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Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Preface -- PART I -- THEORY -- Theories of Aging and Social Work Practice with Sensitivity to Diversity: Are There Useful Theories? -- SPECIAL POPULATIONS -- Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Elders: The Challenges and Resilience of this Marginalized Group -- HIV/AIDS and Aging: A Diverse Population of Vulnerable Older Adults -- CAREGIVERS -- Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: A Diverse Population -- Racial and Ethnic Differences in Family Caregiving in California -- PART II -- RACE -- The Ethics of Medical Decision-Making with Japanese-American Elders in Hawaii: Signing Informed Consent Documents Without Understanding Them -- Acculturation and Depressive Symptoms in Mexican American Couples -- SPIRITUALITY -- Meeting Life Challenges: A Hierarchy of Coping Styles in African American and Jewish American Older Adults -- Depression and Religiosity in African American and White Community-Dwelling Older Adults -- Religiousness/Spirituality and Subjective Well-Being Among Rural Elderly Whites, African Americans, and Native Americans -- Index.

In response to the rapid increase of the elderly population, assisted living facilities have quickly developed as a housing alternative for elders who are no longer able to live alone in the community but do not yet need nursing home care. Research suggests that whereas many assisted living residents experience depression, few receive needed mental health services. Objective: Examine the effectiveness of a group treatment program in promoting the psychological well-being of depressed assisted living elders. Method: Seventeen elders participated in 10 group therapy sessions that combined remotivation and supportive therapy techniques. Pre- and posttest measures and a program satisfaction survey were administered by research assistants. Results: Following the conclusion of the twice weekly sessions, participants experienced a significant decrease in depressive symptoms and a significant increase in life satisfaction and perceived social support. Conclusion: The utility and efficacy of the integrated group treatment model is suggested by study findings. Further research is warranted.

Approximately 1 million older persons have a severe mental illness (SMI) and this number is expected to double in the coming decades. While research studies have examined the experiences of family members of younger persons with SMI, very little is known about caregivers of older SMI clients. This study examined the characteristics, burdens, and rewards of 60 caregivers of older SMI clients using a modified version of family caregiver scales of Tessler, Fisher, & Gamache (1992). Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that increased client symptoms, higher levels of help provided, increased caregiver income, and knowledge about the care recipient's diagnosis were predicative of caregiver burden. Decreased number of client symptoms, care recipient being female, and greater experience of the presence of God predicted caregiver rewards. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Older people with chronic mental illness (CMI) are experiencing longer life expectancies that parallel those of the general population. Due to their experience of having CMI, these older adults present unique issues that affect service delivery and care provision. Content on this population is often omitted in the curriculum, which leaves students unprepared to practice with these clients. This article proposes an infusion model that can be used in baccalaureate or graduate foundation courses to increase exposure to elders with CMI.

A particularly vulnerable subgroup of refugees are older adults. This qualitative study examined experiences of 22 older Iraqi refugee women. Employing the Conservation of Resources framework, stressors experienced and resiliency demonstrated are explored. Narratives emphasized challenges faced prior to and post entry; participants' expectations and actual experiences of life in the United States; and coping strategies employed. Common themes included expectations shaped by media; loss of homeland, culture, and loved ones; and importance of personal and environmental resources for adaptation. Despite commonalities, variations emerged. Findings highlight the importance of individualized assessment of older refugees and tailored responses to promote acculturation and healthy functioning.

This article reviews and assesses the existing research literature on the efficacy of motivational interviewing (MI) to promote lifestyle changes and improve functioning among older adults confronting serious health challenges. A comprehensive literature review was conducted of intervention studies that tested the use of MI to achieve behavioral change among older adults with acute and chronic illnesses. Although limited in number, the studies revealed a significant improvement in physical activity, diet, cholesterol, blood pressure and glycemic control, and increased smoking cessation following MI. MI and its derivatives can be useful in dealing with a range of health issues faced by older adults. Further research to extend findings and address methodological issues is recommended. The integration of MI into social work courses focused on practice with older adults should be considered.

As the population continues to age, more and more families are faced with caring for aging family members and the concurrent increase in stress and needs brought about by hospitalization of the aging family member. The social service staff at Wesley Woods Genatnc Hospital wished to evaluate their services and explore the impact of a family conference conducted by a social worker/registered nurse team on the needs experienced by the family members of patients in psychiatry and neuropsychiatry units. A search of the current literature, however, revealed a lack of reliable and valid instruments designed to measure the perceived needs of caregivers of hospitalized geriatric patients. Therefore, the development of an instrument that could measure the perceived psychoeducational needs of such caregivers was undertaken. The Needs Inventory for Caregivers of Hospitalized Elders (NICHE) was field-tested and supportfor the instrument 's validity and reliability was found.