Nancy Giunta

Integrating Assessment and Evaluation Into Partnership Initiatives Lessons From the Community Partnerships for Older Adults

Communities nationwide have formed cross-sector partnerships to face the needs of an aging population, particularly for the purpose of improving long-term supportive service systems. Research is limited on how evaluation strategies are incorporated into partnership work, especially in the field of aging. This retrospective qualitative study reviewed administrative and key informant interview data to examine how 15 community partnerships (CPs) within the Community Partnerships for Older Adults (CPFOA) national program incorporated evaluation into their work. The four overarching lessons drawn from our inquiry suggest that effective CPs: (a) incorporate both formative and summative methods into evaluation, (b) use and develop the knowledge and skills of its members, (c) support flexible and creative evaluation methods and strategies, and (d) use internal and external resources to support evaluation efforts, particularly with nontraditional partners. There is a need for continued research to capture the methodological complexity of partnership evaluation.

Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Senior Centers: Comparing Participant Characteristics in More and Less Multicultural Settings

The 2008 Health Indicators Project surveyed a probability sample (N = 1,870) of New York City senior center participants. Attendees of racially and ethnically diverse and nondiverse senior centers were compared across 5 domains: demographics; health and quality of life; social support networks; neighborhood perceptions and engagement; health service access/utilization. Although homogeneous and diverse center participants demonstrate similar health and quality-of-life outcomes, those from diverse centers demonstrate greater risk of social isolation, receive less family support, and more likely seek medical care from hospitals or community clinics. Implications and future directions for research, practice and policy are discussed.

The National Family Caregiver Support Program: a multivariate examination of state-level implementation.

Research on caregiver support policy implementation has offered valuable insights but has not incorporated theoretical frameworks or multivariate analysis. This article describes how the communications model for intergovernmental policy implementation was used as a framework to examine predictors of successful statewide implementation of the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP). Using data from the National Center on Caregiving State of the States survey, U.S. Census, Administration on Aging, and historical records, implementation (extent of service delivery) was examined in 50 states and the District of Columbia. State-level characteristics (demographic, historical, political, and organizational) were tested for their ability to explain more or less successful implementation. Bivariate and multivariate findings suggest that historical characteristics predict the likelihood of delivering more counseling, support group, and training. States that recognize caregivers as both service recipients (through counseling and support groups) and service providers (through training) may demonstrate more effective implementation.

Building Capacity in Gerontological Social Work for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Older Adults and Their Loved Ones

We express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Amanda Barusch, former Editor-inChief, and Dr. Carmen Morano, Managing Editor, for their dedication and support of this special issue in the Journal of Gerontological Social Work (JGSW) on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults and aging. We are also immensely grateful to peer reviewers who contributed their time to review manuscripts; there was an enormous response to the call for papers for this issue. We are, therefore, pleased and grateful to the Editorial Board for their support in offering this triple issue focusing on LGBT aging. The volume of manuscripts received and accepted speaks to the quality of scholarship underway in the field of LGBT aging and to the timeliness of this publication as LGBT issues are gaining traction both in mainstream media and academic literature. This issue sheds light on an often hidden and marginalized subset of aging persons. The contributing authors are considered experts in the field of LGBT aging, and provide a compelling argument for why the field of gerontological social work should actively include issues of LGBT aging in aging research, policy, education, and practice. We encourage readers to

Aging Well and Gay in Rural America: A Case Study

Using person–environment-fit theory as a theoretical framework, this qualitative case study examined, through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, the lived experience of an older gay man who has lived solely in rural communities. An overarching theme of life satisfaction clearly emerged, along with themes regarding supportive social networks and disclosure management of his sexual orientation. The findings suggest that although it is important to understand the challenges faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in rural environments, it is equally important to shed light on the ways in which older adults age well within these communities.

Lessons on social and health disparities from older lesbians with alcoholism and the role of interventions to promote culturally competent services

ABSTRACT Older adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) face greater health risks and possibly more costly care because of their reluctance to seek out health and long-term care services because of limited cultural sensitivity of service providers. This is particularly evident in older lesbians who face substantial risk of health problems associated with alcoholism and are less likely to be open with health care providers because of stigma combined with feelings of alienation, stress, and depression. An estimated 4.4 million older adults are predicted to have problems with alcohol by 2020, and the rates of alcohol-related hospitalizations are similar to those for heart attacks, creating exorbitant medical costs. More culturally competent health and long-term care may reduce health care costs by effectively addressing the dynamics of alcoholism, aging, and lesbian culture. Training initiatives such as those developed by the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging have begun to address the need of a more culturally competent aging services network. This article provides exemplars from empirical data on older lesbians with alcoholism to highlight some of the health, economic, and social disparities experienced in the aging LGBT community. Current interventions in the form of cultural competence training for service providers are presented as a potential step toward addressing health disparities among LGBT older adults.

Summary and Future Directions

The idea for this book was conceived from a friendship that developed during our tenure as faculty scholars in the Geriatric Social Work Initiative, Hartford Faculty Scholar (HFS) Program. The HFS Program inspired us in so many ways, but particularly, in terms of collectivity and reciprocity, and the notion of giving back and paying forward in a myriad of ways. It particularly inspired us to build knowledge in the rich field of aging. Our passion and respect for our elders from diverse cultures served as the thread that tied together our unique interests and approaches to aging that are presented in this edited collection. The title of this book, “The Collective Spirit of Aging Across Cultures”, emerged after much discussion and processing of our ideas, lessons learned, and lived experiences as beings of diverse backgrounds.

Aging, Intimacy, and Sex

The chapter brings together a range of current knowledge around intimacy and sexuality among older adults. The authors offer evidence to counter the common misconception that older adults are not sexually active. Sexuality and aging is then discussed within an historical context that includes HIV and AIDS, the medicalization of sexuality, the introduction of the internet and social media, and the movement for equality among the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Next, the physical and mental health implications of sexual activity and aging are examined along with potential social benefits of sex and intimacy. Along those lines, cultural norms around sexuality across diverse communities intersect with physiological changes in sexual functioning that occur with age. Finally, the authors offer implications for research, practice, and policy in this important aspect of aging. A call to professionals is made to continue to learn more and develop cultural sensitivity, thus embracing the normative nature of sexuality and intimacy throughout adulthood.

4th Generational Theories of Intersection: Multicultural Aging

In this chapter, authors asserted that the multifarious reality of older adults’ social positions offer unique opportunities and challenges to our traditional gerontological theories. Authors presented intersectionality as an analytical framework to move readers beyond their disciplinary boundaries towards a 4th generation of theories for co-creation of innovative theories, methods, and interventions. In the co-edited book, The Collective Spirit of Aging Across Cultures, we critically reflect on how chapter authors integrated gerontological theories guided by the philosophical assumptions of intersectionality for addressing multicultural issues of aging, including caregiving, intimacy, elder mistreatment, financial crisis, housing transitions, and technology that span and interact with all social identities at multiple levels. We have invited readers to embrace a lens of intersectionality, and provided a discourse towards a 4th generation of theories to inform trans-disciplinary professionals on how to co-create with collectivist communities aimed at addressing social justice, health and well-being of multicultural older adults.