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Biomedical subjects

A L Balsam

Publications and source records attributed to A L Balsam.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Health and social service utilization among elderly immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

PURPOSE: To explore factors that affect health and social service use among elderly Russian immigrants from the perspectives of the elders, their adult caregiving children, and the health and social service professionals who serve them. METHODS: A qualitative, case-oriented study design was used and 17 elderly Russian immigrants, 8 adult caregiving children, and 15 health professionals were interviewed in the Boston area in 1998. Perceptions about the patterns of and reasons for Russian elders' health and social service use were summarized through content analysis of the interview data. FINDINGS: Participants across groups perceived extensive service use by elderly Russian immigrants. Life circumstances associated with immigration, cultural norms and beliefs, and structural characteristics of the local Russian immigrant community accounted for service use. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that providing support for depression and loneliness associated with immigration, educating immigrants about the role of primary care providers in the US as well as realistic expectations for American medicine, and managing care to decrease the use of unnecessary services would facilitate appropriate service use among elderly Russian immigrants.

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PubMed1992

Project director characteristics in the Elderly Nutrition Program.

The federally funded Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP) began in 1972, authorized under Title 7 of the Older Americans Act. Its purpose was to serve elders, targeting those in greatest social and economic need. This article describes the characteristics of the Nutrition Project Directors in the ENP through data gathered by a questionnaire completed by a random sample of 430 directors across the nation. One important finding was that directors of programs serving large numbers of low-income or minority elders tended to have less education and commanded lower salaries than directors serving fewer poor and minority elders. In addition, while a higher proportion of these directors were minority members, numbers of nonwhite Nutrition Project Directors remains low.

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PubMed1992

Food habits and nutritional knowledge of Portuguese participants in an elderly nutrition program.

Massachusetts has the largest population of immigrant Portuguese in the United States, yet few elder service programs specifically designed to meet their needs exist. Therefore, a special nutrition program was developed in Somerville, Massachusetts to provide culturally appropriate lunches twice a week, followed by socialization activities. A survey of the participants showed that only 11% of respondents met recommended intake of dairy, protein, fruits and vegetables, as determined by the Basic Four Scoring System. The most frequently lacking food among the remaining participants were fruits and vegetables, followed by grains, as well as dairy products. The recommended protein intake was met by all but two respondents. The majority of respondents were able to identify a high sodium food, a food high in Vitamin C, a nutritionally balanced meal, and identified calcium as a necessary nutrient throughout the lifespan. Fewer respondents were able to identify foods high in protein, high in calories, and high in fiber, although their diets contained substantial amounts of these nutrients.

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PubMed1991

Serving elders in greatest social and economic need: the challenge to the Elderly Nutrition Program.

The federally funded Elderly Nutrition Program is mandated to serve elders in greatest social and economic need. Yet researchers have concluded that the program underserves certain groups of elders, including those who are socially impaired and homeless and members of ethnic and other minority groups. This paper reviews the issues involved in serving elders in greatest social and economic need and suggests that reaching all of these elders with program services is not only a laudable goal but also, based on innovative models briefly described, is clearly achievable.

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PubMed1989

Foodservice trends in the elderly nutrition program.

The foodservice delivery aspects of the federally-funded Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP) were examined via an original survey instrument sent to a random sample of nutrition projects nationally. In comparison to a similar survey conducted a decade ago, projects were more apt to rely on a combination of foodservice mechanisms including caterer contracts, on-site preparation, and use of central kitchens.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Elder health programs in state health agencies.

Due to the rapid rise in the population of those aged 65 and older, public health programs that target this group merit special attention. State health agencies can play leading roles in providing and coordinating elder health programs by identifying needs and formulating guidelines in collaboration with federal, local, and private organizations. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health initiated the Elder Health Programs Unit in 1988, with a mission to assist elders in maintaining their highest level of functional status in community settings and to provide opportunities for older adults to take greater responsibility for their own health. The extent of involvement in elder health programming of other state health agencies outside of Massachusetts is not well documented. Through the distribution of a national survey, we set out to determine how many state health agencies offer elder health services.

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