Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the joint effects of bereavement and caregiver intervention on caregiver depressive symptoms Design and Methods Alzheimer’s caregivers from a randomized trial of an enhanced caregiver support intervention versus usual care who had experienced the death of their spouse (n = 254) were repeatedly assessed with the Geriatric Depression Scale prior to and following bereavement. Random effects regression growth curve analyses examined the effects of treatment group and bereavement while controlling for other variables Results The death of the care recipient led to reductions in depressive symptoms for both caregiving groups. Enhanced support intervention led to lower depressive symptoms compared with controls both before and after bereavement. Post-bereavement group differences were stronger for caregivers of spouses who did not previously experience a nursing home placement. These caregivers maintained these differences for more than 1 year after bereavement. Caregivers who received the enhanced support intervention were more likely to show long-term patterns of fewer depressive symptoms before and after bereavement, suggesting resilience, whereas control caregivers were more likely to show chronic depressive symptoms before and after the death of their spouse. Implications Caregiver intervention has the potential to alter the long-term course of the caregiving career. Such clinical strategies may also protect caregivers against chronic depressive symptoms that would otherwise persist long after caregiving ends.

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Clinicians and service providers may facilitate coping by routinely screening for depressive symptoms and social network and tailoring interventions to those identified as experiencing elevated distress or lacking social resources. Attitudinal barriers and preferences suggest that even in the service-rich environment of hospice some modification of bereavement services might reach more bereaved spouses. Future studies might address whether preferences lead individuals to services of the greatest benefit.

Responding to the dramatic growth in Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs), the present study focused on mental health among older residents in ALFs. We assessed the effects of physical health constraints (chronic conditions, functional disability, and self-rated health) and psychosocial resources (social network, sense of mastery, religiosity, and attitude toward aging) on depressive symptoms. A sample of 150 residents (Mage = 82.8, SD = 9.41) from 17 facilities in Florida was used for analyses. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were observed among older residents with a greater level of functional disability, poorer self-rated health, lower sense of mastery, less religiosity, and less positive attitude towards aging. In addition, the linkages between physical and mental health were modified by psychosocial resources. For older residents with more positive beliefs and attitudes (a higher sense of mastery, greater religiosity, and more positive attitudes toward aging), the adverse effects of functional disability or poorer self-rated health on depressive symptoms were attenuated. The protective roles of psychosocial resources against physical health constraints yield important implications for designing prevention and intervention strategies for the mental health of older populations in ALF settings.

In this article, we seek to explain when and why political parties pressure their members to vote with the party. We model party cohesion as an endogenous choice of preference alignment by party members. Couched in Krehbiel's (1996, 1998) pivotal politics model, the formal theory advanced here shows party cohesion to be related to the initial preference alignment of party members, the divergence in preferences between parties, the cohesion of the opposing party, the party's size, and the party's majority or minority status. We solved the model analytically for generalized‐partial equilibrium results and further analyzed it through computer simulations. We tested the model's predictions in the U.S. Senate using Rice party cohesion scores from the 46th through 104th Congresses. The data analyses show strong support for this theory of endogenous choice of party pressure.

The results highlight the importance of need factors in the utilization of bereavement services. Future research should focus on interventions designed to assure timely access to those bereaved family caregivers who are most in need.

Demographic and labor force trends point to a critical need for professionals trained to work with older adults. The current study investigated factors associated with interest in aging-related topics and careers and knowledge of the opportunities that exist in the field of gerontology. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analyses were used to examine results of a survey of 300 college students representing a wide range of disciplines. Aging-related coursework and formal contact with older adults were related to greater interest in learning about and working with older adults, as were lower levels of anxiety and ageism. Experiential learning was related to greater interest in aging-related careers. Females and those who have studied aging had greater knowledge of the opportunities that exist in the field of gerontology. Lower levels of ageism were related to knowledge of the labor force shortages in aging-related fields. Students across disciplines need to be more widely informed about the opportunities that exist to work professionally with older adults. We recommend a two-pronged approach by gerontological educators. We suggest building opportunities for formal contact and interaction with older adults and reflection on these interactions into aging-related coursework wherever possible. Additionally, gerontological educators should seek opportunities to develop collaborations and infuse gerontological content into a variety of other courses in order to educate those who do not specifically take aging courses.

This study examined the role of psychological distress in the use of bereavement services at six months post-loss by 250 bereaved spouses in the Changing Lives of Older Couples study. Approximately 52% (129) used services, commonly provided by physicians and clergy. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses indicated that Black race, higher educational level, elevated depressive symptoms, anxiety, and grief were related to greater service use. Other predisposing, enabling, and need variables were not related to service use. Findings suggest the need for outreach and education with physicians and clergy and the importance of an accessible, comprehensive range of community-based bereavement services.