Beliefs of older Mexican American women about alcohol and alcohol use.

This exploratory study assessed the belief system regarding alcohol use in a non-clinical population of Mexican American women age 55 and older drawn from a potential population of 1,000 older adults who attend nine senior centers. The overriding research question was: What are the normative attitudes, knowledge, and behavior regarding alcohol in this population of older Mexican American women? Findings from this study can serve as a baseline for comparison for future studies of older Mexican American who are more acculturated or who are second- and third-generation Mexican Americans.

Attitudes held by members of the clergy about alcohol.

Alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse continue to cause major threats to the physiological, psychological, sociological and spiritual health of the nation. According to recent statistics, over 80% of the illegal drugs used by youth, both male and female, is marijuana, with cocaine, opium and their derivatives comprising at least 15% of the drugs used by youth. When considering the ill effects of drug abuse, it is the legal one, alcohol that is responsible for the greatest impact on society. While it remains imperative that allied health professionals understand the many ramifications of substance abuse, it is also critical that leaders of faith communities have the knowledge and skills to meet this challenge competently. Due to the relevance of ministries as a possible resource, the focus of this exploratory study is to assess the knowledge, skills and attitudes of clergy about substance use and abuse and to determine their confidence of clergy in assisting their congregation with need related to this area.

The clergy: a valuable resource for church members with alcohol problems.

The role of the minister or pastor is pivotal in the development and operation of church-based services and programs and in the delivery of services. They can initiate changes and can equip the officers and members so that families troubled by substance abuse issues can find a climate of acceptance, understanding, and recovery in the local congregation. They can also serve as a referral source to members of the mental health professionals for assistance with alcohol and other substance abuse problems. For our purposes in this article, the term "clergy" refers to congregational and parish clergy. The focus of this discussion pertains to the role of clergy in providing assistance for members of their congregations with substance abuse problems. Implications and recommendations for collaborations and specific resources are also included that may increase the awareness of those issues and to increase effectiveness of service to those needing it.

Intergenerational service-learning: an innovative teaching strategy to infuse gerontology content into foundation courses.

This article provides an overview of intergenerational service- learning, an experiential pedagogy that involves students in learning outside the traditional classroom while providing a needed service in the community. Examples of intergenerational service-learning projects are presented that have been successfully utilized by the authors. These projects demonstrate the importance of using reflective practice assignments to help students deconstruct and reconstruct images, beliefs and paradigms about older adults. In addition, problems and opportunities in developing service-learning projects in urban and rural settings and with the Hispanic community are described, as well as some of the types of learning that may result from implementing service-learning experiences in various social work foundation courses.

Homelessness among older adults in a Texas border town.

This paper documents a descriptive pilot study utilizing a "point-in-time" or "point prevalence" method to determine the characteristics of those older adults living in homeless shelters in the city of El Paso. Of the 227 individuals who agreed to be involved in the survey, 53 (23% of the total sample) were 50 years and older. The characteristics of those 53 individuals ranging in age from 50-80 are presented. The profile is that of a poorly educated, Hispanic, Catholic male born in Mexico, who identifies Spanish as a first language, and who attributes his homeless state to joblessness or poverty. Key issues with regard to homelessness are employment and retraining. The article discusses the policies relevant to homelessness and employment retraining options as well as local initiatives. Implications for research, policy, and for social work intervention are also suggested in an effort to address needs of these homeless older adults.