Community Resources for Older Adults

Robbyn R. Wacker, Ph.D., is the Provost and Senior Vice President and Professor of Gerontology at the University of Northern Colorado. Her research interests include international aging social policy and psychosocial predictors of community service use among older adults. She has published over 65 refereed presentations, scholarly articles, books, and conference proceedings and has earned numerous university and professional awards, including UNC’s Academic Leadership Excellence Award. Karen A. Roberto, Ph.D., is the Director of the Center for Gerontology, Founding Director of the Institute of Society, Culture, and Environment, and Professor of Human Development at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She also holds adjunct appointments in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. She has published over 150 scholarly articles and book chapters, is the editor/author of ten books, and has earned numerous university and professional awards, including the Gerontological Society of America Behavioral and Social Science Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award

• The Authors’ PurposeAcknowledgmentsPART I THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE DELIVERYChapter 1 On the Threshold of a New EraGrowth of the Older PopulationGrowth of the Older Population of Racial and Ethnic MinoritiesGrowth in the Number of Older Adults Living AloneGrowth in the Number of LGBT Older AdultsImplications of Demographic Characteristics for Community ResourcesA Text About Programs and Services in an Era of ChangeOrganization of the BookChapter 2 Legislative Foundations for Programs, Services, and Benefits Supporting Older AdultsLegislative Foundations of Social Programs and ServicesEmergence of the Aging NetworkTitles of the Older Americans ActFunding for the Older Americans ActOutcomes of the Older Americans ActChapter 3 Patterns of Service Use and Theories of Help-Seeking BehaviorSocial Support and Care for Older AdultsInformal and Formal InteractionPsychosocial Theories of Service UseThe Psychology of Help-Seeking BehaviorApplication of Theory in PracticePART II THE CONTINUUM OF SERVICESChapter 4 Information and AssistancePolicy BackgroundAcross the Globe: I&R/A in Scotland: The Age Scotland’s HelplineUsers and ProgramsCharacteristics of ProgramsDeveloping and Maintaining a Resource DatabasePromotion of Information and Referral/Assistance ServicesInformation and Referral/Assistance ProcessInformation and Referral/Assistance Services With a National ScopeChallenges for Information and Referral ServicesChapter 5 Volunteer and Intergenerational ProgramsPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsIntergenerational ProgramsChallenges for Volunteer and Intergenerational ProgramsChapter 6 Education ProgramsEducational Level of Older AdultsLifelong EducationPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsChallenges for Educational ProgramsChapter 7 Senior Centers and RecreationPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsBarriers to Senior Center ParticipationModels of Senior CentersPrograms Offered at Senior CentersAddressing DiversityChallenges for Senior CentersChapter 8 Employment ProgramsPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsChallenges for Older Workers and Employment ProgramsChapter 9 Income ProgramsPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsChallenges for Income ProgramsChapter 10 Nutrition and Meal ProgramsNutritional Status Among Older AdultsPhysical and Psychosocial Factors That Influence Nutritional StatusPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsChallenges for Nutrition ProgramsChapter 11 Health Care and WellnessHealth Status of Older AdultsFederal Health Care PolicyHealth Promotion and WellnessChallenges for Health Care and Health Promotion ProgramsChapter 12 Mental Health ServicesPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsGeriatric Mental Health WorkforceChallenges for Mental Health ProgramsChapter 13 Legal ServicesPolicy BackgroundUsers: Legal Problems of Older AdultsLegal Assistance ProgramsChallenges for Legal Programs and ServicesChapter 14 TransportationPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsChallenges for Transportation ProgramsChapter 15 HousingThe Person–Environment Fit ModelUsers and Programs: Independent Living EnvironmentsChallenges for Independent Living ProgramsSupportive Living EnvironmentsChallenges for Supportive Living EnvironmentsChapter 16 Caregiver Support ServicesPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsChallenges for Caregiver Support Programs and ServicesChapter 17 Care ManagementPolicy BackgroundUsers and ProgramsCare Management ProgramsChallenges for Care Management ProgramsChapter 18 Home Care ServicesHome CareChallenges for Home Health CareHospiceChallenges for HospiceChapter 19 Long-Term Care ServicesPolicy BackgroundPayment for Nursing Home CareUsers and ProgramsLong-Term Care FacilitiesStaffing PatternsActivity ProgramsImproving Quality of Life in Nursing HomesChallenges for Nursing Homes in the FuturePART III PREPARING FOR THE FUTUREChapter 20 Programs and Services in an Era of ChangeSocial and Political Influences on Aging Policies and ProgramsChallenges for the Older Americans ActServing a New Generation of Older Adults: Planning for 21st-Century AgingReferencesIndexAbout the Authors