"Who's Been Putting Socks in My Drawer?" Narrative Case Study of an Elder Role Model.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This article presents a narrative-based case study about vital involvement in an elder role model, exploring the dimensions of this man's current vital involvement and identifying its lifelong expressions that appear, in older adulthood, to have enabled him to become such an exemplar. This case was chosen from a larger study of "Elder Roles Models", that explores: (i) What about these particular older adults (identified by colleagues, friends, program directors, and service providers) constitutes their "elder role model-hood"; and (ii) How, developmentally, they got to be this way in older adulthood. This case study addresses the first of these questions by identifying five dimensions of vital involvement. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Case study data were collected through five, semi-structured life-history interviews conducted over the 3 months. Interviews (90-120 minutes, each) were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. FINDINGS: Five dimensions emerged as constituting this man's vital involvement in older adulthood: (i) enacting personal values and strengths; (ii) person-environment reciprocity; (iii) using environmental supports; (iv) enriching the environment; and (v) experience-based perspective. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Dimensions are contextualized in terms of gerontological and life-cycle research, theory, and practice. A fundamental principle of Erikson's theory of lifelong psychosocial development, the vital involvement dynamic, is suggested as an "umbrella concept" for integrating disparate gerontological practices, theories, and research, and for conceptualizing older adulthood in the context of the life cycle as a whole.

Living Gerontology: Providing Long-Distance, Long-term Care.

My own living and working through normative family transitions of parent care (as both a professional gerontologist and an intergenerational family member) facilitated five important kinds of growth: (a) providing parent care with optimal integrity; (b) understanding, elaborating, and teaching life-cycle theory with increasing depth; (c) using this theory to enrich practice approaches to long-term care; (d) identifying valuable new research directions; and (e) creating a multidimensional professional life that furthers theoretical development and identifies practice principles that promote individual, familial, and societal experiences of a "good old age." This reflective essay addresses these different kinds of growth, as they emerged from and contribute to the ever-developing gerontological domains of theory and practice.

Untapped richness in Erik H. Erikson's rootstock.

Erik H. Erikson published his groundbreaking theory of 8 stages of lifelong psychosocial development in 1950. His theory expanded psychoanalytic concepts of psychosexual development to include the importance of social dynamics; it transcended then-current thinking that psychological development culminated in early adulthood, acknowledging that systematic human development continues throughout the entire life cycle. The theory made Erikson a pioneer in developmental psychology. His last authored book, Vital Involvement in Old Age, rearticulated and elaborated 3 principles that, in different words, are rooted in his original theory of healthy life cycle development: (1) Dynamic Balance of Opposites; (2) Vital Involvement; and (3) Life in Time. Using a lens informed by knowledge gained over the past 30 years and by reflections of one of the original researchers on that project, the current manuscript seeks to spark new interest in Erikson's late-life contribution. It explains the principles in new detail, links them to relevant research, and suggests ways they could enable Erikson's ideas to further enrich gerontological practice and research.

CitySongs: primary prevention in the field.

This case study describes CitySongs, a primary prevention, out-of-school program in the inner city that promotes social justice through integrated activities aimed at healthy youth development, arts achievement, and community vitality through diversity. Key ideas from social science and human service disciplines that inform the design and implementation of the program are summarized. The authors describe elements of the program's structure and process, as these elements enact primary prevention and promote social justice. Finally, program impact is discussed as reflected in ongoing staff case notes and in de-identified reflective comments from participants, parents, and audience members.

Vital Involvement Practice: strengths as more than tools for solving problems.

This article describes Vital Involvement Practice, a strength-based approach to clinical practice with elders, including those who are extremely frail. Using this approach, practitioners have been able to help elders increase later-life vitality and associated positive quality of life through: (1) systematic identification of individual strengths and assets (found both in the person and in the surrounding environment), and (2) consideration of these strengths alongside the individual and environmental deficits that are the subject of most geriatric practice. The approach utilizes original data-gathering tools (Occupational Profile; Life Strengths Interview Guide) and a stepwise, worksheet- structured consideration of these data in order to formulate action strategies for achieving client goals (Domain Scan; Domain Goals; Life Plan/Strategy). All elements of VIP emerged in pilot work with gerontological practitioners and their elder clients in such settings as: primary health care; government social service; subsidized senior housing; private clinical practice; community recreation. Limitations, implications, and promise are noted, with respect to practice and research.

Promoting vital involvement.

Health care for the elderly generally focuses on health problems. This approach ignores the strengths and resources that maximize a person's autonomy, integrity, and ability to make contributions to society; and it exacerbates poor health. Vital involvement practice (VIP) is an approach to caring for the elderly that emphasizes an individual's capabilities by exploring factors both internal and external to the individual. VIP is identified as a model for health care providers that will improve the health and quality of life of elderly patients.