The purpose of this study was to provide an objective evaluation of older adults' self-assessed musical needs and preferences. Older adults were defined as individuals 65 and over. The survey and its analysis provided information from which recommendations have been made concerning musical experiences for this age group. The data for this study was obtained by means of a questionnaire which was administered to two hundred and seventy-six volunteer subjects. Eight sites in the Tucson, Arizona, area and four sites in Mansfield, Ohio, were used. The participants represented a cross-section of the 65-and-over age group. The questionnaire was divided into three parts: (1)personal data and past and present musical experience; (2)a twelve-minute listening preference assessment; (3)five areas of inquiries that included kinds of music classes desired, the meaning of music, individual music skills, music as a leisure-time pursuit, and participation in musical performances. Only a small percentage of the persons involved with the study were taking part in a musical activity, but a significant number of individuals indicated that they would participate under different circumstances. Their preferences were for afternoon classes, once a week, free, and in an age-segregated group. They also indicated that a music class would be a worthwhile and entertaining leisure-time pursit and would fulfill a need for meeting people with similar interests. Reluctance to go out at night, lack of transportation, and expense of programs were frequently given as reasons for non-participation in musical activities. Questionnaire respondents rated music "important" and stated that its importance had increased as they became older. The role of music was considered to be recreational and a personally fulfilling endeavor. The majority of older adults in the survey listen to music daily. The types of music they preferred, in rank order, were: popular, opera, folk, country, classical, jazz, non-Western music, and rock. Recommended areas for research concerning the role and use of music in gerontology might include: vocal versus instrumental music preferences; music education as a continuum throughout the life span; hearing loss of the elderly as it relates to music listening; and the relationship between educational attainment and partcipation in music activities. From the data presented in this study, it is clear that music is an important part of the life of the older adult. It is projected that in the year 2030 the 65-and-over age group will comprise 18.3% of the population. Society must begin to prepare for their needs. Government agencies, educational institutions, music educators and all interested individuals are encouraged to promote and develop music experiences for the aged.

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This study profiles the usual dietary habits of independent-living elderly from alternative methodological perspectives. The primary objective was to validate a comprehensive dietary questionnaire developed for use in epidemiology against the results of household refuse analysis, an independent, continuous measure of dietary behavior. Members of 44 one-and two-person households residing in a retirement community in southern Arizona completed a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Subsequently, all refuse discarded by participating households during the following six weeks was collected and recorded by researchers. During the final week, respondents completed a recall questionnaire asking them to report their dietary habits during the study period. Analysis compared the results of survey and material measures of monthly household consumption at the levels of total intake, food group, and food item. Primary indices of agreement or association between measures included tests of mean difference, correlation coefficients, and percentage of subjects misclassified in tertile comparisons. Agreement between the results of measures was very good, with significant exceptions. Survey and refuse estimates of mean monthly quantity of total intake differed by less than one percent. Significant differences between mean estimates of consumption produced by each measure were found for three of 10 food group categories, and 19 of 73 food items compared. The correlation coefficient for comparisons between survey and refuse estimates of total intake was .72, and positive associations were also evident for the large majority of other items examined. Fifty-seven percent of subjects were classified into equivalent tertiles by both survey and refuse estimates of total intake. Percentages classified into equivalent tertiles in food group comparisons ranged from 48 to 70 percent. Potential effects of sources of error in refuse were also examined. Significant differences between results of the measures clustered among food items commonly associated with health risk or benefit, or items which serve as accessory elements in meals. These results suggest that, although brief food frequency questionnaires can provide valid estimates of usual diet for the majority of food categories, social desirability response effects may significantly affect reported consumption of some items.

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