The need for evidence-based non-pharmacological community programs to improve care of older adults with dementia is self-evident, considering the sheer numbers of affected individuals; the emotional, physical, and financial toll on affected individuals and their caregivers; the impact on our health care system; and the growing availability of…

Describes a senior-to-senior mediation project which had goals to train elderly volunteers as mediators, explore use of senior volunteers in providing conflict resolution, and locate auspices for the establishment of permanent senior-to-senior mediation service. Describes program implementation, administration, and evaluation. Claims project…

Describes the Nursing Home Community Council Project which was developed to improve the quality of resident life through organized community involvement. Reports issues in organizing nursing homes, the group-to-group approach, and providing advocacy in the context of service. (Author/ABB)

Describes program in which nursing home staff (N=20) who were not involved in one-to-one caregiving each befriended one nursing home resident. Found satisfactions included feeling appreciated by resident, seeing their positive impact, having a new social tie, and learning about aging. Found residents benefited from expanded social network,…

Describes Cafe 84, a day program in Sweden for survivors of German concentration camps, which offers organized but informal activities so that members can socialize and discuss current feelings and memories. Claims large membership as well as reports of reduced symptoms and increased well-being are evidence of program's success. (Author/ABL)

Describes a Volunteer Information Provider Program (VIPP) which was demonstrated in five rural Missouri counties to help families deal with the strain of caregiving. Notes that capitalizing on two community-based organizations in rural areas, 63 volunteers shared information with over 1,100 caregivers in a 14-month period. (Author/ABL)

Describes LINC (Living Independently through Neighborhood Cooperation), which formed intergenerational helping networks in which the elderly served as donors as well as service recipients. The project's evaluation indicated that frail older persons received services, acted as volunteers, developed friendships, and increased life satisfaction. (JAC)

Describes Time Off Promotes Strength (TOPS), program for caregivers of Alzheimer's victims which provides in-home and day program services. Explains that, through application of service/training model adapted from Global Deterioration Scale, TOPS maintains high quality of services with limited but highly trained professional staff. (Author/NB)

Describes development and evaluation of three-hour multimedia community education program on depression and suicide in later life. Designed for families, older adults, and service providers, program provides information and teaches skills to recognize and respond to depression and suicidal behavior in elderly. Compared with controls, participants…

Describes the "Peer Support System," which involved older people in the provision of improved mental health services, including education and service identification. The program consisted of recruiting and training 48 peer counselors, and conducting monthly health education workshops. Funded by the Administration on Aging, the project…

Details a demonstration project which was developed to train older adult volunteers as mental health paraprofessionals for nursing homes. Discusses the effectiveness of the program for residents, as well as benefits to the staff. Includes details of recruitment, training and supervision of volunteers, services they provide, and problems…

Describes the first 16 months of operation of a nursing home based community-oriented rehabilitation unit that utilized an interdisciplinary team approach in its admission evaluation and in its patient management decision making. Of the 27 patients discharged to homes, 23 were still in their homes after an average post-discharge period of eight…

Harbor Area Adult Day Care Center has operated for two years with a primary purpose of providing respite care to families caring for a relative with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders. The rationale, history, program, staffing, funding, and experience for the first two years of the project are provided. (Author/RC)

Results indicate that costs of the rehabilitation center can be counted in dollars saved by keeping the patient at home instead of in the hospital. Treatment effectiveness, social improvement of patients, and benefits to family and friends cannot be counted in monetary terms. (JAC)

The Caregiver Information Project trained 200 clergy, lay religious volunteers, and social service providers about caregiving issues and ways to disseminate information to family caregivers. The project succeeded in improving knowledge about aging and caregiver issues, increasing perceived competence in working with family caregivers, and…