OLDER-PEOPLE AS RESEARCHERS - BENEFITS TO RESEARCH AND THE COMMUNITY

Involvement of older people is a key ingredient in an instructional pr ogram conducted at the University of Massachusetts Boston. A gerontolo gy certificate program offered at the university is designed to streng then older people's ability to make productive contributions to aging services. Students take a course in applied social research that invol ves them in conducting an, actual applied research project on an issue affecting the elderly. The instructor plays the lead role, but studen ts contribute in significant ways. Subsequently, older students often, become vocal advocates for legislative proposals that are based on st udy recommendations. The involvement of older people both enhances the research and demonstrates to older people that they can employ action -research effectively to further policy advocacy efforts.