A survey of 282 college students found 31% planning careers working with older adults. Caring for the elderly in childhood was associated with this career choice. Students identified both positive and negative aspects of working with the elderly. (SK)

Adults with graduate education (60 aged 23-25, 60 aged 61-84) completed comprehension tasks on expository and narrative texts. Score on the Metacomprehension Knowledge Scale reliably predicted performance and self-perception of their comprehension. Age differences involved different components of metacomprehension. Metacomprehension predicted…

A model project disseminates information on successful and independent aging through interactive television in a partnership of community college and community agency consortia. The monthly programs are targeted at older adults, families of the elderly, service providers, and middle-aged adults approaching old age. (SK)

A proposed intergenerational learning community is a model for a charter school focused on literacy, artistic studies, technology, environment, and personal wellness. Instructional design includes nongraded, multiage, heterogeneous groupings with flexible looping to support individualized learning. Mentoring and apprenticeships will be featured.…

Intellectual knowledge and wisdom-related knowledge differ in goals, approach, range, method of acquisition, and effects on the knower. Intellectual knowledge tends to decrease with age. The relationship between wisdom and aging is potentially positive if not impeded by cognitive deterioration. (Contains 68 references.) (SK)

Cognitive load (CL) theory suggests minimizing extraneous CL and maximizing germane CL in order not to overload working memory. Instructional design for older adults should therefore include goal-free problems, worked examples, and different modalities and avoid splitting attention and including redundant information. (SK)

Older adults (n=20) and 8-11 year-olds (n=32) participated in either experimental groups (joint activities) or control groups (children and adults working alone or with age peers). Adults' ratings of children were more positive only in experimental groups. Children's attitudes were positive in both groups and remained so weeks later. (SK)

A weeklong module of aging appreciation activities, including interactions with older adults, was implemented in five elementary classrooms. Results showed some change in children's perceptions of aging, elders' characteristics, and activity involvement with elders. Findings were not consistent across classrooms. (SK)

As a job changes, person-job fit is likely to change. A number of factors affect older workers' ability and choice to adjust to job changes: individual factors (knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, attractiveness of retirement); and organizational (orientation to workplace changes, the redesigned job, training, support, personnel practices,…

College students (n=131) interviewed residents of 96 long-term care facilities. Students perceived nursing homes more negatively than other facilities. Residential care was viewed more positively by those with personal experience of elder care and those whose interviewees were satisfied with their lives or mentally alert. (SK)

The Knowledge of Memory Aging Questionnaire was tested in a group of studies with several populations: 33 mental health professionals; 85 older adults; and 110, 32, and 46 undergraduates. Older adults and professionals knew more about pathological than normal memory aging. Instruction improved undergraduates' pathological knowledge. Instrument…

Adults aged 60-74 (n=30) and 75+ (n=30) were taught to use an electronic bulletin board system either with instructions (simple) or instructions preceded by a system explanation (expanded). The younger group were better at acquiring and retaining computer skills. Simple instructions facilitated skill development better than the expanded treatment.…

Appreciation of the effect of reduced access to meaningful sounds due to hearing loss can help gerontologists understand clients' response behaviors that seem off target or out of place. Gerontologists should have the ability to assess the need for changes in communication patterns in order to assist older adults with quality of life issues. (SK)

A survey of 754 older adults serving as ombudsmen in nursing facilities found that formal education and follow-up training enhanced efficacy. Negative initial training was the most important influence on diminished efficacy. Those with higher efficacy and more positive initial training expressed less worry. (SK)

Field tests of the Grandparent Strengths and Needs Inventory with Chinese, white, African American, and Hispanic American groups illuminated different perceptions about grandparents across cultures and generations. Results were used to develop culturally appropriate grandparent education curricula focused on achieving family harmony. (SK)