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Highlighted Initiatives

Towards Improving Members' Research Skills
By Adriano B. Gordilho, President and Luiz R. Ramos, Scientific Director, Brazilian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology

The Brazilian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (BSGG) has, since its last national congress in 2002, launched a program of continuing education in research methodology for its members. This initiative of the Scientific Department of BSGG, came as an action towards improving the research skills of geriatricians and gerontologists in Brazil who, while doing high quality work as professionals, have difficulties presenting papers in scientific meetings. Past experience in reviewing abstracts for congresses showed that some studies submitted for poster and oral presentations, address relevant topics and have good ideas for investigation, but fail to use sound research methodology, and end up being turned down by the scientific committee. It is noteworthy, that a large proportion of those who attend BSGG meetings do not have a university appointment and therefore do not have extensive research experience.

The program includes pre-congress courses, at every regional or national meeting, with the following contents: structuring of a research project, basic methodological steps in gerontological research, and how to search the literature for the best evidence available. The participants are stimulated to bring their research questions to be discussed with the course tutors. Those who attend these basic courses become eligible for a one week course, at a more advanced level, given twice a year in a university centre, designed to provide more detail about study designs, sampling strategies, questionnaire validation, and data analysis. The participants are supposed to present, at the end of these courses, a feasible research project in their working environment. 

BSGG believes that with such an initiative, it is helping to improve the scientific standards of Brazilian gerontological research, and to bridge the gap, research wise, between those who work in the gerontological field out of the university, and those who conduct postgraduate research in the university.

Gerontological Habitat Research and Consulting Centre Established in Buenos Aires
The Central Society of Architects in Buenos Aires, Argentina has recently opened the Centro de Investigaciones y Asesoramiento para el Habitat Gerontologico, CIAHG (Gerontological Habitat Research and Consulting Centre). CIAGH's goals are:
1 Information and Documentation: for this purpose a library specialized in gerontology has been established within the Centre.
2 Consulting: qualified individuals are available to answer questions about special living environments for older persons, transportation, urban equipment as well as services that will enhance quality of life.
3 Research and Training

The Directors of the new Centre are Debora Di Veroli, Arch. (deboradv@fibertel.com.ar) and Eduardo Schmunis, Arch. (eschmunis@yahoo.co,.ar). To help build the library, they invite contributions of publications and other relevant information. Send to their attention at: CIAGH, Sociedad Central de Arquitectos, Montevideo 938, C1019ABT, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

A Unique Intergenerational Program, Christian-Doppler-Klinik, Salzburg, Austria
While in Salzburg for a meeting of the European Institute of Medicine, President Gloria Gutman met with members of the Austrian Gerontological Society Drs. Peter Erhart and Probal Ghosh. They discussed training opportunities in gerontology and geriatrics currently available in Austria and they toured the Landesklinik fur Geriatrie, which features state-of-the-art rehabilitation facilities and programs. The highlight of the tour, however, was finding out about the One Step Ageing Project, an innovative program that brings about 700 public school children per year to the clinic where they interact with seniors and learn what it is like to be old through simulation of sensory losses, changes in balance, etc. A unique feature of this program are the graphics. A set of life size paperboard cartoon characters serve as key pedagogic agents. The children animate and interact with the characters while at the clinic; they take away workbooks and other print materials in which messages on different aspects of ageing are keyed to specific cartoon characters. For further information about the program contact its director, Dr. Christa Erhart (C.Erhart@lks.at) or visit the website at www.schrittinsalter.at  

Ageing on Prime Time Television in Brazil
Since 2001, the popular city guide Live and Love Rio has contained a section targeted to seniors' interests thanks to Dr. Laura Machado of Candido Mendes University, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her efforts to bring seniors issues to public attention reached a new level this year when she was invited to work with the writers of Women in Love, a prime time soap opera that airs from 9 to 10 pm, from Monday to Saturday, for 8 months at Globo Television, the most important television channel in Brazil.

Manuel Carlos, age 70, is Women in Love's main writer. Aware of the increase in seniors in Rio and concerned about how some are (mis)treated, his story line includes an elderly couple (wife aged 87; husband 91) who, due to financial difficulties, live with their son, daughter-in-law and their two teenage children. Every night over 40 million Brazilians switch on their TV sets to see what is going on in this three generation household.

Being advisor to the writer on gerontology issues and on the creation of realistic scenes is a privilege as well as a challenge says Machado, but "we are very fortunate. By using one of the most powerful channels of mass communication possible, we are able to inform a broad range of society about things they otherwise would not know about, such as prejudice against older adults, elder abuse, questions relating to health and functional status, and to the rights of older persons."