Tip
Sheet: Culture & Living
Tip sheets highlight timely news and events at Washington University in St. Louis. For more information on any of the stories below or for assistance in arranging interviews, please see the contact information listed with each story. For comments on the Culture & Living news tips service, please contact the editor, Sue Killenberg McGinn at (314) 935-5254 or
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Productive aging
is in; notion of frailty, dependence is out
Media assistance:
Jessica Roberts
- (314) 935-5251
Source: Nancy
Morrow-Howell's Web page - (314) 935-6762
Related: Center
for Social Development: 'Productive Aging: Concepts and Challenges'
Related: Record
story: Older adults' contributions researched by GWB
Related: Record
profile of Morrow-Howell
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| Nancy Morrow-Howell, Ph.D. |
[St. Louis, Mo., April 2002] - April is Older Americans
Month, and a specialist in gerontological social
work at Washington University in St. Louis says
that the common perception of old age -- frailty
and dependence -- is out, and productive aging is
in.
"For years, our perspective on old age has
been dominated by the three Ds -- Depression, Dementia
and Dependency," says Nancy Morrow-Howell,
Ph.D., a professor in the university's George Warren
Brown School of Social Work.
"This idea of all old people as being needy
and dependent has never been very accurate, and
now that the baby boomers are growing older, they
are demanding that these attitudes change,"
continues Morrow-Howell. "Aging is not a disease,
and they want the world to know it."
Morrow-Howell says that despite the stereotype of
the physically frail elder, the typical American
retiring at age 65 can look forward to at least
a decade of active, healthy life.
"This demographic revolution is a striking
success for technology and economic development,
a huge blessing and opportunity for individuals
and an enormous resource for society," adds
Morrow-Howell.
The
growing "productive aging" movement aims
to harness the untapped potential of senior citizens
and use it to strengthen communities through volunteer
work, mentoring programs and other social contributions.
"Older adults engaged in these productive activities
are performing valued functions to society and to
themselves," Morrow-Howell says.
Morrow-Howell, who hopes other researchers join
her, is initiating a new research agenda on the
productive engagement of older adults in work, volunteer,
civic affairs and care-giving activities. With a
grant from the Longer Life Foundation, she is studying
the impact productive engagement has on the well
being of older adults.
But while Morrow-Howell welcomes the fresh perspective
on aging, she doesn't want us to forget that many
seniors still need help accessing basic human services.
"I'm excited about the promise of a more productive
aging for the majority of our senior population,"
she said, "but as a social worker, it's difficult
for me to ignore that segment of the senior population
that needs help the most -- that's what social work
is all about."
Morrow-Howell's studies also focus on the many issues
of concern to the elderly and their families, including
adequacy of care for the dependent elderly, community
care plans for the elderly, and use of mental health
services.
Through a grant from the National Institute of Mental
Health, she is studying the health and mental health
services needed and used by older adults after they
are hospitalized for depression. And through a National
Institute on Aging grant, she is studying depression
within the public community long-term care system.
Her research findings are expanding the knowledge
on adequacy of informal care and discharge plans
for elderly patients, multidimensional assessment
of elderly clients, and clinical case management
with older adults.
She is available to discuss productive aging as
well as the state of human services available to
the elderly.
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