Valerie L. Schwiebert

Residential preferences and eldercare views of Hispanic elders

A cross-sectional, qualitative study was undertaken with a group(n = 10) of elderly Mexican-American men and women in an innercity congregate meal site of a large Midwestern city. The purpose of thestudy was to explicate: the older adults‘ residential preferences shouldthey become unable to live in their own homes, and their beliefs abouteldercare. Themes arising from the semi-structured interviews include:nursing homes as places of last resort, the desire not to be a burden tochildren, intergenerational differences in lifestyle, and extended familyinvolvement in eldercare. Implications of the findings for helpingprofessionals are discussed as are areas needing further investigation.

Old Wive's Tales: Questing To Understand Visual Memories.

Recalling memorable images of life events, reflecting, and then selecting action based upon that reflection is a fundamental human act that has not been explored adequately. This is the report of a qualitative study of visual imaging by women over the age of 70. This project was designed to inform theory and practice in art education and mental health counseling and to gain insight into memories of visual culture(s), especially the mental images that are significant enough to remain vivid over the span of 70 years. Findings indicate that older womens tales anticipate feminist issues and do not conform to traditional male models of understanding.