Recent issues of the Journal of Gerontological Social Work included special sections on neighborhoods and communities in response to our call for manuscripts that focused on that broad theme. We continue to receive manuscripts that have communities as a core theme – ranging from community-based interventions to community responses. While communities have always been a focus of social work related to aging, it seems particularly relevant at the moment to publish articles that take a wider look at individuals and the social, environmental, and contextual factors that influence the lived experience of older adults as we try to understand more about how individuals construct their own narratives about themselves in those communities.
In this issue, we are fortunate to feature a unique article by Nancy Morrow-Howell and colleagues presenting voices of older adults residing in Ferguson, Missouri about their experiences with the civil unrest that has occurred in that community in the past few years. This important piece brings both perspective and context to the experience of growing older in Ferguson. Next is an article by BoRin Kim and collaborators who present an analysis of data from the Health and Retirement Study that explores the role home and community-based services play in reducing depression for older adults living in the community. Following that is an article by Jan M. Ivery and colleagues that presents findings from a pilot study that evaluated the use of the DASH model of nutritional education for older community-dwelling adults. Another pilot intervention is presented by Daniel B. Stewart and research team, in the next article, focused on Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for persons with dementia living in the community and in long-term care institutions. Finally, Ilyan Ferrer and colleagues present an in-depth analysis on experiences of reciprocity among Filipino older adults in Canada.
Thank you for your readership,