This paper examines gender differences in helping networks for three different illness situations (common ailments, hypothetical short-term health emergencies, and functional disability) among participants attending day hospitals and senior centres in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The findings show that women are more likely than men to receive assistance from family members other than a spouse and to receive assistance from friends as well. Gender emerged as a significant correlate of who helped, even when controlling for availability of that person, extent of the illness, other health factors, and social network characteristics.

Hospital and long-term care facility utilization, mortality and functional status over a 12-month follow-up period are described for elderly home care recipients who had been discharged from an acute care hospital. Of those eligible for receipt of services from the Program, 356 (92%) patients 65 years of age and older agreed to participate in the study at the time of discharge from an acute care hospital. Of these, 82.2 per cent survived during the subsequent 12 months, 44 per cent were readmitted to hospital, and 5 per cent were admitted to a nursing home or home for the aged. After adjusting for socio-demographic and health variables using regression analyses, the total number of home care services received was significantly associated with physical function and social function at 12 months. Similarly, the analyses revealed home care “social services” (social worker visits, meals on wheels, visiting home maker visits and volunteer visits) received were significantly associated with morale at 12 months. The clinical significance of these findings for case-management and home care program management and monitoring are discussed.

A survey of the first two years of a psychiatric clinic within a geriatric medical day hospital was undertaken to determine the role of such a clinic. Forty per cent of all day hospital attenders were referred for psychiatric evaluation: at least 80 per cent of these had major psychiatric diagnoses and 20 per cent had other conditions needing psychosocial intervention. Depression and dementia accounted for 62 per cent of all psychiatric referrals. Those who were referred to the psychiatric clinic were quite comparable to the unreferred group in age, sex, marital status, pre-retirement employment and source of referral to the day hospital. The outcomes of intervention at three, six and 12 months were similar in both groups but referred patients stayed longer in the program. It is concluded that such a clinic provides a necessary mental health service where it is needed.

The object of the present research is to validate a French version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The version entitled “Échelle de dépression gériatrique” (EDG) was administered to a sample of 643 elderly Francophones from the provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec. The psychometric characteristics indicate that the EDG is a valid and reliable scale. The utility of the EDG as a screening measure for geriatric depression is discussed.

Drawing on a qualitative study of women as givers and receivers of care, this paper explores older women's experiences of needing care. Old women find themselves in a social context in which government services are kept in the background and families are generally regarded as the proper locus of assistance to old people. Respondents described contradictions between needing support and security and wanting to adhere to cultural values of independence and self-sufficiency. Their low expectations of public services and sense of marginality in their families exacerbated these dilemmas. The fallacy of understanding old women's conduct in this constrained context as the exercise of choice is elaborated, and attention is given to ways of fostering the conditions in which elderly women can shape the kinds of supportive environments they would like to see in the future.

To determine if the post-operative experience of elderly and younger patients is different, data were collected from 41 elderly patients (65 years and older) and 249 younger patients (under 65 years). Pain and anxiety were assessed on days two and three post-operative. Anxiety was also measured pre-operatively. Amount of analgesic ordered and given, and time of last analgesic prior to pain assessment were recorded. Significant differences were found in the number of analgesics given, with the elderly receiving fewer analgesics. There were no significant differences in pain intensity levels. In both age categories patients were given less analgesic on the third post-operative day, regardless of pain intensity. The two groups chose almost, identical pain descriptors. In both groups strong associations were observed between post-operative anxiety and pain, but pre-operative anxiety seemed unrelated to post-operative pain levels. It was concluded that health care professionals manage pain similarly for both younger and elderly patients, but the elderly require less analgesic for pain control.

Clients who were either admitted to a long-term care program (N = 7251) or assessed but not admitted to the program (N = 1680) were evaluated for their utilization of health care services in 1981–82. Mean utilization values were calculated and analyses of variance were performed in order to respond to: a) whether utilization patterns of clients admitted to the program differed from patterns of clients who were not admitted; b) whether clients admitted to institutions were different from clients admitted to the program who stayed at home. The data show that among clients who were not admitted to the program utilization levels nearly tripled during the year following assessments. Among clients who were admitted to the program, hospital use decreased for facility dwellers only. The findings suggest that admission to the program can reduce health care utilization particularly if medical surveillance is provided in institutions.

This research examines the nature and basis of self-identity in later life and the way in which it is maintained. In contrast to an identity crisis view, which emphasizes role as the link between individual and society and roles as the primary components of identity, this study assumes self to be the important connecting link and self-identity is conceptualized as complex and multi-dimensional. Based on the underlying assumption that identity emerges and is sustained through social interaction, the research focuses on older women's social network involvements. Data obtained through participant observation and 142 personal interviews with elderly women reveal that most of the women studied here do not view themselves as' elderly' or “old”. Age identity is found to be more relevant to some interactions than others. Moreover, the majority have managed to retain a positive identity which is deeply embedded within their informal role involvements and social network ties.

Various definitions of aging are discussed. The term successful aging is criticized and some of the criteria of normal aging are discussed. The relevance of a good definition of biological aging and aging processes is outlined and it is stressed that aging process parameters should discriminate between individuals who are at higher and lower risk in terms of specific harmful consequences.

Family and kinship support have always been central to the maintenance of the elderly in western society. For the past 70 years provincial statutes have adopted the principle of filial support for indigent parents as an essential element in state policy regarding the elderly. This article discusses the history of the Canadian legislation to the present day and examines its application through the courts and state agents of Ontario and provincial officials of British Columbia. While of some significance as a mechanism of support for a brief period prior to 1951, the legislation was generally ineffective and at times counterproductive. Nevertheless, it has continued to play a role in state policy for the elderly because of the familist ideology that it reflects.

The maximum lifespan (MLS) of Homo sapiens is substantially greater than that of our closest relatives, the non-human primates. Since evolutionary divergence from a common primate ancestor occurred relatively recently, the genetic changes affecting MLS must have occurred quickly. The evolution of MLS is generally explainable as a pleiotropic effect of genetic material that speeds or postpones cellular damage. However, in humans it can be argued that direct selection for longevity is plausible: through mechanisms of personal fitness among males and inclusive fitness among females. A flaw to such an explanatory approach is that it is non-falsifiable.

In this study, a number of demographic, health, and personality measures were collected from a sample of institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly people in Newfoundland. These measures were then regressed on the number of medicines used. The analyses showed that the primary predictor of medicine use in both samples is Disease Severity, a combination of the number of different diseases or disorders and the extent of their severity. This factor accounts for about 28 to 33 per cent of the variance. No other factor predicted medicine use for institutionalized elderly, but for non-institutionalized elderly, Health Rating, how the individual perceives his or her own health, accounts for an additional 5 to 7 per cent of the variance. Disease Severity and Health Rating do not interact, but make independent, additive contributions to predicting medicine use. Disease Severity and Health Rating also predict total drug use and changes in drug use over a period of 12 to 18 months. When variance due to Disease Severity and Health Rating are accounted for, sex and age do not significantly predict medicine use.

An experiment is reported that examines kinematic measures, reaction time and response preparation differences between young and older adults, and movement response parameters in a precueing paradigm. Ten young and ten older adults performed 5 cm or 10 cm horizontal movements to the left or right with an electronic pen on a digitizing tablet. The precue (advance information) provided information about direction, extent, or both parameters. Dependent measures of reaction time (RT), movement time (MT), peak velocity, peak acceleration, peak deceleration, and their respective time values were analysed. The results indicate that young adults were significantly different on all dependent measures. Advance precue information was advantageous for all subjects as RT was faster when advance information was provided. In addition, both groups of subjects produced higher peak velocities when provided advance information about both direction and extent. Examination of the kinematics indicate that older adults produce movement patterns which display different response characteristics such as accelerating less rapidly and displaying a prolonged deceleration phase. Finally, older adults are less efficient than young adults at scaling velocity and acceleration over time between long and short movements when spatial accuracy constraints are minimal.