The Middle Aging of America: Spiritual and Educational Dilemmas for Clergy Education

This paper summarizes a fellowship project completed in 1982 at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged (The Center) in Boston, Massachusetts. The fellowship was jointly funded by a W. K. Kellogg Fellowship granted by the Hospital Research and Educational Trust, Chicago, Illinois and by The Center. At its completion, the project proposed a concept of supportive elderly congregate housing designed for persons not only requiring assistance with such vital activities as eating, dressing, and grooming but also lacking adequate support from family and friends. Confronted by gaps in our health and social service systems, these elderly often struggle with whether to remain in independent living arrangements without adequate coping mechanisms or to enter long term care institutions which mav provide more services than are needed. Four components of this housing are discussed: A Tenant Profile describing potential residents; recommendations for environmental features;skrvices to be provided; and financial resources. Data was drawn from a variety of sources including applicants and residents of a large long-term care facility and tenants of a large housing project. Ten site visits were made and research findings were reviewed. Interdisciplinary committees evaluated the data to develop goals, criteria, and recommendations. With refined selection techniques and good management, this housing should be cost effective and complement emerging life-styles of Americans. It should also be highly beneficial for a segment of the elderly who might otherwise reside, unnecessarily, in nursing homes.