Purpose: A gap between research and practice in many nursing home (NH) care areas persists despite efforts by researchers, policy makers, advocacy groups, and NHs themselves to close it. The reasons are many, but two factors that have received scant attention are the dissemination process itself and the work of the disseminators or change agents.…

This article is based on the premise that there is inadequate attention to the link between theory and applied research in social gerontology. The article contends that applied research studies do not often or effectively employ a theoretical framework and that theory-based articles, including theory-based research, are not often focused on…

Notes that United States currently has about 15 research institutes or departments affiliated with nursing homes, and several others are under consideration. Summarizes results of short survey of these institutes. Advantages for both nursing home and research of having research institute in nursing home are discussed along with problems that…

Improvements in the care of older people depend upon basic and clinical research findings that lead to greater independence and health maintenance. Conversely, research depends upon care, since care-related priorities influence society's support for research. More leaders in the field of aging are needed with personal experience in both care and…

Presents 1993 Kent Lecture. Largely autobiographical lecture focuses on three themes: (1) Aging and Society Paradigm: The Roots--1968 On; (2) National Institute on Aging's Behavioral and Social Research Program--1979 On; and (3) Probing the Future--1993 On. Concludes that gerontological vision is needed if future is to improve upon past. (NB)

Describes history and accomplishments of the Gerontological Society of America's (GSA) Fellowship Program in Applied Gerontology, which places postdoctoral academic gerontologists for three months in agencies and organizations that plan to deliver services to older people. Notes this is one way the GSA encourages policymakers and program directors…

Purpose: This study examined whether providing outcomes information to 120 nursing homes facilitated improvements in quality over a 12-month period, as compared with 1,171 facilities not receiving this information. The outcomes information provided consisted of a report mailed to administrators that examined six measures of care quality. These…