Rick J. Scheidt

Successful Aging: What's Not to Like?

The “successful aging” paradigm championed by Rowe and Kahn has become a valued and powerful paradigm in the culture of gerontology. It has been particularly useful for understanding distinctions between primary and secondary aging in later life, leading to numerous intervention studies designed to identify, prevent, and reverse functional losses associated with usual aging. We pose some cautionary questions regarding the assumptions, conceptualization, and application of the perspective. We suggest that the paradigm is parochial with respect to defining criteria; fails to incorporate adequately life course dynamics, particularly the multiple meanings of age-related losses and dependency; fails to address the generalizability of assumptions and findings to heterogeneous populations of elders; ignores evidence indicating numerous routes to aging well; and fails to consider the implications for elders who cannot age “ successfully” due to incapacitation or lack of access to environmental resources.

Environmental Gerontology: Progress in the Post-Lawton Era

Publisher Summary Like other disciplines within behavioral science, environmental gerontologists continue to grapple with the extrapolation of data to the realm of practice―affecting more efficient linkage between the meaning of statistical effect sizes and interventions designed to improve the quality of life. The action research paradigm is a very promising direction for spawning innovative research-to-practice links in the future. To aid transition to a more action oriented research approach, current research findings amenable to design application should be produced in a form easily understood by practitioners. This chapter proposes the adoption of guidelines for the dissemination of information to medical practitioners. Successful application includes informing potential practitioners of innovative knowledge and assuring their decisional control regarding its programmatic use, evaluation, and possible continued adoption or discontinuance. Action research would benefit environmental gerontology with studies that focus on place, rather than the traditional emphasis placed on the individual as the unit of analysis.

From our town' to ghost town'?: the changing context of home for rural elders

This research, grounded in a contextual view of environmental stress, employed an experiential field approach to explore outcomes of the continuing rural crisis of the past decade for elderly residents of four small Kansas towns. These rural changes threaten the survival of many towns, and affect their elderly residents, who often have enduring economic, social, and psychological investments in their homes and communities. At the same time, changes associated with aging may lead to transitions in the experience of home and community for these elderly individuals, regardless of the towns health. The two sources of change may have multi-faceted impacts on the well-being of the elderly individuals who experience them. Aspects of the research described here focus on environmental stressors related to housing and the meaning of attachment to home within economically-threatened communities. Some findings presented support previous research, while others reflect the regions unique socio-historical environment as a part of the Western Frontier. Implications for policy alternatives and the well-being of rural elderly are discussed.

Well-being profiles of small-town elderly in differing rural contexts.

This study provides data on variations in subjective well-being among older residents of small towns in varying rural contexts. Standard structured interview data on five composite dimensions of well-being (mental health, activity, contact with friends/relatives, security) were gathered on 989 elderly residents across 18 small towns stratified by population (100–500; 501–1500; 1501–2500) and quantitatively-defined county rurality (high-medium-low). Similarities and differences in well-being among the nine town size/rurality categories resulting from this stratification are discussed, along with implications for rural gerontological research and intervention.

THE WELL‐BEING OF OLDER PERSONS IN SMALL RURAL TOWNS: A TOWN PANEL APPROACH

There is a significant lack of information regarding older residents of small rural towns. A major interdisciplinary interview study of 990 older residents (65 years +) of 18 small towns (2,500 or less) was conducted to (1) assess the social and psychological well‐being of mental health of these residents, (2) assess their perceptions of 11 ecological/architectural and 3 psychosocial community‐level environmental dimensions, (3) determine the extent to which individual differences in mental health are predicted by these environmental features, and (4) translate the findings into a set of more practical recommendations for applied professionals. A town panel field strategy was employed that facilitated access to each town. The methodological features of this approach, as well as evidence of its success, are detailed. These include gaining entree, establishing rapport, handling publicity, selecting respondents, and issuing payment. A rural‐oriented interviewer training program is discussed. Illustrative, de...

Place therapies for older adults: conceptual and interventive approaches.

The study of place transitions—moves between places as well as changes occurring in environments of elders who age in place—is a relatively new, diverse research area of high relevance for adult developmentalists and gerontologists. This article explores the usefulness of a tractable model of environmental stress and proposes three potential “place therapies” that may minimize the negative impacts of place transitions upon older adults. Specifically, a transactional model of environmental stress linked to behavior setting theory is proposed for understanding both positive and negative outcomes associated with different kinds of place transitions. Three distinct “place therapies” are considered as interventions that may hold promise for preventing, ameliorating, and enriching the diverse impacts of place transitions on older adults and their environmental milieu.

Rural small towns: an environmental context for aging

Following a brief review of sociological and psychological definitions of rurality, this paper illustrates the uses of an empirically-derived taxonomy of environmental perceptions for understanding the rural experiences of older residents of small towns in the midwestern United States. Specifically, variations in perceptions of twelve dimensions of rural environments were examined (1) among older residents of small towns of different sizes (populations 100–500, 501–1500 or 1501–2500), and (2) among four groups of older residents (n = 898) displaying differing profiles of subjective social and psychological well-being. Reliable town- size differences in environmental perceptions were found for eight of the 12 environmental attributes. Illustratively, residents of smaller towns reported lower levels of community satisfaction and community involvement, higher levels of intimacy and consensus on town issues, and fewer barriers to services and activities than residents of larger towns. Reliable differences in environmental perceptions were found for ten of the attributes for older residents differing in well-being. For example, more frail residents were less satisfied with their communities, and felt more constricted and isolated by physical barriers and social norms; they were less involved in their communities and less aware of available community services. The advantages of the application of person-environment taxonomies to research and intervention in rural environments are discussed. Chief among these is the refinement gained in the understanding of individual differences in ecological adaptation.

Many Meanings of Community

Abstract Powell Lawtons theoretical and empirical work greatly increased understanding of communities as contexts for successful aging. This article illustrates the direct and indirect contributions of Lawtons work for multiple meanings of community at the physical, personal, suprapersonal, and social environmental levels. This includes the ETA (Ecological Theory of Aging) and its value as an empirical and practical tool for understanding environmental coping among old community residents; his seminal work on community planning; emotion as a determinant, moderator, and outcome of environmental adjustment, place identity, and place attachment in community settings; and his novel use of the dimension of time in community studies. We share some personal memories of the range and impact of Lawtons work and advice on our own community level research.

Ecologically-Valid Inquiry: Fait Accompli?

The purpose of this brief note is to offer a critical commentary of recent attempts by adult-cognitive developmentalists to conduct more meaningful, ecologically-valid research. Emerging illustrative

Housing Satisfaction Among Rural Small-Town Elderly

This study models the impact of ecological/architectural, psychosocial, demographic and well-being variables on house/neighborhood satisfaction of 989 community-based rural elderly (65 years or older) in 18 small Kansas towns. Using standard structured interview data, a holdout sample strategy was employed to test the path model. Results of tests of the model confirmed the statistical reliability (p < .05) of all direct predictors of house/neighborhood satisfaction; however, some indirect paths were not confirmed. Results showed that the strongest direct predictor of house/neighborhood satisfaction was satisfaction with specific dwelling features. Implications of the model for design and social planning intervention and policy are discussed.