An in-depth analysis of the nursing home industry in America -- its past, present, and future. It focuses on the business aspects of the industry, and provides a detailed examination of the main issues concerning all nursing homes -- trends in health care expenditures; the legislative history of the industry; growing demand for care and how to measure it; the present structure of the industry; funding and financing concerns; government regulation; inter-industry competition and opportunities for growth; global comparisons; and public policy considerations.

Death and aging are two topics not often discussed together in the present literature. This innovative and informative new text bridges the fields of gerontology and thanatology. Death attitudes--defined as attitudes towards the dying process, end-of-life decision making, and death itself--are explored.
Those contributing to this volume hail from several specialized backgrounds including gerontology, death, education, and general psychology. This mix of impressive contributors adds to the interdisciplinary perspective of the text. Readers, both professionals and students, will gain insight into these previously uncharted, but closely related, territories.

Related link: Free Email Alerting

This book pioneers evidence-based research on healthy aging through the application of self determination theory (SDT). Its uniqueness is located in the fact that to date, no other work has applied SDT to the empirical study of aging populations. The authors focus on how SDT drives healthy, successful and active aging, and note that the motivation factors underpinning healthy aging are often neglected, or altogether absent, in the existing literature. This edited volume is particularly timely given the expanding aging crisis in many North American, European and Asian contexts. The collection of chapters meets this challenge head-on in comparing these contexts vis-a-vis a broad international scope, and subsequent discussions on important specialty issues in aging, such as hearing and memory loss. The work offers global perspectives on aging, autonomy and associated life challenges, as well as factors relating to the sustainability of healthy aging in terms of physical and mental well-being. This book will be highly relevant to researchers in the SDT community, as well as specialists in aging and gerontology. It will also be of interest to lifespan psychologists and developmental psychologists.

Create programs that make good use of the leisure time of the elderly, and of those who care for them!Caregiving is a vital issue in today's rapidly aging society. Each year, a greater number of elderly people find themselves in need of care, and at the same time, more elderly adults than ever are finding themselves in the caregiving role. Caregiving--Leisure and Aging blends the work of six experts in the field, exploring implications for future practice and research, examining caregivers and care receivers and their need for appropriate leisure and recreation activities, and sharing innovative recreation programs to help caregivers and those in their care enrich the quality of their lives.Here you'll find: a review of literature which examines caregivers'health behaviors and discusses sleep improvement, home-based exercise, and several interventions the common factors found in successful leisure and activities programs for older adults and those who care for them in-depth case studies of three women who cared for their older husbands with dementia and the rationale behind their sacrifice of personal leisure time to provide this care a survey of rural and urban caregivers to individuals with Alzheimer's disease specific leisure education strategies that have been used successfully in caregiver support groups an examination of the innovative Family-based Structural Multisystem In-home Interventions (FSMII) with a Computer Telephone Integration System (CTIS) projectCaregiving--Leisure and Aging provides information and ideas regarding the importance of leisure both to those elderly people receiving care and also to the aging adults who selflessly deliver that care.

Of interest to all academics and researchers in gerontology, social work, psychology and nursing, as well as those interested in visual and innovative creative arts-based research methods. Uses innovative qualitative research methods in action, including participatory photography and poetry, to show what it is like to live in an aged care home. Stimulates debate and discussion about current practice, and the future of aged care in the context of rapid population ageing and automation.

As our society ages and the importance of managing information and technology in daily life increases - even in homes and communities - the topic of cognitive aging is becoming increasingly important.
Cognitive Aging: A Primer is a comprehensive and accessible overview of how the cognitive system changes as a function of normal aging, as well as what areas of cognitive function are more resistant to age changes. Each chapter is written by a distinguished researcher with expert knowledge and considerable hands-on research expertise in his/her topic.
Cognitive Aging: A Primer reviews all core topics, and is divided into four sections. The first section provides an overview of basic issues and mechanisms, while the second discusses the important topics of attention and memory, and includes a chapter on the cognitive neuropsychology of the aging brain. A third section focuses on language and speech, while the final section discusses some of the implications of age- related changes in cognitive function for everyday life.
This volume is designed to fulfill a need for a review of this important topic accessible to advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students, as well as to provide thoughtful, comprehensive, and highly readable overviews of various aspects of cognitive aging to individuals from all disciplines.

Related link: Free Email Alerting
Related link: Available for Inspection

This book focuses on ageing as a topic of philosophical, theological, and historical anthropology. It provides a systematic inventory of fundamental theoretical questions and assumptions involved in the discussion of ageing and old age. What does it mean for human beings to grow old and become more vulnerable and dependent? How can we understand the manifestations of ageing and old age in the human body? How should we interpret the processes of change in the temporal course of a human life? What impact does old age have on the social dimensions of human existence? In order to tackle these questions, the volume brings together internationally distinguished scholars from the fields of philosophy, theology, cultural studies, social gerontology, and ageing studies. The collection of their original articles makes a twofold contribution to contemporary academic discourse. On one hand, it helps to clarify and deepen our understanding of ageing and old age by examining it from the fundamental point of view of philosophical, theological, and historical anthropology. At the same time, it also enhances and expands the discourses of philosophical, theological, and historical anthro pology by systematically taking into account that human beings are essentially ageing creatures.

'This timely report by HelpAge International sets out to establish some of the key social and political issues affecting older people's lives. It marks the first documentation of this information and I feel sure that it will be an important contribution to the growing debate' From the Foreword by Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General, World Health Organization The world's population is ageing. The majority of older people live in the developing world, where unprecedented growth in the number of older people has major implications for economies, health systems, housing, working patterns and family relationships. The Ageing and Development Report is the first extensive survey of the issues. Drawing on HelpAge International's long experience in over 60 countries, with contributions from world experts in the field, key themes such as community involvement, family life, health and well-being, poverty and exclusion, gender, migration and economic security are addressed. Case studies and statistics provide a comprehensive review of the condition of older people in the world's poorest countries. The Report argues for a fundamental shift in policy and opinion on ageing to reflect the real economic and social contributions of older people and enable them to retain their independence. It will be essential reading for development policy makers and practitioners in governmental and non-governmental agencies, demographers and gerontologists.

This volume focuses on understanding the impact of age-related decline in cognitive abilities on medical decisions and compliance with medical instructions. It examines how medical information and the medical environment can be restructured to accommodate the decreased cognitive function associated with aging. Although the issues discussed in this book are of critical importance in providing effective health care, they have been largely neglected in the national debate over provision of health care for the increasingly aging population. It is essential that we begin to understand how to present information so that informed choices are made and patients comprehend well enough that they can follow their treatment regimens and understand the importance of those regimens.
Divided into four major sections, this volume addresses the following issues:
* the implications of cognitive aging for medical information processing;
* aging and medical decision making;
* aging and medication adherence; and
* human factors design for medical devices and instructions.

Personality Development across the Lifespan examines the development of personality characteristics from childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, adulthood, and old age. It provides a comprehensive overview of theoretical perspectives, methods, and empirical findings of personality and developmental psychology, also detailing insights on how individuals differ from each other, how they change during life, and how these changes relate to biological and environmental factors, including major life events, social relationships, and health. The book begins with chapters on personality development in different life phases before moving on to theoretical perspectives, the development of specific personality characteristics, and personality development in relation to different contexts, like close others, health, and culture. Final sections cover methods in research on the topic and the future directions of research in personality development.

Ageing in women has traditionally been defined by the menopause, however social and economic factors are often far more important to women.
Linda Gannon critically reviews the research on ageing in women, and redresses the balance by providing a more comprehensive analysis of the psychological effects of life-span changes for older women from a feminist perspective, including second careers, empty-nest, divorce, chronic illness, retirement and sexuality.

Related link: Free Email Alerting

"Aging Public Policy: Bonding the Generations" is presented in three parts. Part One describes the policy process as a response to human needs through the laws of our country. Part Two explores the national policy development on behalf of older persons. Part Three describes the major public policies on behalf of the elderly that include Social Security, Medicare, The Older Americans Act, institutional care, employment and retirement policies. The final chapter discusses the advocacy process in the field of aging.

"Women in the Hebrew Bible" presents the first one-volume overview covering the interpretation of women's place in man's world within the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. Written by the major scholars in the field of biblical studies and literary theory, these essays examine attitudes toward women and their status in ancient Near Eastern societies, focusing on the Israelite society portrayed by the Hebrew Bible.
Feminist analysis of the Bible offers clues for the beginnings of gender bias in Western culture. Metaphors and literary persona from those ancient writings permeate Western literature and haunt our collective unconscious. The essays range from feminist strategies for understanding the social world at the time of the production of the Hebrew Bible to interpretations of key female literary figures such as Ruth, Esther, Judith, Sarah, Rachel and Leah, the unnamed daughter of Jephthah, and the unnamed Levite's concubine in the book of Judges.
A case history of five essays presents different perspectives and interpretations of one passage, Numbers 5: 16 - 31, the so-called "Sotah text." These articles show how critical interpretive perspectives are to reading and understanding a biblical text.
"Women in the Hebrew Bible" offers a stellar selection of the most important writings about the social, cultural and gender codes reflected in Biblical texts.

In reading Old, Female, and Rural, you ll discover just that--the reality concerning the daily living situations of the nation s older female populations in rural places. This scholarly collection will help you and others dispel the romantic frontier myths of the stoic, tenacious, and independent rural woman. Instead, you ll find real direction for change in the statistics that truly reflect the older rural woman s mental, physical, economical, and social existence.Old, Female, and Rural will show you stark realities concerning the older rural female s economic well-being, intergenerational family relationships, health care and service delivery availability, and long-term care concerns. The candid demographic and epidemiological data you discover in this book will not only expose the myths for what they are, but also allow you and others to transform the myths into daily realities of better policies and better living standards for the women who belong to this population subgroup. Specifically, you ll read about: one woman s subjective evaluation of growing old in a rural area rural women s experiences of accessing health care the economic well-being of women aging in nonmetro areas changes in the informal support networks of women aging in the rural southwest a comprehensive synthesis of the above isolated topics, which provides future implications for research, education, and policyWhile the legends of the old American frontier have died, the older female populations in America s rural areas live on--and they deal with some very challenging realities. Old, Female, and Rural takes you into the homes, lives, and minds of this complex and unique subgroup of America s elders and points you and public administrators, government officials, educators, and civil servants toward the unsettled frontier of real social change.

By providing descriptions of the experiences of 30 rural Minnesota women, often in their own words, this book examines the expectations, beliefs and values of the women as they grow old in rural America. A lifecourse perspective fosters a better understanding of the ageing process in terms of an individual's life experiences within the context of a cultural environment. To show how various elements shaped the women's lives in later years, and to give the fullest possible descriptions, the study combines both qualitative and quantitative research of the rural elderly in Minnesota. Through their stories, the women stress the cultural, familial and personal issues that continue to be important to them as they age. They explore the elements of continuity, as well as those of change, as a part of the lifecourse. Also detailed are their insights and experiences concerning interactions with different formal and informal support networks, as well as the more general topic of ageing in rural America. Specifically addressed are the implications of this study for the creation of the public policy and services for an older, rural population.

News of Alzheimer's disease is constantly in the headlines. Every day we hear heart-wrenching stories of people caring for a loved one who has become a shell of their former self, of projections about rising incidence rates, and of cures that are just around the corner. However, we don't see or hear from the people who actually have the disease. In Living with Alzheimer's, Renee L. Beard argues that the exclusively negative portrayals of Alzheimer's are grossly inaccurate. To understand what life with memory loss is really like, Beard draws on intensive observations of nearly 100 seniors undergoing cognitive evaluation, as well as post-diagnosis interviews with individuals experiencing late-in-life forgetfulness. Since we all forget sometimes, seniors with an Alzheimer's diagnosis ultimately need to be socialized into medicalized interpretations of their forgetfulness. In daily life, people with the disease are forced to manage stigma and the presumption of incompetence on top of the actual symptoms of their ailment. The well-meaning public, and not their dementia, becomes the major barrier to a happy life for those affected. Beard also examines how these perceptions affect treatment for Alzheimer's. Interviews with clinicians and staff from the Alzheimer's Association reveal that despite the best of intentions, pejorative framings of life with dementia fuel both clinical practice and advocacy efforts. These professionals perpetuate narratives about "self-loss," "impending cures," and the economic and emotional "burden" to families and society even if they do not personally believe them. Yet, Beard also concludes that in spite of these trends, most of the diagnosed individuals in her study achieve a graceful balance between accepting the medical label and resisting the social stigma that accompanies it. In stark contrast to the messages we receive, this book provides an unprecedented view into the ways that people with early Alzheimer's actively and deliberately navigate their lives.

In many countries across the Asia Pacific region, people are adapting to the new demographic shift, but there is nonetheless much concern. This book documents the various educational approaches rendered by both public and private sectors to enable elderly individuals in their own countries to re-engage in society more inclusively, to stay longer in the labour market, and to become less dependent on the state or their families. In order to produce active, healthy, and productive aging citizens, the experiments showcased by this book highlight how adaptive action is needed across many policy areas, with emphasis on shaping structural differences in the composition and organisation of higher education systems that can better foster lifelong learning among elderly citizens. The book is a great venue to underline the interplay of the theory and practices of vastly complex challenges.

Childhood disabilities, particularly cognitive disabilities, are on the rise yet social programs and services to help US families respond to disabilities are not. Many families turn to grandparents for assistance juggling work, family responsibilities, and specialized therapies. This book is based on in-depth interviews with grandparents who are providing at least some care to grandchildren with disabilities. The analyses will help to better understand (1) under what conditions grandparents provide care and support, (2) what types and intensities of care and support grandparents provide, and (3) the impact of that care and support on grandparents' social, emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing. In this fascinating and provocative book, Madonna Harrington Meyer and Ynesse Abdul-Malak take readers on a deep dive into the complex lives of grandparents who care for their disabled grandchildren. In Grandparenting Children with Disabilities, their interviews reveal the joy, meaning, and purpose grandparents find in caregiving, the challenges and frustrations they encounter, and the many ways they compromise their own health and well-being for the sake of their grandchildren. Drawing from theories of cumulative inequality and from their deep knowledge of the US policy context, the authors lay bare the systemic failures that leave families of children with disabilities without adequate support and that place the most vulnerable among them at grave physical, emotional, and financial risk... Jane McLeod, Provost Professor, Indiana University Grandparents in the U.S. already take on far more parenting responsibilities as compared to their peers in other countries. Grandparenting Children with Disabilities demonstrates that the intensity of these responsibilities is compounded for those whose grandchildren have disabilities given limited policy supports and a society still largely unaccommodating to those with disabilities. This book beautifully navigates the tension between the love these grandparents have for their grandchildren and the challenges they face caring for them. Pamela Herd, Professor, Georgetown University Grandparenting Children with Disabilities offers important insights about the lived experience of older adults who care for and care about their grandchildren...The authors skillfully integrate the stories they tell with consideration of macro social structural influences and life course perspectives... I recommend it highly! Eva Kahana, Distinguished University Professor, Case Western Reserve

This book provides an insightful sociological study of the declining Japanese population, using statistical analysis to establish the significance of municipal power using demographic data on national, regional, prefectural and municipal levels. Penned by one of Japan's eminent sociologists, it provides a quantitative characterization of population decline in Japan with a focus on regional variation, and identifies the principal explanatory factors through GPI statistical software tools such as G-census and EvaCva, within a historical perspective. Furthermore, it offers a qualitative assessment of what constitutes 'municipal power' as this relates to regional/local revitalization as a means of addressing municipal population decline. Using Goki-Shichido as a theoretical framework, this book pays special attention to municipal variations within the same prefecture, presenting a completely unique approach. In combining these two dimensions of analyses, the book successfully reveals the impact of municipal power and socio-cultural identity of social capital in the region, from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives at the municipal level. Demography issues in Japan have been receiving increasing attention among researchers given the growing number of declining populations in developed countries, in tandem with rapid aging and low fertility trends. Providing an original and unique contribution to regional population analysis in the fields of regional demography, historical demography and regional population policy, this book shows that the revitalization of the community is vital if Japan is to increase its population, so as to renew a community 'raison d'etre'. The book is of interest to scholars of Asian studies more broadly, and to sociologists, demographers, and policymakers interested in population studies, specifically. "Providing an informative and vivid overview of the demographic situation of Japan, the author offers excellent suggestions for effective regional policy in confronting a shrinking society. This book presents a unique analysis of the regional variations on small municipal levels, with demographic variables, social indicators and historical identities. An original contribution to regional population analysis in the fields of regional population policy, regional demography and historical demography." - Toshihiko Hara, Professor Emeritus, Sapporo City University

This book highlights international efforts to better understand the role of individual differences in healthy aging by exploring new directions, methods, and questions within the field. The book considers how to measure personality and personality change during adulthood, the associations between personality and healthy aging outcomes over time, and the role of personality in building interventions to promote healthy aging. The first section considers the value of personality constructs for healthy aging outcomes beyond the broad Big Five personality dimensions. It discusses the role of attachment, purpose, and affect, and also touches on the issue of psychopathology. The second section presents innovative assessment methods, research designs beyond classical longitudinal approaches, as well as sophisticated and integrative techniques for analyzing personality change processes. The third section raises new important questions, such as how interventionists from non-personality domains can incorporate personality processes in their intervention programs. It also discusses how different domains of individual functioning may interact in concert to predict healthy aging outcomes, as well as how more integrative lifespan models of healthy aging may advance research on personality and healthy aging. Overall, this book will spark interest and chart new directions for researchers, practitioners and interventionists in healthy aging, gerontology and applied fields.

This book provides an insight into advances in elder abuse in the areas of research, policy, practice and legislation. It provides readers with a broad understanding of the topic and considers the progress in elder abuse knowledge. The book explores the nexus of ageism and elder abuse, describes key social policies and their legislative manifestation, covers major policies and programs related to elder abuse, defines elder sexual abuse and much more. It offers the reader a comprehensive insight into new perspectives and approaches to both understanding and responding to elder abuse. As such it will be an asset to academics, students, healthcare practitioners, policy makers and the general public.

A Handbook of Geriatric Neuropsychology: Practice Essentials (Second Edition) brings together experts in the field to integrate the knowledge and skills needed to understand and treat older adults who are experiencing problems with memory and other thinking skills. With three new sections, including coverage of other conditions beyond neuropsychological disorders, special assessment contexts, and more on interventions and ethics, as well as multiple new chapters, and significant updates from the first edition, this book provides a strong foundation for clinicians, educators, and researchers invested in the wellbeing of older adults. The impact and experience of aging, like the practice of neuropsychology, evolves over time. Similarly, through advances in science and professional techniques, neuropsychological practice has continued to evolve. Neuropsychological evaluation remains the most effective method of diagnosing age-related cognitive decline, cognitive difficulties that result from psychological factors, and other related disorders, as well as determining how the various disorders impact functioning and quality of life. This book explores these areas and offers state-of-the-art assessment techniques to assess changes in cognition and behavior and to distinguish normal changes from neuropathology. This book is a go-to resource and key reference for psychologists who serve older adults with known or suspected cognitive problems, as well as those who are invested in promoting brain wellness. It provides much of the information needed to establish and improve foundational and functional competencies in geriatric neuropsychology and establish practices that are personally and professionally rewarding, all aimed at promoting the understanding and wellbeing of older adults.

Contents:
Part I Rationale for intergenerational programmes: developmental theories as the basis for intergenerational programmes; the context of intergenerational programmes; social issues addressed by intergenerational programmes; programme profiles. Part II Background and descriptions of intergenerational programmes: history and evolution of intergenerational programmes; types and models of intergenerational programmes; programme profiles. Part III Research and evaluation of intergenerational programmes: evaluation intergenerational programmes; research on intergenerational programmes. Part IV Public policy and the future for intergenerational programmes: intergenerational programmes - a context for growth and change; intergenerational approaches to public policy - trends and challenges; the future. Appendix.

The exercise programming guidelines provided in this book focus on functional fitness training and safety and demonstrate how physical activities supervised by activities personnel can strongly benefit participants'quality of life. Exercise Programming for Older Adults guarantees that exercise programming attains a balance between the three major physical components--aerobic, strength, and flexibility training--and that each component is properly administered. The techniques and applications described are geared toward those with prevalent conditions of aging such as arthritis, osteoporosis, joint replacement, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.This essential handbook arms the reader with a multidisciplinary approach to exercise management for elderly populations. The chapter authors are experts from the fields of fitness instruction, nursing, physical therapy, medicine, research, and exercise physiology. As they address the theory and practice of providing sound exercise programming, specific exercises are described and illustrated, with emphasis on functional fitness outcomes, safety precautions, fall prevention, and practical adaptations for low-fit and physically limited participants. Chapter discussions include: aerobic exercise strength training flexibility training the administration of mild posture and breathing exercises for debilitated individuals with poor prognoses positioning and transfer techniques essential for optimal activities management of neurologically impaired patients warm water exercise programs designed for persons with low tolerance of conventional training methodsExercise Programming for Older Adults serves as a vital resource for activity coordinators in long-term care settings and for group fitness instructors and personal trainers who serve older adult and frail elderly clientele. Readers will discover alternative techniques and applications for maximizing the physical and mental therapeutic benefits of exercise and developing the functional fitness of even the most physically challenged participants.