Evelyn S. Newman’s research while affiliated with University at Albany, State University of New York and other places

Foster family care is one of a number of residential programs that has as an important goal the integration of residents into the life of the community. One hundred one family care homes for the mentally ill in two regions of New York State were examined. The extent of resident participation in community life is described. Participation was found to be related to three facets of the family care environment: extent of community participation of the care provider, extent of integration of the resident into the foster family, and extent of community acceptance of the resident. Furthermore, differences in resident participation with and without the care provider are noted. Integration of the resident into the family is suggested as a possibility for vicarious involvement in the community at large.

Day programs represent an increasingly important component in treatment for the elderly. Several attempts have been made to categorize the wide variety of such programs but little attempt has been made to analyze the dynamic rather than static nature of such program design. Dalton's model of induced change is tested and illustrated through application to a psychogeriatric day program. Some of the reasons for the evolution which took place in the program included realization of the incrcased need to serve long-term chronic psychiatric clients, staffing changes, heterogeneity of clientele, change in availability of alternate resources in the community. The advantages of program flexibility in a developing area such as day care are discussed.

Classification decisions play a central role in implementation of day care services. A case study is presented which examines classification decisions within an outpatient multilevel psychogeriatric day care program at a state psychiatric center. Staff cited as relevant criteria: social isolation, severity of psychopathology, home emotional climate, activity, ADL and mental status. Issues related to utilization of criteria, such as relevance, consensus, definition and program changes, are discussed.

The three-part training session for adult family care providers, 'Understanding the Psycho-Social Needs of the Elderly Family Care Resident,' increased the participants' awareness of several critical issues in the field of aging and family care. Care providers reported that they felt able to apply at least some of the information contained in the sessions and showed by their comments that they were able to perceive the continuity of the three sessions. Staff of the psychiatric centers who filled out the evaluations also expressed overall satisfaction with the program. The progression of information presented, beginning with theoretical issues of the aging process, continuing with social issues relevant to older family care residents, and concluding with interpersonal relationships between providers and their residents, is a logical one. The training presented in this report could be a portion of a larger, ongoing effort to keep care providers aware of critical issues in family care.

Examines the interaction between caseworker, caretaker, and client in foster care placement of the elderly and offers suggestions for strengthening the worker's role. Interaction between caseworker, caretaker, and client needs strengthening. Caseworkers need a sound understanding of their own role and of the expectations held by agency, caretaker, and client. (Author/BEF)

The rationale behind adult foster care (AFC) has been that "participation in the life of the family" is superior to institutionalization. The extent to which AFC is familial has been widely debated, ranging from claims that this environment provides a surrogate family, to claims that it is no more than a mini-institution. This paper discusses the extent to which elderly clients are integrated into the family and the method by which such integration was measured in a sample of one hundred adult foster homes in New York State. The four dimensions used to measure familism were Affection, Social Interaction, the performance of Ritual, and the minimization of Social Distance.

A growing body of literature on the provision of care for the minimally impaired elderly in the homes of nonrelatives includes such alternatives as boarding houses and communal living arrangements supervised by professionals. This paper explores one other alternative, foster home or family-care placement as it is utilized in New York. Three distinct public family-care programs for the elderly are examined in terms of the individual, the family, and the community.

The extent to which Foster Family Care(FFC) for Adults is familial has been debated, ranging from providing a surrogate family to no more than a mini-institution. Caretakers of 100 FFC homes were interviewed to assess demographic characteristics; relationship with sponsoring agency; family-nature of the home; and community reaction. Although some programatic difficulties emerged, residents appear well integrated and caretakers report much personal satisfaction. These and other findings suggest not only a need for increased communication about FFC, but implications for policy regarding options for the elderly.