Planners for British Columbia's aging population are beginning to contemplate the difficult problem of ensuring the future adequacy of supportive programs for the elderly in the key areas of health, income, and housing. It now appears that these programs may well be squeezed between increased demand resulting from a rapid rise projected in the number and proportion of older people early in the next century, and lower rates of provincial and national growth foreseen by most economists. This descriptive study draws on available relevant information (much of it included in tables, figures, and appendices) to explore the problem from its origins in previous policy development to the situation at the present time. From this perspective the implications of current demographic, economic, and political/bureaucratic trends for programs for the elderly are assessed in both the national and international contexts. After a consideration of the roles of philosophy and ideology in social theory, a wide range of social gerontological theories are examined using a sociological scheme which classifies them according to four major paradigms in order to determine their abilities to describe accurately the information presented, and to prescribe useful policy alternatives. It is concluded that a theoretical approach which advocates radical change from a structural perspective is both most valid and most productive as a paradigm for planning for the aging population. A description of the relationship of planning to social change, and a systems analysis of the process of public policy making together introduce a discussion of strategies based upon the selected planning paradigm. Once the approaches used in planning for the elderly in the past are critically reviewed, the outline of a radical structural plan for the aging population is described, and then a strategy for its implementation over the next two or three decades is presented. The report concludes with a brief summary, and a number of specific recommendations for action by the appropriate public authorities, including several suggestions for enhancing the capacity for policy and program research in this field. One important recommendation is for the early establishment in British Columbia of an inter-departmental agency on aging to co-ordinate information and planning for the province's elderly. / Medicine, Faculty of / Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of / Graduate

As medical advances make possible the increase of the individual's life span, the needs of older people become a greater concern in our society. This study is based on the assumption that home care services are a desirable alternative to prevailing methods of institutionalisation, and on the premise that the services needed to retain the elderly person in his own familiar environment can be assessed. The district chosen for the project is the West End area of Vancouver, which comprises a high proportion of persons over the age of sixty-five years. It is the primary aim of the study to develop a research interview schedule, which will enable subsequent investigators to explore the present topic more extensively. In this sense the project can be seen as a preliminary survey based on a limited sample, which has as its aim not so much the collection of data based on the design of a research instrument, but an exploration of the literature in regard to home services elsewhere and the construction of a research instrument. A critical analysis of the research methods used here is part of the research project. The thesis is an initial attempt to assess the extent of the need and to identify the types of need for home services as part of an ongoing programme in the research for such needed services which is undertaken by the School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The needs of older people are becoming of greater concern as medical advances and the possibilities of a longer life-span increase our population in the years beyond sixty-five. This study is concerned with the social patterns of older men in an area of Vancouver that is known to have a high proportion of unattached men of a low-income level, namely, Strathcona. The daily living patterns of the men, their social contacts and family relationships were explored in an attempt to understand how they used their free time. As there is a high percentage of Chinese men living in the area a comparison of some of the similarities and some of the differences in social patterns between Chinese men and White men is indicated in the study. The research method involved an interview survey with 103 subjects chosen from a random sampling of men listed as retired in the November 1965 federal voting lists. The survey may be useful as a guide in social welfare planning in the Vancouver area and in particular with regard to new housing which may be erected under urban renewal projects in the Strathcona community. The study points to the social isolation of the men of this area. Family relationships and social ties that are a part of most older people's lives are noticeably lacking for the men of our study. Early immigration patterns and environmental conditions in the first decades of this century are helpful in understanding how the social relationships for the men have become as restricted. It should be noted that the Chinese men have compensated, to some extent for the lack of family ties here, through communal living arrangements and strong group associations. The knowledge gained from the study contributes some insight and understanding of the social living patterns of the men of the survey area. It has been a way of discovering some of the social needs that these people have been unable to verbalise themselves. The study also illustrates the complex nature of the problem of aging. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Programs and facilities necessary for the proper care and treatment of the senile are many and varied. This study is concerned with one of the institutional resources: the policies and procedures governing admission to Valleyview Hospital, an institution designed specifically for the aged with other disabilities of senility. To apply "operational" tests to policy and procedure, a sample of (30) applicants from the waiting list were selected for study, the purposes being (a) to determine what factors were operative in securing admission, (b) how the stated criteria for assessing priority of admission were utilized. A number of special personal circumstances affected the appropriateness of the group. Apart from this, it was found that the formal criteria for acceptance of applications to the hospital are employed with reasonable consistency, when measured against the time an individual applicant spends on the waiting list. It was also found that when a community agency initiated the application, admission was granted after relatively short periods on the waiting list, if there was no other resource readily available. Prom this study, the roles of the social worker in pre-admission services can be delineated as (a) helping the applicant to find other forms of care over the waiting period, (b) helping the Medical Superintendent to assess priorities for admission, and (c) helping applicants and families to accept the need for hospitalization when this is justifiable. Recommendations for needed changes in procedures and in legislation are made, particularly in the present cumbersome application arrangements, which require certification of the applicant as mentally ill before an application can he placed on the waiting list. Development in the community of specialized types of boarding and nursing homes for the care of the less severely handicapped by emotional and behavioural disturbances is also recommended. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The main task of any group attempting to provide proper housing for the aged is that of making it more than simply "a place to stay." The Mennonite community, too, is faced with this task as it looks for an answer to the housing dilemma of its older members. This study undertakes to survey one kind of answer – that of Menno Home. This survey of a Mennonite Home located in Clearbrook, B.C., indicates that this type of housing tends to cut its residents off from the stream of life. The participation of these elderly people in community affairs becomes very limited. The study begins with a discussion of the aging process in general. It describes some types of housing projects which have been undertaken on behalf of the aged. In the second chapter the development of Menno Home is reviewed, and a description of the housing unit is undertaken. In the following chapter the services that are offered are traced against the background of a strong and devoted church-oriented administration. A comparison is drawn with other homes for the aged. This is done through the use of several studies undertaken by Master of Social Work students in previous years. In the final chapter the needs of the residents of Menno Home are considered. This is followed by a discussion of what social workers would be able to do to make a beneficial contribution to Menno Home. Menno Home is found to be quite similar to other institutions dedicated to the same purposes. The variations that are evident consist in different policies of admission, different types of administration and some differences in the physical plant itself. However, the distinguishing feature of Menno Home lies in its strong kinship to the Mennonite church, and in the fact that it serves almost exclusively a rural, Mennonite, German or Low German speaking group. Menno Home would lend itself well to the influence of a capable social worker, as that worker cooperates with the Christian ministers now engaged in serving the residents of Menno Home. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

The purpose of this study has been to determine the feasibility of introducing a foster home placement service for the aged in British Columbia, A number of social agencies have concerned themselves with old people who are no longer able to care for themselves, and are dependent upon others for many of their dependency needs. With many senior citizens, ability to function independently in the community is limited by problems of health, nutrition, or other basically economic considerations. Very often, family support, and help from relatives are not available, and they must seek assistance from social welfare agencies. At the present time, the resources offered by agencies are, for the most part, institutional, i.e., care in licensed boarding homes, nursing homes, hospitals et cetera. Institutional care is, of course, required for those whose dependency needs are acute. It is not considered the best resource, however, for those who are dependent to the extent where they cannot live alone, but whose dependency needs are not sufficiently grave to require Institutional protection. The theme of this study has been an exploration of the values of foster family placement as an additional and appropriate resource for the care of the aged. Social agencies in the Greater Vancouver and New Westminster areas were most co-operative in permitting the use of case files for purposes of research. Over fifty cases were examined, of which twenty-four were selected as conforming to the definitions outlined in Chapter II, Home visits were made in each case, and brief social histories obtained from both clients and foster guardians. The development of the criteria outlined in Chapter III has been based to some extent on comparable studies of placement services for the chronically ill, mentally ill, as well as for adoptive and foster children. In setting forth the implications of the study, emphasis is given to the professional requirements of the social work practitioners engaged in the finding of suitable foster homes, the selection of clients, and the supervision of those placed in foster care. Practical suggestions have been offered on subjects as, desirable physical standards of the prospective homes, the qualifications desired in those who assume the major responsibility for the care of the client, and the organization of community resources to facilitate the operation of the programme. The study not only illustrates the validity of establishing a programme of foster home placement for the dependent aged, but emphasizes the need of immediate action to alleviate the urgent housing problems of old people. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

In 1960, the Home for the Aged, an institution of the Province of British Columbia, underwent an official name change to Valleyview Hospital. The change in name indicated a change in the philosophy toward the treatment of the aged mentally ill person. This change can be equated with new knowledge about the physical, psychological and social aspects of aging. Formerly the program and the goal were related to custodial care; now, the program and the goal are related to treatment which will result in the aged mentally ill patient returning to a living arrangement in the community that is most appropriate to his needs. This study, cites the problems of aged people in this province, with particular reference to problems of mental illness. The process of admission to hospital, treatment programs and discharge procedures, particularly as they relate to the work of the Social Service Department, are described. Against this background of procedures, the particular criteria for discharge and rehabilitation planning, as related to the hospital and to the resources available in the community are examined. Particular patient groups are noted in relationship to the particular resource required to receive them back into community. The study reveals that, although, using hospital criteria for discharge, a large number of patients could be appropriately rehabilitated, but sufficient community resources, including family care, boarding and nursing homes, are lacking for such patients. Furthermore, community attitudes towards the aged mentally ill person have not changed to meet the new philosophy about their treatment in Valleyview Hospital. Since correspondence revealed that Valleyview Hospital is unique amongst mental hospitals for the aged on this continent, the study was of necessity a pilot one, and is primarily descriptive. However, the questionnaire method was used to gather data about existing living accommodation available to discharged patients. Finally, the study offers some suggestions for improvement and expansion of community resources, and of legislation concerning them which, if carried out, would ensure, to a greater extent, that the philosophy of treatment and rehabilitation, rather than custodial care, could be translated into practice. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Moorhouse, Clayton Herbert Todd; Starak, Igor / Graduate

While a number of housing projects for elderly people have been built, there is a serious lack of definitive information, not only of total future need, but of the variety of needs and preferences among the aged, which is essential for the formation of an enlightened and constructive housing policy. The present study is a first step in seeking to ascertain a balanced picture of needs from old people themselves. Originally, a number of area samples within the City of Vancouver were projected, but this had to be abandoned because of enumeration difficulties. The compromise was a comparative assessment of two samples (a) one drawn from the Housing Registry set up by the Community Chest and Council, (b) one area in the False Creek section of the City which has many units peopled by elderly residents, and which is categorized for city planning purposes as needing "redevelopment". By themselves, these are not sufficiently definitive: it is hoped that more can be added in the future. But this first survey opens up both method and insights. Studies completed elsewhere have been employed as background, and relevant findings compared with the present enquiry. Several questionnaires were devised. Members of each sample group were interviewed individually, for approximately one hour each: and the interviewers added their own observations on a number of relevant factors. The evidence is that the elderly people on the Community Chest "waiting list" are in poorer health, express more dissatisfaction with their present housing, have somewhat better accommodation, but pay more for it, and have moved around more than the elderly residents in the False Creek area. Women are particularly numerous on the Registry. It is also alarmingly clear that many persons in the False Creek area cling to housing which is not serving their accommodation needs. Their neighbourhood symbolizes security; to move is to face the unknown, and also threatens their concept of independence. Both groups are spending too large a proportion of their income on rent. Both groups denied or blocked out the possibility of their health deteriorating to the point where nursing or boarding home care might be required. There is evidence that housing is not understood as a welfare matter, or a proper aim of social policy: low-rental housing is viewed negatively, and public housing for general purposes confused with housing projects for old people only. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

There are many studies and reports on the needs of the Aged. This thesis adopts the ''type-study'' approach, and seeks to get the information as reported by old people themselves. For this purpose it confines itself to (a) persons on social assistance, old age assistance or old age pension, and (b) married couples, age limits being fifty-five to seventy-five years. The eighteen couples chosen for study were interviewed in their homes, the object being to get first-hand knowledge of their circumstances and their own point of view of their needs. This was aided by a prior study of case material from the city of Vancouver Social Service Department. It proved possible, in the main, to typify married couples at this age who could be considered "adjusted" and "unadjusted". This study points up the unmet needs of the unadjusted type, and suggests amelioration of their present circumstances by expansion of volunteer and housekeeper services and certain kinds of recreational units. New services suggested for future experiment which would probably apply to both groups include improvement in communications, specialized in-service staff training, and extension of casework counselling services to include older groups not in need of economic aid. An attempt has been made to stress the preventive and rehabilitative aspects which may prove capable of avoiding and correcting accelerated ageing. The subject is of Special concern in British Columbia to-day, due to the lengthening span of old age, and growing industrialization with its concomitant economic and family problems. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Learning Activities in Later Life Learning is a lifelong affair. Learning is critical across the entire life course for adults facing the potentials and problems of an extended life; learning is crucial for a society adjusting to the economic and social pressures of a rapidly aging population. How can adult educators respond to these challenges and become effective catalysts for learning activities in later life? One important, preliminary step involves understanding participation in learning activities from the older adult point of view. To date, however, adult educators only have a partial view of participation in learning activities in later life, a view clouded by narrow definitions of education and learning, and limited by concepts of traditional educational programs. The purpose of this current study was to explore participation of adults over the age of 55 in a broad range of learning activities and to examine the relationship between their participation and selected personal and sociodemographic measures influencing participation. A questionnaire consisting of a checklist of 71 learning activities and sociodemographic questions was distributed to 1228 adults over the age of 55. Responses from 332 respondents were analyzed using SPSS/PC+ (Ver. 3.0). On average, older adults reported taking part in 35 learning activities over the past year. Respondents reported participating in these learning activities for an average of 14 hours per week. Respondents who reported greater participation were more likely to be female, younger, more educated, and in better health. Those reporting greater participation also reported more reasons for participation, more sponsoring agencies for their learning activities, and were more likely to belong to community and professional organizations. Older adults reported certain changes in their learning activity choices since age forty. Active people remained active in later life although they restructured their learning activity choices. They restructured their learning activity patterns by increases in attending senior centres; watching Public Broadcasting System (PBS), Knowledge Network and other educational television; reflecting on life events; and, learning about health and nutrition. The most important learning activities reported by respondents reflected the significance of nonformal and informal activities: reading books or plays; watching Public Broadcasting System (PBS), Knowledge Network and educational television; reading newspapers and magazines; travelling; talking with family and friends; and, attending senior centres. The principal sponsoring agencies for learning activities in later life were senior centres, media, and oneself. The primary reasons for participation were growth and socially-oriented: keeping one's mind alive, gaining knowledge or skill, and meeting or being with friends. The leading barrier to participation, being too busy, suggested an active lifestyle for many later life learners. Other barriers were transportation, money, location of the activity, and health status. A factor analysis of participation in 71 learning activities produced 13 factors which accounted for 48% of the variance in participation. Major factor groups clustered around themes of Volunteer Involvement, Recreation, Home Life, Self Development, Spiritual Enrichment, Wellness, Language Arts, Crafts, Leisure, Expressive, Outdoors/Nature, Hobbies and Reflection/Reading. Current definitions of learning activities for older adults are too narrow. The findings from this study demonstrated the diversity and breadth of learning activities engaged in by older people. Participation in these learning activities is not necessarily bounded by rigid age barriers, educational background or income. This study challenges the relevance of narrow views of participation based upon traditional, institutionally-based programs and identifies a complex web of predominantly nonformal, informal, and self-directed learning activities in later life. Collaborative efforts among older adults, community leaders and adult educators will promote interdependent, positive lifestyles in later life and encourage the development of more accessible educational resources for older learners. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate