ASA is the essential resource to cultivate leadership, advance knowledge, and strengthen the skills of those who work with, and on behalf of, older adults.
Oral health has long been shunted to the sidelines of the healthcare system, but as this issue of Generations demonstrates, oral health is interconnected with overall health and well-being. The Fall 2016 issue of Generations includes more than a dozen articles that clearly demonstrate how oral... Read More
By Karen Becerra and Vyan Nguyen
Despite significant advances in dentistry to prevent many oral healthcare issues, dental disease remains one of the most serious and widespread chronic health problems in America. The problem is even more severe among low-income or impoverished older adults, who... Read More
By Jessica Nagro
Oral health has routinely been excluded from public policy initiatives aimed at improving access to and quality of healthcare in the United States. Extending back to the debates around the creation of Medicare and Medicaid and continuing through to the more recent Affordable Care... Read More
By Frank A. Roberts, Arthur C. DiMarco, Susan M. Skillman, and Wendy E. Mouradian
Oral health is an integral part of overall health and an important part of healthy (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000). The oral cavity is the gateway to the body and its first line of defense.... Read More
By Lea E. Erickson
Oral health contributes significantly to self-esteem and quality of life. The ability to smile without embarrassment, to articulate speech clearly, to taste and chew food, and to be free of pain are key for well-being. The high prevalence of dental caries (cavities) and... Read More
By Michèle J. Saunders
Generations has been published for nearly forty years, yet this Fall 2016 issue is the first to focus on oral health. In the early 1970s, more than 55 percent of older adults were completely edentulous (without teeth). Since then, one of the goals of the National... Read More
By Blaine Scott
Compassion fatigue, also called “vicarious traumatization”, is the emotional residue or strain of exposure to working with those in need and suffering. Symptoms of stress, distress, and burnout in caregivers, family members, and providers can occur without realizing it... Read More
By Weston Donaldson and Heather Smith
Maria (a fictional example) is a 71-year-old Latina transgender woman admitted to the geriatric extended care unit of a hospital. A Vietnam-era veteran who served three years in the Army, Maria was divorced 15 years ago and has three children, two of whom... Read More
By Robert Blancato, Chair, ASA Board of Directors, and William Benson, Chair, ASA Public Policy Committee
Do you remember what you were doing on March 23, 2015? The 2016 Presidential election began that day when Senator Ted Cruz announced he was running for the Republican nomination. Now, a full... Read More
By Lorrie Shearon and Jim Shulman
Nearly 90% of people over age 65 want to stay in their home for as long as possible, and 80% believe their current residence is where they will always live. Unfortunately, aging in place can be difficult. This is especially true when many households with 65-74... Read More