Not traditional, not assimilated: elderly American Indians and the notion of 'cohort'.

In this article, a Native Americanist anthropologist whose research focuses on elders, and a gerontologist who specializes in American Indians, draw on their respective studies--the former primarily quantitative and the latter primarily qualitative--to illuminate the nature of ethnic identity among American Indian elderly. The regional focus is the Upper Great Lakes (primarily Michigan) and the tribal/cultural group under consideration is the Anishinaabeg (Chippewa, Ottawa, Potawatomi). The analysis is centered on a key concept--cohort--considered by the authors to be crucial to the understanding of American Indian elderly. In addition to integrating quantitative and qualitative findings, an historical framework is utilized to assist in interpreting the results. It is suggested that Anishinaabe elders, despite some superficial appearances to the contrary, are by no means fully assimilated into mainstream American culture; their ethnic identity is not necessarily stereotypically 'traditional,' but it is nonetheless quintessentially American Indian. Researchers will be better able to appreciate such subtleties by taking into consideration the ways in which various stages in the life course intersect with specific historical periods (cohort), as well as by drawing on both qualitative and quantitative studies in pursuing their investigations.

Morbidity and comorbidity among Great Lakes American Indians: predictors of functional ability.

This article explores patterns of morbidity and comorbidity and their ability to predict functional disability among American Indian elders, using data from a sample of urban, rural off-reservation, and reservation Great Lakes American Indians age 55 and older. Higher rates are reported of a number of chronic illnesses than found in overall samples of U.S. elders. Results of multiple regression analyses predicting Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) show age to be a consistent predictor of functional disabilities: The CMI (Index of Comorbidity) was found to be a more useful predictor of functional disability than was the simple summation of the number of chronic illnesses.

The effects of on- and off-reservation residence on in-home service use among Great Lakes American Indians.

Community-based, in-home services are a crucial component in the long-term care continuum. Research has shown rural populations to be less likely to use these services. American Indian elders are more likely than their non-American Indian counterparts to reside in non-metropolitan areas, yet little rural research has focused on this subpopulation. The purpose of this article is to explore differences in in-home service use among urban, rural off-reservation, and rural on-reservation older American Indians using data from a statewide needs assessment. The sample includes 206 Great Lakes American Indians aged 55 and older. Predictor variables include the residential classification variable (rural off-reservation, rural on-reservation, and urban) along with sociodemographic, social support, health and functional status, and general knowledge of services. Results of logistic regression analysis indicate that the odds are significantly greater for on-reservation rural American Indian elders use of home services, home health aides, and home visits, than for urban American Indian elders. The off-reservation rural American Indian elder is significantly less likely than the urban American Indian elder to use a home health aid. Health rating, activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living (ADL/IADL) impairments, and general knowledge of in-home service availability increase the odds for all groups use of home services and home health aides.

Determinants of knowledge of services to the elderly: are strong ties enabling or inhibiting.

This research examined elderly people's social network ties and their awareness of services available to them. For this sample of 1,224 persons aged 60 years or older, having nonkin advisers, membership in clubs, or contacts with other community agencies and availability of transportation, education, and moderate-size kin networks predicted service awareness. Lack of available kin, the presence of large kin networks, having kin confidants, and being old, poor, and female, or black inhibited service awareness.