Sensitivity to older adults as consumers will ensure the development of programs that are targeted appropriately to fill a need in the marketplace. Programs should be designed on the basis of information gained in the programmatic needs assessment. Health professionals who assume they know the needs, wants, and desires of older consumers because they treat so many ill elderly people risk program failure. By contrast, those that listen to older consumers and heed the signals from the geriatric marketplace are most likely to succeed.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

One simple solution to hearing impairment.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A comparative analysis of nurse practitioners with and without prescriptive authority.

This article reports findings from a national random sample of nurse practitioners (NPs) who were actively practicing in adult primary care settings during 1986. An analysis of their demographic and practice characteristics revealed a statistically significant association between certain characteristics and the NPs' prescribing status. Nurse practitioners with prescriptive authority had more years of experience and were more likely to practice in rural or suburban areas and work in nongroup settings than NPs without prescriptive authority. These findings suggest that giving NPs' prescriptive authority may be an enabling factor that supports NP practice in medically underserved locations.

Drug Prescriptions↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A computer-mediated intervention for Alzheimer's caregivers.

This article describes the background and development of an automated telecommunications system, REACH for TLC (Telephone Linked Care), for family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease. Caregivers press designated keys on the touch-tone keypad of their home telephones to communicate with TLC and the system speaks to caregivers using a human voice controlled by an Interactive Voice Response computer system. REACH for TLC (1) monitors the primary caregiver's stress level on a weekly basis and makes recommendations and referrals if necessary, (2) provides a voice mail caregiver support network, (3) offers access to an Alzheimer's expert panel, and (4) provides an automated distraction conversation individualized for the person with Alzheimer's disease to allow caregivers a minirespite break or to use as a tool to divert troublesome behaviors. The system is being tested in a randomized controlled feasibility study and the results will provide insight into the potential of this informatics technology to help sustain primary caregivers in their vital role.

Alzheimer Disease↗