Linner Ward Griffin

Abuse among African-American elderly

This paper presents an overview of recent literature and research on elder abuse among African-Americans. Data about maltreatment of elders in the majority and minority races are presented, but persistent, unanswered questions and other issues also are raised. Characteristics of victims and perpetrators of elder abuse, the history and cultural traditions of Black families, differences between Black informal support networks and others, the phenomenon of violence and African-Americans, and concerns about access and utilization of formal support(s) are discussed. Interim recommendations are proposed.

Examining the Perceptions of Grandparents who Parent in Formal and Informal Kinship Care

Abstract Child welfare workers are increasingly seeking formal kinship placements with grandparents when the childs biological parents can no longer provide a stable environment. Using a non-probability purposive sample (N = 55), this study explores whether or not caregiver well being is effected by the type of kinship care arrangement (formal vs. informal). The findings suggest that grandparents in formal kinship care arrangements experienced feelings of depression less often, were more satisfied with their parenting experiences and were observed to have a greater sense of satisfaction with life. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Book Reviews : Tish Sommers & Laurie Shields. Women Take Care: The Consequences of Caregiving in Today's Society. Gainesville, FL: Triad Publishing Co., 1987. 198 pp.

Persons of all ages will find Aging Comes of Age a stimulating book. The book is addressed primarily to the millions of active older persons who constitute three fourths of America’s elderly. The book has a realistic awareness that many older persons may have disabilities of sight, hearing, and locomotion, but Hutchison states that these should not be a barrier to a fresh, inventive approach to what may be a third of one’s life. Some of the chapter headings give an indication of the book’s scope and spirit: &dquo;Be Proud of Your Age,&dquo; &dquo;Sustain Your Sense of Belonging,&dquo; &dquo;Seek to Broaden Your World.&dquo; There is a chapter on the many positive aspects of being a volunteer. Two chapters that are unique to books of this genre are entitled &dquo;Be Out of Step as Much as Possible&dquo; and &dquo;Be Ever the Advocate.&dquo; These chapters reflect the lifelong experience of the author who has been concerned with improving our social and political institutions. The power of these chapters is that they urge older people to be part of the larger world and to be involved in seeking to build a reconstructed society concerned with all human needsnot just the needs of the elderly. If one wants to read or to recommend a book that breaks out of the conventional mold of how to grow old gracefully or the &dquo;ain’t it awful&dquo; school of gerontology, this is the book to suggest.