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In most of these programs, a very specific focus has been on the creation and maintenance of social activities among program participants. Quite aside from any consideration of what impact social activities may have upon nutrition, there is an obvious inverse relationship between social activities and nutrition, that is, the provision of meals represents a potent means for attracting formally insulated or isolated aged into social/recreational programs. For example, in addition to the nutritional aspects of the programs, virtually all program directors report a startling change in the elderly participants. After a time, they begin to dress better, develop friendships, become more conscious of health care, and take a livelier interest in social activities.

The experience of program directors to date suggests that the aged generally respond to a given social situation in ways which are characteristic of younger people. When rejected by others, they will learn to be alone, albeit unhappily, and will assume the attitudes of the isolated. Brought into a social context and reoriented toward social interaction, they show quick and marked change. Moreover, this process of resocialization appears crucial to the success of nutrition programs. Again and again program participants have told staff members that when they are alone, without family or friends there just is no reason to cook. It was for this reason that the nutrition programs were and are specifically directed toward promoting the creation and maintenance of strong interpersonal relationships, thus overcoming this lack of motivation.

Again, however, until such time as the relationship between adequate nutrition and social activities is more clearly drawn, there can be little by way of specific program intervention leading to resocialization, other than that which is provided already in the nutri

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tion programs.

The approach to date has been a mass approach. Aged participants come to the programs, and are presented with a number of group activities in which they can participate. These activities most generally are tailored to meet the needs of the intrinsically gregarious; they are not such as to lend themselves to differing individuals, with differing histories of social interaction. Satisfactory social interaction for an individual with a lifelong history of quasi-isolation probably is quite different then a program appropriate for a former gregarious individual. Hore must be learned about the qualitative differences in patterns of social interactions, as a means to creating more effective programs, tailored to the needs of a greater proportion of program participants.

3. Actions now planned:

Research now supported by the Administration on Aging and by the Social Rehabilitation Service deals both directly and tangentially with the question of social activities for participants in nutrition programs. In tangential fashion, the Administration on Aging is supporting research into the transportation needs and possible transportation models for the aged. Certainly one of the major impediments to meaningful, extensive social interaction among the aged is the difficulty encountered in traveling from place to place, from home to home, from program to program. This is true of the inner city aged, and of the rural aged person, as well. A one-year project currently underway has as its goal "to develop a model and guidelines for initiating, organizing, developing, and operating nutrition programs at the local level for older Americans". In this project, specific attention will be paid to the patterns of social interaction which appear to be the most closely associated with positive program impact.

-8. Thus, at the end of this project, we should have some better insight into the relationship between social activities and nutrition.

4.

Additional needs regarding social activities as related to nutrition programs:

As has been implied throughout this document, there is great need for further research and, ultimately, demonstration programs which will deal specifically with the relationship between adequate nutrition, the implementation of nutrition programs, and patterns of social interactions.

It would seem that there is a vast reservoir

of "talent" among the aged, themselves, in terms of their ability to the home bound, to assist in the provision of meals, etc. However, such a reservoir will remained untapped until such time as we can determine more accurately the most fruitful means for fostering productive social interaction, are in a position to better utilize and build upon existing or newly-created, social relationships. In specific terms, I would see the following topics as being particularly important in terms of research and/or demonstration programs:

a. The relationship between pre-existing patterns of social activities, and current social/interpersonal status of the individual aged.

b.

c.

a.

The barriers to socialization imposed by inadequacies in existing transportation facilities.

The relationship between participation and social/ recreational activities and such nutritional factors

as appetite, impact of nutrition education, metabolism, shopping patterns.

The relationship between social/recreational activities and general physical health, and morale.

e.

-9. Highly related to the above, the question of whether home-delivered meals, without intrinsic potential

for extensive social interaction, are as effective

as group meals programs.

We

Very often a legitimate cry is for less research, and more programs. It would seem that this is an instance in which there is a genuine need for research which would lead to demonstration and, if warranted, to ultimate comprehensive program implementation. could continue in the creation of nutrition programs in which there is a general and diffuse social/recreation component. Certainly it would be more productive to establish more definitively the relationship between social/recreational activities and various aspects of nutritional functioning, and then to build upon this knowledge.

Senator TAFT. The next witness is Mr. Cecil Brickfield and Mr. Peter Hughes, American Association of Retired Persons.

STATEMENT OF CYRIL BRICKFIELD, LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL, NATIONAL RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS; ACCOMPANIED BY PETER W. HUGHES, LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE, NATIONAL RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS

Mr. BRICKFIELD. Thank you very much.

Senator TAFT. We would be glad to have you submit any prepared statement for the record and make any remarks from it or any other way you wish to present your testimony.

Mr. BRICKFIELD. I thank you, Mr. Chairman.

We were advised that when we came to testify that in addition to testifying on the bill relating to a nutrition program for the elderly, we would also be permitted to speak to the bill, S. 887, to establish a National Institute of Gerontology, and S. 1925, the Research on Aging Act.

Senator TAFT. We would be glad to have your views on those as well.

Mr. BRICKFIELD. We have two prepared statements which I would like to submit for the record, but I would like to speak extemporaneously and give the gist of that testimony.

Senator TAFT. They will be incorporated in the record at the end of your testimony.

Mr. BRICKFIELD. Mr. Chairman: I am Cyril Brickfield, legislative counsel, National Retired Teachers Association and the American Association of Retired Persons. I am accompanied by Peter Hughes, our legislative representative.

We have a combined membership of approximately 2,700,000 members. We are very much interested in the establishment of a separate Institute on Gerontology out at the National Institutes of Health.

Gerontology, as we understand it, is a relatively new science, Mr. Chairman. It is less than 30 years old. It is in need of leadership, trained people, technical specialists, in need of research facilities, in need of money.

HEW tells us that 85 percent of the persons 65 and over could be helped by more adequate research either in delaying or mitigating the effects of the aging process.

Yet today less than 1 percent of research time is spent on the aging process. And I have here, Mr. Chairman, three documents which I would like to offer to the Chair

Senator TAFT. One percent of medical research?

Mr. BRICKFIELD. No. Research in sociology which would include medical research as well as social gerontology research, biological research, psychological, as well as medical research.-I have here the NICHD budget, Senator.