Guide to Resources in Gerontology

The discipline of gerontology incorporates various physical, mental, and social aspects into the study of aging and the aged.  The University Libraries’ Gerontology resources (located mainly at the Dewey Graduate Library) are geared towards gerontological social work, which is primarily concerned with the provision and coordination of social services programs for the elderly.  For assistance with gerontology research, contact Elaine Lasda Bergman (email: ebergman@uamail.albany.edu; phone: 442-3695).

Almanacs, Dictionaries, and Directories
When you need basic factual information, these resources can be helpful. These reference books provide answers to short, straightforward questions, providing definitions, addresses, web addresses, or simple statistics.

Dictionary of Gerontology
Dewey Reference HQ 1061 H338 1988
Identifies the specialized terms used in gerontology and provides bibliographic references to help clarify their meanings.

Directory of Educational Programs in Gerontology and Geriatrics
Dewey Reference HQ 1060 N35
A listing of 750 graduate and undergraduate programs. Both those conferring degrees in gerontology and other programs which offer a specialization or/concentration in gerontology are included.

International Glossary of Social Gerontology
Dewey Reference HQ 1061 I5348 1985
Created by the UN Assembly on Aging, this work includes terminology in English, Spanish, French, and German.

Older Americans Almanac
Dewey Reference HQ 1064 U5 O416 1994
This book provides many facts and statistics on a broad range of topics including elder care, the aged and relationships, mental disorders, finance, history of aging in America, employment and retirement, and political and legal issues.

Older Americans Information Directory,7th ed.
Dewey Reference HV 1457 O42 7th ed.  2008
This is a comprehensive guide of not-for-profit associations, government agencies, print materials (books, directories, magazines), websites and resource centers that offer information or assistance to the elderly. The directory is primarily focused on health care and disability resources, but also provides sources for information on topics such as education, awards, legal aid, libraries, and travel.

Thesaurus of Aging Terminology
Dewey Reference: HQ 1061 T48X 2005
The Thesaurus provides the taxonomy and controlled vocabulary terms for the efficient searching of AARP’s Ageline database.

Bibliographies

Bibliographies and annotated bibliographies provide resource lists for you to explore to find in-depth research and information on your topic. While an annotated bibliography may contain summaries of the materials listed, the focus of these works is to highlight significant or quality resources for your subject.

TIP: There are a large number of bibliographies on Gerontology in our collection. You can find them by going to Minerva, selecting the “Series” field and searching “Bibliographies and Indexes in Gerontology.” Some of the titles include:

Depression in the Elderly: A Multimedia Sourcebook: Dewey Z6665.7 D46 M56 1997
Gerontological Social Work: An Annotated Bibliography: Dewey HV 1461 Z999 P37 1993
Group Work with the Elderly: An Annotated Bibliography: Dewey HV 1461 Z999 A43 1997
Long Term Care: An Annotated Bibliography: Dewey Reference HV 1451 Z999 K64X 1995
Psychology of Aging: An Annotated Bibliography: Dewey BF 724.8 Z999 H392 1995
                       
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias are a good place to look when you are trying to get a basic feel for a topic. Encyclopedia entries provide more information about a concept than a simple definition. The level of detail that is provided may vary from publication to publication. Encyclopedia entries may also provide resources for futher information. Use an encyclopedia when you need a quick overview of a subject, or are looking to refine a broad idea that you have for a paper.

Encyclopedia of Aging
Online full text encyclopedia on social gerontology.

Encyclopedia of Health and Aging
Dewey Reference RA 777.6 E534 2007
Although primarily concerned with the physical and mental health conditions faced by the elderly, this encyclopedia also highlights notable research in the area of aging and includes quite a bit of information on what they call “sociodemographic and cultural factors."

Macmillan Encyclopedia of Death and Dying
Online full text encyclopedia on death and dying.

Encyclopedia of Adult Development
Dewey Reference BF 724.5 E53 1993
Although this book covers adult life beginning with age 21, there is significant content relating to the physical, social, and psychological changes faced by aging individuals. There are also entries on socio-cultural topics, public policy, and ethnic groups.

Encyclopedia of Gerontology 
Dewey Reference RC 952.5 E58 2006
Broad based coverage of gerontology concepts, focusing primarily on social, psychological, and health/medical topics.

Encyclopedia of Elder Care
University Library Reference RC 954 E53 2008
Dewey Reference RC 954 E53 2001
Topics include geriatrics, assessment and evaluation instruments, caregiver issues, social and health care policy.  Web addresses and key search terms are included in many of the entries.

Handbooks
Handbooks provide an overview of the major topics and areas of scholastic inquiry in a given subject area. The information is more focused and in depth than what is covered in an encyclopedia. Consult a handbook when: you need to understand a concept covered in class in greater detail or when an encyclopedia does not provide enough of an overview for your topic.

Handbook of Clinical Geropsychology
Dewey Reference RC 451.4 .A5 H356 1998
This handbook focuses on the most common psychological issues faced by the elderly and how to assess and treat them.  Also included are “special topics” which include coping with retirement, bereavement, and the needs of elderly minorities.
                       
Handbook of Death and Dying
Dewey Reference HQ 1073 H36 2003
This is a comprehensive and interdisiciplinary overview of many topics related to death and bereavement.  The book includes multicultural perspectives on death, the dying process, and issues related to grief and bereavement. The topic of suicide is covered extensively, and there are sections on the legal aspects of dying.

Handbook of Gerontology: Evidence-Based Approaches to Theory, Practice, and Policy
Dewey Reference RC 952.55 H395 2007
Providing an overview of the current themes in gerontological research today, this handbook consists mainly of a review of pertinent evidence-based literature regarding the aging process, health and psychological issues, and caregiving both by and for the elderly.
                       
Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences
Dewey HQ 1061 H336 2001
This is a cross-disciplinary handbook providing  an overview of various approaches to the study of aging in the social sciences, including social psychology, human development, and social support, but also from other angles such as economic, demographic and political topics.

Find Out What’s in the Library

Minerva is the University Libraries’ online catalog. In other words it is a searchable database of the materials owned by the University Libraries and where to find them. Individual journal articles are not searchable in Minerva, however you can find out if we have access to a given journal through the catalog.  For information on searching for articles, see the section on Databases and Indexes.

Library of Congress Subject Headings Related to Gerontology

One of the most effective ways of searching Minerva is by Library of Congress Subject. To use these terms,select the “subject” field in Minerva’s pull down menu. Some of the major Library of Congress Subject Headings are below. For other suggestions Ask-a-Librarian.

Library of Congress Call Number Ranges Related to Gerontology

Materials in the library are organized by subject, and each subject is assigned a call number. You can search Minerva by call number, and if you like to browse the shelves, you may want to look for one or more of these call number ranges which deal with gerontology and aging.

Where to Go Online

Indexes and  Databases: Where to find Journal Articles (and more)

Use an index/database to locate specific journal articles and other materials. If the database does not provide the complete text of the article, search for the journal title (not the article title) in Minerva. For assistance, Ask-a-Librarian.

Quality Resources on the Internet

The World Wide Web makes a great deal of information available at our fingertips. However, since anyone can pubish to the web, we don’t always know the quality of the information on a website. The following web sites have been reviewed by librarians and provide reliable, authoritative information on the topic of aging and gerontology.

Administration on Aging (U.S.)
Includes National Aging Information Center, Statistical Information on Older Americans statistical page, etc.

Age Data (U.S. Census)
Demographic and socioeconomic data on the elderly in the U.S.

AgingStats.gov
From the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, this site collects statistics on aging from federal government agencies on aging, labor, health, management and budget, social security, etc.

Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association is a national organization dedicated to educating the public and health care professionals about Alzheimer's disease and finding ways to treat and cure the disease. The site includes educational materials and training programs designed for professional care providers and the public, as well as links to local Alzheimer's Association offices.

American Hospice Foundation
The American Hospice Foundation "supports programs that serve the needs of terminally ill and grieving individuals of all ages." The Foundation's web site includes a hospice locator and publications about hospice programs, caregiving, and coping with grief.

Institute for Geriatric Social Work
The Institute, which is part of Boston University's School of Social Work, provides "free and low-cost continuing education events regionally, online and through the mail" to social workers who treat older adults and their families. The site includes information about training programs, publications on geriatric social work, and descriptions of the Institute's research and policy programs.

National Center for Health Statistics - Aging Activities (U.S.)
Statistical tables from Trends in Health and Aging Database, Longitudinal Studies of Aging and the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics.

National Center on Elder Abuse
Publications, statistical information and hotline numbers for elder abuse.

National Institute on Aging (U.S.)
This web sites describes NIA's current research on aging.

Office for the Aging (New York State)
Helplines, local offices, Senior Handbook, health insurance Q & A, legislation, resource links, etc.

Office of Disability, Aging, and Long-Term Care Policy (U.S.)
This office is a subdivision of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. The sites includes research information, reports, program descriptions, employment opportunities, etc.

Senior Sites
"Senior sites is the most comprehensive web source of non-profit housing and services for seniors." Includes a database of non-profit housing facilities.

Wayne State University, Institute of Gerontology
Information on the institute's education and research programs, events, etc. Includes GeroWeb, a directory of web resources on aging.

White House Conference on Aging 2005
Official website for the once in 10 years event.