based pedagogical approach encompasses service-learning projects via the lens of social exchange theory in working with older adults. The study's purpose was to examine if bachelor of social work students' attitudes changed positively after the completion of service learning projects that involved educational presentations for older adult audiences. Pre- and post-tests were administered to 90 students which indicated a statistically significant positive increase in measured attitudes. The process for the presentation projects is detailed and outlined as well as instructional advice and lessons learned regarding pedagogical intervention.

As the number of older adults increases, it is important to understand how attitudes toward aging influence society, the aging process, and the counseling profession. Ageism--defined as social stigma associated with old age or older people--has deleterious effects on older adults' physical health, psychological well-being, and self-perception. In spite of research indicating that the pervasiveness of ageism is growing, there are few studies, whether conceptual or empirical, related to the impact of ageism within the practice of counseling. This article includes an overview of existing literature on the prevalence and impact of ageism, systemic and practitioner-level consequences of ageism, and specific implications for the counseling profession. Discussion of how members of the counseling profession can resist ageism within the contexts of counselor education, gerontological counseling, advocacy, and future research will be addressed.

The increased number of older adults attributes to a rising need for future professionals to work in geriatric and gerontological fields. Understanding the influence of students' career choices is important. A study applying mixed method including both quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted among students' taking a gerontology course to explore students' knowledge and career preference in gerontology. Facts on Aging [FAQ] was used at the beginning of the semester and after the semester to examine the different scores. The qualitative part of the study was to examine students' perceived competency level of aging knowledge and their career preference by answering open-ended questions. The results were that students reported higher competency in their knowledge of aging. Although increased knowledge through taking a gerontology class did not necessarily encourage students to choose careers in gerontology, it appears to have influenced students toward accepting working with the aging population in the future. The study offers suggestions on how to increase students' competency level in practice.

In this keynote presentation given at the 2016 Association for Interdisciplinary Studies conference, I considered the field of gerontology from a transdisciplinary perspective. Juxtaposing personal narratives with dominant and alternative discourses on issues of aging, later life, and old age, I explored such questions as: Given the multifaceted, diverse and context-dependent nature of aging phenomena, what might be said to be the defining characteristics of the field of gerontology? Is the common claim that gerontology is "fundamentally interdisciplinary" borne out? How are phenomena of aging--and the aging subject--constructed within (and without) the field? What might a transgressive approach to gerontology that embraces the wild and ultimately untamable lived experience of traveling through the life-course look like?

Life expectancy is increasing worldwide. Unfortunately, people are generally not prepared for this long life ahead and have ageist attitudes that inhibit maximizing the "longevity dividend" they have been given. Aging education can prepare people for life's later years and combat ageism. It can reimage aging as a time of continued growth, development, fulfilment. Unfortunately, aging education is not a common occurrence. This education needs to begin with children and continue throughout life. This article discusses why we need to teach about aging, aging education content, suggests a conceptual framework for aging education, and presents aging education resources. The concept of ageism is discussed and suggestions for combating ageism are proposed.

The project described in this paper was designed for an undergraduate course titled the "Psychology of Adulthood and Aging". This course, capped at 20 students, is typically comprised of psychology, pre-nursing, and family studies students. The student learning objectives (SLO's) for the course are: (1) to understand and apply current theory and research techniques in the interdisciplinary field of gerontology; (2) to demonstrate effective written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills; (3) to learn about ways to provide services to aging adults by interacting with a local community service provider; and (4) to identify and give examples of sociocultural forces that shape adult development. The goal of the service-learning project described in this paper is to facilitate these learning objectives through the lens of life stories from older adults (65+) in the local community. Student teams (typically 2-3 students) were paired with non-cognitively impaired older adults aged from a local adult day health facility. The outputs of this class project were a professionally published life story of the adult interviewee, student reflections throughout the semester documenting experiences with the project, and a term paper exploring a comprehensive theory of aging through the lens of the life story they wrote.

Collaboration between academia and actors outside academia (AOAs) has been proclaimed as a way for society to confront challenges in different fields. This 'participatory imperative' is anchored in EU research policy. The paper explores the participatory imperative in contemporary Swedish aging research. Three kinds of motives for participatory research as a way to societal impact emerged in the social voices of researchers granted money and AOAs with experience of participating in research. Participatory research was a "suitable research method for certain types of research objectives," an "answer to AOAs' outspoken needs for new knowledge" and a "result from the interviewee's double identity as a clinician and a researcher." Moreover, four types of activities were talked of. Participatory research was described as "dissemination of results," as "commissioned work," as "joint action" and as "education." The paper closes by promoting a synergistic approach where collaboration is enacted within already existing infrastructures of research and education. Scholars are encouraged to integrate collaboration with AOAs in their daily work as teachers and researchers. By doing so, new constellations of actors will emerge; constellations that are equipped to tackle real-world issues in new ways.

Growing older is a natural occurrence experienced by all human beings, but a plurality of perspectives influences how understanding aging deviates in multiple context. Senescence now enthuses a profound substantiation to appreciate harmonious aging. Among the diverse corpora of data, songs are found to be useful in communicating, motivating and healing the aging population and accepting the aging process. This latent content analysis study purports to understand the portrayal of getting and growing older in a select group (n = 27) of songs yesteryears. Guided by Bengtsson's (2016) processes of decontextualization, recontextualization, categorization and compilation, findings of this study revealed three interlocking concepts that typify getting and growing older, namely The Power of Suffering ("Aging of the Heart"), Power of Hoping ("Aging with the Heart") and Power of Loving ("Aging from the Heart"). These latent messages found in the songs of yesteryears emphasize the immense significance of songs to facilitate communication, transitions and psycho-social connections essential to the aging process. As the aging population face the remaining years of their lives, findings of this study will add significance to the existing gerontological studies and serve as a harmonizing guide in aging education toward a balanced, optimistic and transcending growing older perspective.

The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of Senior Companions with telephone reassurance program training delivered via Zoom and the feasibility of using teleconferencing as a platform for training older adult volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers were recruited from a local Senior Companion Program. We assessed training enrollment and participation rates. We also examined the overall participant experience with the program training by asking structured/semi-structured questions and analyzed the data using content analysis. The average age of the volunteers was 72.5 (n=20). During the first recruitment, 39 Senior Companions expressed their interest in the program. As a result, 20 out of 39 volunteers (51.3%) successfully completed the teleconference training (18 joined over the phone & 2 joined online). Findings from this pilot study suggest that the teleconferencing training was feasible for older adult volunteers and the volunteers discussed that the program training would benefit and support their volunteer roles. The findings of this study provide insight for gerontological researchers and educators related to potential strategies for completing research and training in the midst of COVID-19. The use of teleconferencing training that incorporates best practices for older adults' learning may offer promise for the potential scalability and sustainability of volunteer trainings during and after COVID-19.

Lewis M. Terman's "Genetic Studies of Genius" stands as one of the landmark studies of the 20th century in the educational and psychological sciences. This longitudinal study of individuals in the top 1% of general cognitive ability has sparked interest and debate among scholars for nearly 100 years. In this study, we examine how Terman's "Genetic Studies of Genius" has influenced academia through a bibliometric citation analysis. We gathered all scholarly works that cited one of the volumes of Terman's "Genetic Studies of Genius" and appeared in academic journals and mapped out the growth of scholarly citations within differing academic fields. We found that the influence of Terman's studies extends beyond the field of education and psychology into business, medicine, and the sciences.

It has been revealed that over the years, the number of the aged in the world has been on a steady increase. This rising number has great implications for government, researchers, families, youth and the society at large. There is therefore, the proper need for the understanding of the nature problems and challenges as well as the management strategies the aged adopt at this stage of life. The issue of old and preparation for it has been a case of global concern because of the problems associated with it. Unfortunately not much concern has been shown in Nigeria with regard to the problems and challenges of old people. The primary aim of this study therefore was to examine the management strategies of perceived challenges and problems of the old people (the aged) in Ihitte-Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. Two hundred and twenty (220) old people were selected through simple random sampling for the study. Self-constructed questionnaire entitled "management strategies of perceived challenges and problems of old people" was used to collect data. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. Mean and t-test analyses were used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that the major identified challenges and problems of the aged include isolation and loneliness, visual impairment, arthritics, dental issues, lack of finance, wrinkles, death of spouse, boredom and decrease in physical strength, while management of the challenges include some counselling tips like resorting to prayers, reliance on children, relations and family members. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the government should create a special welfare package of ten thousand naira allowance for the aged monthly while non-governmental organizations should embark on enlightenment programmes to educate the aged on their aging process. The aged themselves should be encouraged to engage in regular body exercises to keep their mind and brain alert.

This study aimed to assess if a module on an undergraduate degree programme had challenged students' perspectives on ageing and older adults. Courses on gerontology are on the increase within the UK to support increasingly ageing populations, with agendas to promote ethical care and to challenge the incidence of elderly abuse. Research consistently reports society's often negative attitudes towards older people, with this in mind a module on a gerontology programme at a North West of England University focused on developing a range of activities whereby students enrolled on the programme would be able to challenge their existing attitudes towards older adults. Interviews were undertaken with 3 students to explore if attitude change had occurred within a framework of social psychological definitions of attitudes and transformative learning. Three main themes emerged from the interviews, these were: (1) The relationship between beliefs and the development of attitudes, (2) Attitude change challenging morality and (3) Transformation and motivation to act. One of the student's sharing also led to the creation of an attitude time-line which plotted the students changing attitudes over time. The findings of the study have informed future teaching practice and may support methods that support critical reflection and transformative attitude change in other disciplines within higher education.

There is a gap in our knowledge of aging with autism. The present study examined the applicability of the popular gerontology concept of "aging well" to autistic adults. Using survey data, a model of "aging well" was operationalised and applied to 92 autistic adults and 60 controls. A very small proportion (3.3%) of autistic adults were found to be aging well. Significantly less autistic adults were "maintaining physical and cognitive functioning" and "actively engaging with life" in comparison to controls. Whilst important differences in health and functioning status were found, the current dominant model of "aging well" is limited for examining autistic individuals. Suggested adjustments include development of a broader, more flexible and strengths -based model.

Ageism is an age-based form of discrimination that still prevails in our modern society. As other forms of discrimination, older adults may encounter ageist discourses in a variety of contexts, including health care settings. In this paper, we consider critical reflexivity as an approach to challenge ageism within health care contexts. We explore the potential of critical reflexivity to transform the perceptions of older age among students in the health professions who work with older adults. We examine observation, narrative and reflexive writing as fruitful strategies to facilitate dialogue and critically interrogate ageist discourses.

The Geriatric Social Work Competency Scale II is the leading measure of students' competency with older adults. Although the 40-item instrument has demonstrated strong internal consistency and congruent validity, the hypothesized four-factor structure has not been tested. We used confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of social work students (N=667) to test the fit of the hypothesized model and explore respecification. The original model demonstrated strong internal consistency and a roughly acceptable fit. However, high interfactor correlations and items with significant cross-loadings led to the development of a 36-item version. The reduced version made small but consistent improvements in model fit and discrimination among factors while retaining strong internal consistency. Implications for future research and scale usage are discussed.

Iowa State University Human Sciences Extension and Outreach (HSEO) provides informal educational opportunities to older adults and their families in rural Iowa within the subject areas of family life, family finance, and nutrition and wellness. The successful implementation of educational opportunities is partially determined by the knowledge of HSEO educators who connect with rural older adults. Although past literature has identified gaps of transportation issues and healthcare access for older adults in rural areas, we aimed to extend this literature to understand rural aging experience through the perspective of Iowa State University HSEO educators' interaction with rural older adults. We outline the Extension model as a national system and as part of the land-grant university, together with the role it plays in providing community-based education to support the health and well-being of rural older adults and their families. In 2018, 28 HSEO educators completed the revised Fraboni Scale of Ageism, which assessed their ageism levels. Results indicated relatively low levels of ageism (M = 37.75, SD = 7.44). Follow-up interviews with a subsample of 13 educators were conducted to delineate perceived barriers and needs for alternative delivery and marketing methods to improve outreach in rural areas. Results from this study will be used to inform the creation, implementation, and evaluation of new educational offerings within Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, with the goal to improve the well-being of older adults and their families in rural Iowa. We provide recommendations for other professionals who work with older adults in rural areas.

Nursing Assistants (NAs) are the largest workforce in nursing homes, but often lack adequate preparation for their role. The Living Classroom (LC) is an integrated learning approach, whereby a NA program is delivered in a nursing home (NH) in collaboration with a community college. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of the LC. Mixed methods were used to gather data from 48 NA students, 5 faculty, and 42 NH staff over 30 weeks. Students, faculty, and nursing home staff described the LC as a positive learning experience. Students' gerontological knowledge increased over time (p = 0.0012). Students reported very positive relationships with program mentors and NH residents. The LC provides a unique approach to prepare NAs to work in nursing homes. This model could expand to other educational programs with a gerontology focus.

There continues to be lack of public awareness about elder abuse. To help address this issue, we developed and piloted an elder abuse peer educator training program from an educational gerontology and health empowerment perspective. We describe the process employed to train older adults as peer educators. We present evaluation results from data collected from trained peer educators and those who attended educational sessions led by the trained peer educators. The results of the evaluation are useful in the continued development of our peer educator program and in identifying topics for further research.

By 2029, 20% of the U.S. population will be =65-years-old. American demographics are changing, understanding of the =65-year-old demographic has not. We investigated expectation variables of participants born between 1946 and 1964 in the United States, and identified how expectation trends have changed over time also describing gender differences. We used secondary data from a motivation study published in 2015 to identify the expectations of active older adults. Four years of data were used (n = 71) in a self-selection of four adventure activities (rock climbing, flat-water canoeing, white water kayaking and sea kayaking). Older adults expected experiences in the natural environment, with social factors, and where they were either starting a new activity, or honing acquired skills. They were not focused on danger or the use of personal gear. We recommend programming that caters to an aging population, as well as considerations for gender.

This paper explores how people aged 50 and over, who were returning to cycling as part of an 8-week health and well-being trial, created their own cycling microadventures. Applying a stage model of the process of adventure to qualitative data generated from personal diaries and focus groups, we examine how older people anticipated and prepared for their microadventures, the challenges and discoveries they experienced, the benefits they gained and how electrically assisted 'e-bikes' can provide further opportunities for adventure. We conclude that cycles are a mode uniquely placed to facilitate microadventures and that e-bikes, in particular, offer further potential to enable older people to (re-)connect with place and other people. But while this type of activity can provide benefits in terms of health and well-being, we argue that more supportive physical and social infrastructure is required to provide opportunities for more people to undertake microadventures close to their homes.

This paper considers the significance of exploring the experiences and perspectives of older people who choose to participate in nature-based physical activities in evocative and imaginative ways. It highlights the need for research in outdoor studies to take seriously the turn to the body and the senses that is occurring in much social science and physical culture research, together with recognising the changing demographics in Western cultures which show a significant increase in the proportion of older people. The body has been separated from mind, emotions and feelings in much research in outdoor studies, and ageing studies and physical activity. For the most part, ageing studies have tended toward physiological perspectives with the dominance of medical research promoting biological empirical approaches to investigations. This paper considers theoretical perspectives which are embodied and emplaced and how such frameworks might contribute to the advancement of research on ageing and the outdoors. Sensory lived experiences are considered.

The Virginia Commonwealth University/A Grace Place Caregiver Telephone Support Pilot Program was developed as a service-learning experience for graduate students to address the need for family caregiver support services. The Telephone Support Program was developed by the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Gerontology, in collaboration with A Grace Place Adult Day Center, as a pilot project that introduced a low-tech telephone outreach initiative in which trained students provided weekly caregiver support through active listening. Uniting students with family caregivers provided a challenging learning experience for students that enriched students' personal and professional development, provided an important service for caregivers, and met a critical community need. The findings demonstrate that a telephone support format offers a positive educational experience for graduate students and essential psychosocial support for family caregivers. (Contains 3 tables.)

Purpose: Although it has been proposed that 1 spouse's health behaviors might correlate with the other spouse's health behavior among married couples, few studies have focused on sedentary behavior. This study examined whether objectively measured sedentary behavior and physical activity are correlated with each other and whether attachment to one's spouse moderates such correlations among middle-aged and older married couples. Methods: Seventy-two couples participated in the survey. This study measured time engaged in sedentary behavior and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), step counts by an accelerometer for 7 days, and attachment to one's spouse, age, education, and frailty by questionnaires. Results: Multiple regression analyses showed that the sedentary behaviors of 1 spouse statistically significantly regressed on those of the other spouse (ß = 0.30-0.47). The regressions of husbands' MVPA and step counts on those of their wives were statistically marginally significant (ß = 0.22-0.25), while the regressions of wives' MVPA and step counts on those of their husbands were not statistically significant (ß = 0.15-0.18). The interaction terms of the attachment with one's spousal accelerometer variables on those of the other spouse were not statistically significant (ß = -0.02 to 0.16). Conclusions: This study revealed that sedentary behaviors were correlated with each other among couples and attachment to one's spouse did not moderate these correlations. Sedentary behaviors of 1 spouse might influence the other, regardless of attachment to one's spouse. The concordance for physical activity was weaker than that for sedentary behavior.

Biases against the elderly and people with disabilities can lead to discriminatory behaviors. One way to conceptualize attitudes toward the elderly and people with disabilities is through the differentiation of explicit (conscious) and implicit (unconscious) factors. Although both explicit and implicit attitudes and biases contribute to the full picture of peoples' attitudes, explicit ideas alone may not accurately reflect people's attitudes. This may be due to societal pressure to conceal explicit biases or the fact that often times, people are not aware they hold prejudiced views. The Implicit Association Test is a computer-based categorization task designed to assess implicit or unconscious attitudes. This test was used in in the current study to assess the impact of an intergenerational service-learning course. We designed this study to determine if greater exposure or contact with the elderly or people with disabilities might influence college students' implicit attitudes. Pre- and post-assessment of participating students, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, found statistically significant decreased biases after participation. Results from this study that suggest participating in an intergenerational service-learning course can positively affect implicit attitudes. This is encouraging, especially because these attitudes are developed over a long period of repeated exposure, are consistently reinforced by cultural factors, and are notoriously difficult to change.

Background and objectives: Although randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been performed to alleviate loneliness among older people, little is known about how they have been implemented, or whether they are effective in real life. Our RCT-based model, "Circle of Friends" (CoF) proved to be effective in improving the wellbeing, health and cognition of lonely older people. Over 10 years we have systematically trained 752 professional facilitators of lonely older people's CoF groups. This study aims to explain how this training has succeeded in practice and to describe the outcomes of CoF implementation. Research Design and Methods: Survey data were gathered in 2006-2016 from trained facilitators (n = 319) and CoF participants (n = 1041). Results: The CoF has been disseminated in 80 municipalities in Finland. The trained CoF facilitators have maintained the original key elements and structure of the model fairly well in its implementation and dissemination processes. The main objectives of CoF--the alleviation of loneliness, making new friends, and members continuing meetings on their own--have remained the facilitators' priority. The CoF socially activates older participants, as 67% organized group meetings after the facilitated process. However, the CoF has become diluted in some aspects during its dissemination, as a small proportion of trained facilitators have implemented the model in their own way. Discussion and Implications: The CoF may be an encouraging example of how an original RCT model with a rigorous training program can be implemented and disseminated in real-life settings over 10 years.

Background: Speech pathologists have a pivotal role in palliative care, assisting patients with swallowing and communication disorders, yet very little is known about the preparedness of speech pathologists to work in this field. Aims: To investigate the preparedness of speech pathologists for working in palliative care. The term 'palliative care' was viewed as an encompassing umbrella term incorporating the management/reduction of symptoms and improvement in a person's quality of life at any point of the disease progression. Methods & Procedures: Participants were Australian-trained speech pathologists who provided adult palliative care services. An online questionnaire was used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data from practising speech pathologists. Qualitative data were analysed and interpreted using conventional content analysis. Descriptive statistics were analysed via the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows Version 22. Non-parametric tests (chi-square and Mann--Whitney U-test) were used for further analysis. Outcomes & Results: The majority (70%) of participants indicated that their university training did not prepare them to practice in palliative care. Participants who received palliative care education at the tertiary level were significantly more prepared to work with palliative patients than those who had not; however, only a minority (27%) had received such training. Just over half (57%) reported having completed post-university professional development in palliative care. The speech pathologist's role in palliative care was also highlighted, with speech pathologists outlining their contribution to the assessment of patients' communication and swallowing abilities. In addition, recommendations for palliative care content to be incorporated into university curriculum were suggested. Conclusions & Implications: Speech pathologists can make important contributions to end-of-life care, but there is much scope for improving the availability and quality of university and post-university palliative care training opportunities so that people receiving palliative care are best supported.