Communication is key when dealing with aging parents
1/27/15
Headstrong elderly parents and their adult children may be able to find common ground with proper intervention, according to researchers in human development.
Steven Zarit
Steven Zarit
Zarit featured at symposium on dementia and caregiving in Ireland
6/5/14
Steven Zarit, distinguished professor and head of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, recently presented May 23 at a symposium on dementia and caregiving in Dublin, Ireland.
Zarit receives recognition from PA Adult Day Services Association
5/20/14
Steven Zarit, distinguished professor and head of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, was presented a Certificate of Appreciation by the PA Adult Day Services Association (PADSA) at their annual conference on May 1.
Adult day care services boost beneficial stress hormones in caregivers
3/24/14
Family caregivers show an increase in the beneficial stress hormone DHEA-S on days when they use an adult day care service for their relatives with dementia, according to researchers at Penn State and the University of Texas at Austin.
Parents' attitudes about helping their grown children affect their mental health
2/24/14
Older parents frequently give help to their middle-aged offspring, and their perceptions about giving this help may affect their mental health, according to a team of researchers.
Adult day services for dementia patients provide stress relief to caregivers
5/23/13
Family caregivers of older adults with dementia are less stressed and their moods are improved on days when dementia patients receive adult day services (ADS), according to Penn State researchers.
Grad student receives grant to explore stress relief for caregivers
10/8/12
A graduate student in human development and family studies is using a National Adult Day Services Association Award to investigate the ability of adult day care services to reduce depression and anger among family caregivers of people with dementia.
Caregivers and their relatives disagree about care given, received
8/2/11
Caregivers and their relatives who suffer from mild to moderate dementia often have different perceptions regarding the amount and quality of care given and received. A study by researchers at Penn State and the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging examined a major source of those differences -- caregivers do not understand the things that are important to their relatives with dementia.
Adult day care services provide much-needed break to family caregivers
7/18/11
Adult day care services significantly reduce the stress levels of family caregivers of older adults with dementia, according to a team of Penn State and Virginia Tech researchers.
Researchers: family caregiving can be stress-filled and isolating
4/22/10
Family members who provide care to relatives with dementia, but do not have formal training, frequently experience overwhelming stress that sometimes leads to breakdowns or depression, according to Penn State and Benjamin Rose Institute researchers. Interventions to alleviate this stress are not always effective, leaving caregivers isolated to deal with their stresses.
Two faculty members honored with distinguished gerontology awards
1/5/10
The Gerontological Society of America presented distinguished awards to two Penn State faculty members at its annual conference, November 18 to 22, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Steven Zarit, professor and head of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, received the organization's Distinguished Career Contribution Award. Dr. Gerald McClearn, Evan Pugh Professor of Health and Human Development, received its Robert W. Kleemeier Award. Both awards recognize outstanding research contributions.
Caregivers may benefit from adult day care
6/30/09
Caring for an elderly family member can be stressful and can pose health threats to caregivers. Steven Zarit, professor and head of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State, received a $3 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to study the effects of caregiving on familial caregivers. He will look at people who care for family members with dementia and how adult day care impacts the stress levels of all individuals involved.
Zarit to present Schmitt Russell Lecture on family care
3/2/09
Steven Zarit, professor and head of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, will present the 2009 Pauline Schmitt Russell Research Lecture at Penn State. Zarit's lecture, titled "Family Care in a Changing World," will begin at 4 p.m. on Monday, March 16 in the Bennett-Pierce Living Center, 110 Henderson Building. The event, sponsored by the College of Health and Human Development, is free and open to the public.