Anissa Rogers

Predictors of Life Satisfaction in Frail Elderly

Abstract This study examined the relationship between life satisfaction and physical status, emotional health, social support and locus of control in the frail elderly. A random sample of 99 low-income, frail elderly living in the community was interviewed. Almost 40% of participants reported high levels of life satisfaction. Multiple regression analysis identified four significant predictors of life satisfaction: Perceived physical health, social support, emotional balance, and locus of control. Physical health emerged as the most significant predictor of life satisfaction accounting for 14% of the variance. Social support, emotional balance and locus of control each accounted for an additional 6% of the variance in life satisfaction. All four predictors explained 32% (R= .57) of the total variance in life satisfaction. Implications for practice and recommendations are discussed.

Using a college human sexuality course to combat homophobia

The present study seeks to identify factors among university students that may be associated with homophobic attitudes and whether homophobia may be reduced by educational interventions, such as knowledge-based curricula found in college sexuality courses. Participants were 128 undergraduate students attending a small, private university in the northwestern region of the United States. At the beginning and end of the fall semester 2004, survey packets consisting of a demographic questionnaire, the Sexual Opinion Survey, the Homophobia Scale, a sexual knowledge survey, and the Bem Sex Role Inventory were administered to students attending a human sexuality class and a comparison group of students enrolled in professional and social science introductory courses. Relative to the comparison group, homophobia levels significantly decreased over the course of the semester among students attending the sexuality class. The effect of attending the class on reducing homophobia was partially mediated by an increase in self-reported knowledge about sexual matters. Taken together, these results suggest that the knowledge-based curriculum of sexuality courses may play an important role in affecting broader attitudes about sexuality among college students, including attitudes about homosexuality.

Older LGBT Adult Training Panels: An Opportunity to Educate About Issues Faced by the Older LGBT Community

Older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults face unique issues that can impede their well-being. Although many advances have helped address these issues, there is a need for education efforts that raise awareness of service providers about these issues. This study explores evaluation data of training panels provided by older LGBT adults and the views of training participants on issues faced by the older LGBT community after attending the panels. Participants were 605 students and professionals from over 34 education and communication settings. Implications for trainings on participants and older LGBT trainers are discussed.

Pathways to health and mental-health service utilization among older Mexicans:

Engligh Pathways to service utilization among older Mexicans and Mexican- Americans were investigated through examining participants’ health beliefs and behaviors. Results indicated that definitions of health and illness had an impact on service utilization decisions. Results also suggested that an assumption that Mexican elders utilize social support networks for healthcare assistance is questionable, with implications for practice. French Cette étude analyse les trajectoires des personnes mexicaines et mexicoaméricaines plus â gées en ce qui a trait à l’utilisation des services. Pour ce faire, elle examine les croyances et les comportements des participants en regard de la santé . Les résultats indiquent que la façon de définir la santé et la maladie a un impact sur les décisions de recourir ou non aux services. Les ré sultats ont également remis en question l’hypothèse selon laquelle les personnes â gées mexicaines utilisent les réseaux de soutien social pour obtenir les soins de santé , ce qui a des conséquences sur le plan de la pratique. Spanish Se investigaron las formas de utilizació n de servicios entre Mexicanos y Mexico-Americanos de la tercera edad, examinando las creencias y conductas sobre la salud por parte de los participantes. Los resultados indicaron que las definiciones de salud y enfermedad tienen un impacto en las decisiones para utilizar el servicio. Asimismo sugieren que la suposició n de que los adultos mayores Mexicanos utilizan redes de apoyo para la atencio ń de la salud es cuestionable, con implicaciones para la prá ctica.

Innovative Experiential Learning Activities in Aging: The Experiences of Four BEL Projects

ABSTRACTThe BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program aims to infuse intergenerational content into the curriculum and recruit students to the field of social work by implementing face-to-face learning opportunities with older adults. This article discusses and compares the experiences of 4 diverse BEL projects that implemented gero-experiential learning activities into 1 or more of the BSW curriculum areas: introduction/social work practice, social welfare policy, human behavior in the social environment, social work research, and field practicum. “Three keys to success” are offered as ways in which gero-experiential activities may be successfully implemented by other programs.

Conclusion and Future Directions

This chapter summarizes and concludes the volume. It reviews the literature on older LGBT adults, including what is known about the health, mental health, caregiving, and social supports of older LGBT adults. The chapter also includes a summary of best practices for work with this population as well as what is still needed by way of service, research, and policy considerations to increase the quality of services and reduce service barriers for older LGBT adults. Last, service, research, and policy recommendations are offered in an effort to improve service access and provision to older LGBT adults, with the ultimate goal of improving the health and well-being of those in this population.

Introduction to LGBT Aging

This chapter provides an introduction to the volume, Contemporary Issues and Future Directions in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Aging. The volume examines current research, concepts, and theories related to the unique experience of aging as a sexual and gender minority. Issues such as caregiving, sexual health, social supports, and mental health among this population as well as the experiences of bisexual and transgender elders and those who are veterans and residents of rural communities are discussed within the volume. The larger issues of policies and services targeting the needs of older LGBT adults are also addressed. Future directions and opportunities to improve the aging experiences of this population are offered throughout the volume. This introductory chapter will set the stage for these topics and issues by providing a background to the field, the population, and the contemporary issues that impact their lives and well-being.

Partnering with the community through research and curricular innovations: introduction.

Partnerships between schools of social work and the community have played an important part in the education of undergraduate and graduate students and in the advancement of social work knowledge from the very beginning of the social work profession. The process of cultivating and sustaining these partnerships comes with both opportunity and challenge. And while a message on a bumper sticker reads: “Social Workers Do It in the Field,” we are certain no one could have ever imagined the institutional and environmental land mines buried in that field. Partnerships between schools and community-based agencies are being tested by changes in policies that restrict reimbursement for services, licensing and supervision regulations, significant cutbacks in resources as well as increasing numbers of schools that compete for fewer numbers of faculty positions. There is little doubt that when academic-community partnerships are successful they result in innovative programs and services that provide incalculable benefits to students, faculty, universities, social services