Jean Pearson Scott

Families of Alzheimer's victims. Family support to the caregivers.

This study examined the instrumental and social‐emotional support provided by families to the primary caregivers of Alzheimers patients. It was anticipated that the more adequate the support provided by the family, the less sense of burden and the better the coping effectiveness of the caregiver. Ratings of instrumental assistance, social‐emotional support, adequacy of support, and coping effectiveness were made by trained raters from transcribed interviews with 23 primary caregivers. Also, a second family member who was usually next closest of kin to the caregiver was interviewed in order to provide another perspective of the support the family provided.

Factors Influencing Attitude Toward Retirement and Retirement Planning Among Midlife University Employees

As retirement becomes an extended component of the normative life cycle, understanding factors influencing retirement preparation activities of midlife individuals is important. This study examined the influence of gender, age, marital status, occupational status, educational attainment, income, perceived health, number of children, age of children, and number of dependent children on retirement planning behaviors and attitude toward retirement among 40- to 65-year-old university employees (N = 2,760). The study used regression analysis to determine the demographic variables that differentiated between individuals on four planning scales (financial , home equity, employment, and locational) and in their attitudes toward retirement. The relation ship between financial planning and total family income was the most significant finding. The discussion concludes with policy implications related to assisting midlife individuals in preparation for retirement.

Friendship patterns among older women

This study examined the friendship patterns of older women. The participants in the study were white, middle-class, urban women, sixty-five years of age or older. Results indicated the older widowed women received more help from their friends than did married older women. In addition, significant differences in the morale of the older women were found according to the equity of helping behaviors with friends. Specifically, those equitably benefited women had a higher mean morale score than over benefited women. The under benefited women also had a higher mean morale score than the over benefited women. Discussion centered on the importance of friends in the lives of older women as well as on implications for friendship support systems in late life.

Needs and program strengths: perceptions of hospice volunteers.

A state-wide survey was conducted of highly effective hospice volunteers who were questioned about their motivations for becoming a volunteer, training experience and needs, and reasons for continuing in the volunteer role. Needs identified included having a volunteer support group, on-going training opportunities, and opportunities for getting to know other volunteers better. Excellent training, belief in the hospice mission, the relationship with staff, feeling valued, and personal fulfillment were strengths and motivations to continue as a hospice volunteer. Findings from the study will be helpful to hospice staff who recruit, train, and support volunteers.

Effective hospice volunteers: Demographic and personality characteristics

The purpose of the study was to examine demographic and personality characteristics of highly effective hospice volunteers. Volunteer coordinators of all Texas Hospice Organization member hospices were asked to select their most committed and effective volunteers to participate in the study. Volunteers had above-average incomes, were predominately white, female, active in other voluntary activities, and motivated by their own experiences with death of a loved one. The largest proportion of female volunteers (27.3 percent) were extroverted, sensing, feeling, judging personality types (ESFJ), whereas, for male volunteers, the largest proportion (20.8 percent) were introverted, sensing, thinking, judging personality types (ISTJ). This information will be beneficial in recruitment, training, and retention of hospice volunteers.

Friendships of older men and women: Exchange patterns and satisfaction.

In this study we examined the relation between perceived equity of exchanges and friendship satisfaction for a sample of 110 older men and women. Respondents were interviewed concerning their relationship with their best friend and one other friend in their support network. Perceived equity was a significant predictor of friendship satisfaction only in the case of the other friend. In addition, results showed that men were involved in more equitable friendships than were women. Discussion focuses on the importance of equity consideration and gender differences in the friendships of older adults.

Informal Supports of Older Adults: A Rural-Urban Comparison.

The primary purpose of the study was to compare a rural and an urban sample of older adults on exchanges of assistance and social activities with children and friends. Illness prompted more giving and receiving of assistance for rural in comparison to urban informal supports. Rural widows were more actively engaged in exchanges of assistance with friend networks than urban widows. Activities with friends were characterized by instrumental as well as social qualities in the rural sample. Implications for family professionals involved in service delivery to older, rural families are discussed.

Sexual‐moral attitudes, love styles, and mate selection

Students at a southwestern university were surveyed to test the interrelations of three constructs: sexual‐moral attitudes, love styles, and attraction criteria. Following the procedures of the National Health and Social Life Survey, from which the sexual‐moral attitude items were obtained, we conducted a cluster analysis to create attitudinal groupings. We obtained four clusters representing various nuances of liberalism and conservatism. When compared on love styles, the clusters differed primarily on ludus and pragma. Not only did some of the liberal clusters differ from some of the conservative ones on love styles, but there were also some differences within liberalism and within conservatism. Cluster differences also emerged on the attraction criteria.

Alcohol Abuse by Older Family Members

SUMMARY The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes alcohol related problems with older adults as “underestimated, underidentified, underdiagnosed, and undertreated” (SAMHSA, 2004, p. 1) and describes the phenomenon as an “invisible epidemic” (SAMHSA, 2004, p. 1). The purpose of this review is to address the prevalence and consequences of alcohol abuse in the older adult population by emphasizing the heterogeneity of factors contributing to, and providing a context for, the understanding of alcohol abuse in aging families. Issues surrounding the sensitivity and specificity of assessment of older adult alcohol abusers are covered. Strategies for intervention at both an individual and family level are also included. Although much of the literature available on older adult alcohol use and misuse addresses the consequences, assessment, and intervention from an individualized perspective, this review concludes that a family-oriented approach to intervention may best serve the needs of older alcohol abusers and their support network of family and friends.

Predictors of Well-Being among Pastors' Wives: A Comparison with Nonclergy Wives

Reports on research comparing the well-being of women (N = 196) married to parish pastors with that of women (N=205) married to non-clergy. Concludes from the data that women married to pastors report a generally higher state of well-being than women married to nonclergy. Notes the factors seemingly responsible for the sense of well-being among clergy wives and points out implications of the data for clinicians and for church judicatory leaders.