The New Sociology of Ageing explores the challenges and opportunities of ageing as a global force. Alongside globalisation, urbanisation, new technology, climate change, and global pandemics, ageing is transforming life in the twenty-first century. Through the eyes of a young sociology student and her multigenerational family, this book sets out a new sociological framework to interpret ageing societies. It explores how the 'New Old' - the baby boomer generation - might be mobilised as an agency of social change in transforming later life. It proposes this generation as the co-architects of a new intergenerational social contract for the era ahead, rather than as the recipients of a post-war twentieth-century social contract that society can no longer support. Taking Britain as a case study and societies across the world as examples, Slattery explores emerging revolutions in work and retirement, potential crises in pensions, healthcare and housing, as well as transformations in family life and in our attitudes to sex and death in later life. This book provides a clear overview of the sociology of ageing. It introduces students to demography as a sociological force of the future, and to the perils and the promises of longevity as societies across the world approach the Hundred-Year Life. This book will be of interest to undergraduate students and early scholars in the social sciences, particularly in sociology, gerontology, social policy, and public health.

The New Sociology of Ageing explores the challenges and opportunities of ageing as a global force. Alongside globalisation, urbanisation, new technology, climate change, and global pandemics, ageing is transforming life in the twenty-first century. Through the eyes of a young sociology student and her multigenerational family, this book sets out a new sociological framework to interpret ageing societies. It explores how the 'New Old' - the baby boomer generation - might be mobilised as an agency of social change in transforming later life. It proposes this generation as the co-architects of a new intergenerational social contract for the era ahead, rather than as the recipients of a post-war twentieth-century social contract that society can no longer support. Taking Britain as a case study and societies across the world as examples, Slattery explores emerging revolutions in work and retirement, potential crises in pensions, healthcare and housing, as well as transformations in family life and in our attitudes to sex and death in later life. This book provides a clear overview of the sociology of ageing. It introduces students to demography as a sociological force of the future, and to the perils and the promises of longevity as societies across the world approach the Hundred-Year Life. This book will be of interest to undergraduate students and early scholars in the social sciences, particularly in sociology, gerontology, social policy, and public health.

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

As we grow up and grow old, embrace new experiences, try new roles, and adopt new technologies, our senses of time, space, connection, and identity are fundamentally explored through communication. Why, how, with whom, and to what end humans communicate reflect and shape our ever-changing life span position. And while the "life span" can be conceived as a continuum, it is also one hinged by critical junctures and bound by cultural differences that can be better understood through communication. The chapters in this collection, chosen from among the invited plenary speakers, top research papers, and ideas discussed in San Juan, explore the multiple ways communication affects, reflects, and directs our life transition. Capturing the richness and diversity of scholarship presented at the conference, chapters explore communication technologies that define a generation; communication and successful aging; stereotyping and family communication; sexual communication and physiological measurement; life span communication and the digital divide; and home-based care contexts across the world, among others.

"This is one of the best mental health and aging books I have ever read. It] is one that I will turn to often in my teaching of doctoral students, and in my work with older adults. One of the phenomenal aspects of this book is the research reviews; which are in-depth and broad in their scope. It is clear that Lee Hyer is an exceptional scholar-clinician and geropsychologist.."--Peter A. Lichtenberg, PhD

Drawing from current research and clinical practice, this text espouses a unique interdisciplinary approach to the assessment and treatment of psychosocial impairment in older adults. This approach, called "Watch and Wait," is grounded in a "whole person" model of care rather than one that addresses symptoms or syndromes in isolation. This model advocates relationship building, prevention, psychoeducation, multipronged interventions for comorbid problems, and communication. It does so in the context of a multidisciplinary health care team, the patient, and family.

The model encompasses five core factors of psychosocial impairment in older adults: depression, anxiety, cognitive deficits, adjustment or life problems, and health issues. Considered together, they provide an integrated understanding of the older adult that is more likely than single-disorder models to facilitate successful outcomes for common psychosocial difficulties that occur in later life. The book describes in depth the unique components and complex interactive influences of these five factors as they apply to older adults seeking mental health treatment. A cornerstone of the author's approach is treatment based on stringent care-based assessment and thorough monitoring of empirically supported interventions. Each factor is considered individually from its empirically supported basis as well as its interaction with the other factors. Distinct treatment modules are isolated for each factor and assembled to provide the optimal pathway for clinical treatment.

The text also addresses the unique difficulties of diagnosing the aging population, the pitfalls of existing treatments, and the need for brain-based models for care. Key Features: Advocates for integrative, interdisciplinary care and primary care involvement for the older adult Emphasizes core components of care: depression, anxiety, cognition, pain/sleep/health issues, adjustment in the community Demonstrates how a single-problem approach for older adults with psychiatric problems is not effective or efficient care Espouses a "Watch and Wait" paradigm of care, based on person-centered diagnosis and careful monitoring of treatment Translates and integrates current research findings with clarity Covers use of SSRIs and other medications, suicide, subsyndromal states, issues involving cost of care for the older patient, among other topics Plentiful case examples

Population ageing and globalisation represent two of the most radical social transformations that have occurred. This book provides, for the first time, an accessible overview of how they interact. Ageing has been conventionally framed within the boundaries of nation states, yet demographic changes, transmigration, financial globalization and the global media have rendered this perspective problematic. This much-needed book is the first to apply theories of globalisation to gerontology, including Appadurai's theory, allowing readers to understand the implications of growing older in a global age. This comprehensive introduction to globalisation for gerontologists is part of the Ageing in a Global Context series, published in association with the British Society of Gerontology. It will be of particular interest to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students and academics in this area.

How do we sustain agency and identity amidst the frailty of advanced old age? What role does care play in this process? Pushing forward new sociological theory, this book explores the theoretical and practical issues raised by age and infirmity. It begins with a theoretical examination of the fourth age, interrogating notions of agency, identity and personhood, as well as the impact of frailty, abjection and 'othering'. It then applies this analysis to issues of care. Exploring our collective hopes and fears concerning old age and the ends of people's lives, this is essential reading on one of the biggest social issues of our time.

As the 21st Century unfolds, the traditional welfare state that evolved during the 20th Century faces serious threats to the solidarity that social programs were meant to strengthen. The rise of populist and nationalist parties reflects the decline of a sense of belonging and inclusiveness that mass education and economic progress were meant to foster, as traditional politics and parties are rejected by working- and middle-class individuals who were previously their staunchest supporters. Increasingly, these groups reject the growing gaps in income, power, and privilege that they perceive between themselves and highly educated and cosmopolitan business, academic, and political elites. When Strangers Become Family examines the potential role of civil society organizations in guaranteeing the rights and addressing the needs of vulnerable groups, paying particular attention to their role in advocacy for and service delivery to older people. The book includes a discussion of the origins and functions of this sector that focuses on the relationship between the state and non-governmental organizations, as well as a close examination of Mexico - a middle-income nation with a rapidly aging population and limited state welfare for older people. The data reveals important aspects of the relationship among government actors, civil society organizations, and political parties. Ronald Angel and Veronica Montes-de-Oca Zavala ask the fundamental question about the extent to which civil society organizations represent a potential mechanism whereby vulnerable individuals can join together to further their own interests and exercise their individual and group autonomy.

As we age, society's negative assumptions mean we become a burden, a problem and the excluded 'other'. With a convincing call to embrace all that is positive about ageing comes this timely book from the authors of Retiring with Attitude. Debunking the myth of the ageing time bomb it presents a new, yet realistic, way for society to engage with older people from a myriad of perspectives, including consumerism, media, work, housing, community and 'beauty'. Brought alive by the voices of people aged 50 to 90, it proves ageing is not passive decline but a process of learning, joy, political engagement, challenges and achievement. Increased longevity has consequences for us all. By challenging our assumptions and stereotypes, this book demonstrates that we are capable of living better together longer in this new, older world.

Getting Old offers concise advice and practical suggestions for all readers interested in or worried about ageing, either in themselves or in someone they care about. With a focus on a positive view of ageing, it discusses central physical and mental aspects of getting old, as well as the social and psychological aspects such as choosing where to live and becoming more oneself. Rowan Bayne and Carol Parkes take a pragmatic approach to reviewing what is happening in many aspects of your life as you age. Essential topics covered include mobility; diet and digestion; understanding and improving sleep; memory problems and dementia; being an active participant in consultations about your own healthcare; attitudes to getting old; romantic relationships and loneliness; deciding where to live, moving house and choosing other types of living arrangements; and death and grief. They invite readers to focus on their own life and experience, to understand who they are and what they really want now. An important part of self-understanding is the application of personality theory to changes associated with getting old, and readers are encouraged to reflect on what might work for people with their personality characteristics, and how to improve their stress management, communication and decision making. With suggestions for further reading and useful organisations that offer support, Getting Old offers valuable, affirming guidance for all those and their relatives going through this life stage, as well as health, social care and counselling students and professionals.

Ageless Talent: Enhancing the Performance and Well-Being of Your Age-Diverse Workforce provides organizational leaders, managers, and supervisors with clear, evidence-based tactics by which to develop and manage an aging and age-diverse talent pool. This volume provides an easy-to-implement set of tools for addressing the difficult problems related to employee performance and well-being amid ongoing technological and social change. Ageless Talent introduces a straightforward framework (PIERA) that translates scientific advances into actionable steps and strategies. Using this framework, this book provides practical illustrations to help readers design their own small-scale interventions to achieve desirable goals under diverse organizational constraints. Furthermore, the book addresses modern management challenges arising across the globe, and offers suggestions for leaders interested in short-term and long-term change. These suggestions, grounded in time-tested and leading-edge research evidence, include specific step-by-step guidelines, customizable to different types of organizations and industries. With economic, cultural, technological, and demographic shifts making the changing nature of work a pressing concern for organizations around the globe, Ageless Talent is an essential text for practitioners - HR professionals, organizational leaders, and managers - as well as management education programs and professional training and leadership programs. It will also appeal to instructors and students in the field of industrial/organizational psychology.

This insightful study provides an overview of the changing employment context in industrialized nations, the risks associated with population ageing and how these are being tackled.Prolonging working lives is high on the agenda of policy makers in most of the world's major industrialized nations. This book explains how they are keen to tackle issues associated with the ageing of populations, namely the funding of pension systems and predictions concerning a dwindling labour supply. Yet the recent history of older workers has primarily been one of premature exit from the labour force in the form of redundancy or early retirement. Add to this a previously plentiful supply of younger labor and it is clear that much of industry will be unprepared for the challenges of ageing workforces. Older Workers in an Ageing Society includes up-to-date knowledge on issues of workforce ageing and provides useful commentary on policy responses and will appeal to scholars and public policy-makers. Contributors: D.M. Atwater, E. Besen, E. Brooke, V. Busch, N. Charness, A. Chiva, J. Edlund, P. Ester, G. Evers, F. Go, J. Ilmarinen, S. Little, V.W. Marshall, C. Matz-Costa, C. McLoughlin, G. Naegele, M. Oka, M. Pitt-Catsouphes, S.E. Rix, D.M. Spokus, M. Stattin, H.L. Sterns, P. Taylor, A.L. Wells

Declining fertility rates and increased life expectancies over the last few decades have conspired to make China one of the more rapidly aging societies in the world. Aging Families in Chinese Society focuses on the accelerated social and demographic changes in China and examines their implications for family care and support for older adults. Contributors to this landmark volume portray various challenges facing aging families in China as a result of reduced family size, changing gender expectations, rapid economic development and urbanization, rural-to-urban migration, and an emerging but still underdeveloped long-term care system. Divided into four thematic areas - Disability and Family Support; Family Relationships and Mental Health; Filial Piety and Gender Norms; and Long-term Care Preferences - chapters in this volume confront these burgeoning issues and offer salient policy and practice considerations not just for today's aging population, but future generations to come. Combining quantitative data from social surveys in China, comparative surveys in Taiwan and Thailand, and qualitative data from in-depth interviews, Aging Families in Chinese Societies will be of significant interest to students and researchers in aging and gerontology, China and East Asian Studies and population studies.

This book compares aspirations and life choices among educated young adults in urban China and Taiwan. As two places that share a cultural heritage but very different political and economic systems, it assesses how the socio-economic and political trajectories of China and Taiwan have influenced young people's decision-making and the strategies they apply to realize their goals. Drawing upon ethnographic research, this book analyzes young adults' choices in the areas of education, career and marriage, considering their individual social backgrounds and economic resources. In this context, it also discusses how feelings of hope, doubt and disenchantment are mitigated by the specific societal atmospheres and ideological discourses. Whereas stable employment and marriage appeared to be universal goals, this book demonstrates how young adults in Beijing had more autonomy in decision-making concerning individual life choices than those in Taipei. Among other things, China's demographic controls and urban migration policies appear to increase the independence of young people from their parents. Further, the prevalence of boarding school education in China compared to Taiwan provides an opportunity for earlier autonomy for young people in China. Taking a comparative approach, Young Adults in Urban China and Taiwan will be a valuable resource to students and scholars of Chinese Studies and Taiwan Studies, as well as social and cultural anthropology and youth culture.

This book explores the lived, embodied experiences of aging men as a counterpoint to the weary stereotypes often imposed on them. Conventionally, in Western cultures, they are seen as inevitably in decline. The book challenges these distorted images through a detailed analysis of aging men's life stories.

Provides a critical synthesis of current models of aging. Offers a broader perspective that accounts for the wide diversity of human aging, just as it better explains how this diversity "groups" into familiar patterns. Written by a distinguished scholar of aging whose work has been internationally influential.

Provides a critical synthesis of current models of aging. Offers a broader perspective that accounts for the wide diversity of human aging, just as it better explains how this diversity "groups" into familiar patterns. Written by a distinguished scholar of aging whose work has been internationally influential.

This ground-breaking study of the baby boomer generation, who are now entering old age, breaks new ground in ageing research. This post-war cohort has experienced a range of social, cultural, and medical changes in regard to their notions of body, from the introduction of the Pill and the decoupling of sex and procreation to the H-Bomb and Earthrise. Yet, paradoxically, ageing is also universal. This exciting book reflects the intersection of time, ageing, body and identity to give a more nuanced and enlightened understanding of the ageing process.

Getting Old offers concise advice and practical suggestions for all readers interested in or worried about ageing, either in themselves or in someone they care about. With a focus on a positive view of ageing, it discusses central physical and mental aspects of getting old, as well as the social and psychological aspects such as choosing where to live and becoming more oneself. Rowan Bayne and Carol Parkes take a pragmatic approach to reviewing what is happening in many aspects of your life as you age. Essential topics covered include mobility; diet and digestion; understanding and improving sleep; memory problems and dementia; being an active participant in consultations about your own healthcare; attitudes to getting old; romantic relationships and loneliness; deciding where to live, moving house and choosing other types of living arrangements; and death and grief. They invite readers to focus on their own life and experience, to understand who they are and what they really want now. An important part of self-understanding is the application of personality theory to changes associated with getting old, and readers are encouraged to reflect on what might work for people with their personality characteristics, and how to improve their stress management, communication and decision making. With suggestions for further reading and useful organisations that offer support, Getting Old offers valuable, affirming guidance for all those and their relatives going through this life stage, as well as health, social care and counselling students and professionals.

Ageless Talent: Enhancing the Performance and Well-Being of Your Age-Diverse Workforce provides organizational leaders, managers, and supervisors with clear, evidence-based tactics by which to develop and manage an aging and age-diverse talent pool. This volume provides an easy-to-implement set of tools for addressing the difficult problems related to employee performance and well-being amid ongoing technological and social change. Ageless Talent introduces a straightforward framework (PIERA) that translates scientific advances into actionable steps and strategies. Using this framework, this book provides practical illustrations to help readers design their own small-scale interventions to achieve desirable goals under diverse organizational constraints. Furthermore, the book addresses modern management challenges arising across the globe, and offers suggestions for leaders interested in short-term and long-term change. These suggestions, grounded in time-tested and leading-edge research evidence, include specific step-by-step guidelines, customizable to different types of organizations and industries. With economic, cultural, technological, and demographic shifts making the changing nature of work a pressing concern for organizations around the globe, Ageless Talent is an essential text for practitioners - HR professionals, organizational leaders, and managers - as well as management education programs and professional training and leadership programs. It will also appeal to instructors and students in the field of industrial/organizational psychology.

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.

Whilst the vast majority of recent research on identity and ethnicity amongst South Asians in Britain has focused upon younger people, this book deals with Bengali elders, the first generation of migrants from Sylhet, in Bangladesh. The book describes how many of these elders face the processes of ageing, sickness and finally death, in a country where they did not expect to stay and where they do not necessarily feel they belong. The ways in which they talk about and deal with this, and in particular, their ambivalence towards Britain and Bangladesh lies at the heart of the book. Centrally, the book is based around the men and womens life stories. In her analysis of these, Gardner shows how narratives play an important role in the formation of both collective and individual identity and are key domains for the articulation of gender and age. Underlying the stories that people tell, and sometimes hidden within their gaps and silences, are often other issues and concerns. Using particular idioms and narrative devices, the elders talk about the contradictions and disjunctions of transmigration, their relationship with and sometimes resistance to, the British State, and what they often present as the breakdown of traditional ways. In addition to this, the book shows that histories, stories and identity are not just narrated through words, but also through the body - an area rarely theorized in studies of migration.

This timely volume provides an up-to-date and comprehensive summary about what is known about aging and work and addresses the challenges and opportunities confronting older workers and organizations. The authors describe current and emerging topics related to work and aging adults such as working in teams, the increasing diversity of the labor force, work and caregiving, the implications of technology for an aging workforce, and health and wellness issues. The authorship is international; the authors are renowned for their respective work in the topical areas and represent a broad range of disciplines within academia, as well as offer perspectives from government and policy. Jobs, organizations, the labor market, and the workforce are experiencing dramatic change. Workers of all ages, including older workers, need to interact with the wide variety of ubiquitous technologies that are reshaping work processes, job content, work settings, communication strategies, and the delivery of training, and this book aims to update readers on the particular issues facing today's aging adults in the workplace. The chapters' broad and inclusive scope encompasses: Workplace aging and jobs in the 21st century The retirement income security outlook for older workers Population aging, age discrimination, and age discrimination protections Older workers and the contemporary labor market The role of aging, age diversity, and age heterogeneity within teams The intersection of family caregiving and work Current and Emerging Trends in Aging and Work is relevant to a broad audience of academic researchers, practitioners, and students in psychology, sociology, management, engineering (industrial and human factors), the health sciences, gerontology/geriatrics, and public health. It is also a useful resource for government and policy leaders, as well as workers and managers in the public and private sectors.

The fundamental role of individual ageing is something that everyone is necessarily aware of, and the division of the life cycle into a number of distinct stages has been recognised for many centuries.This volume collects 32 articles concerned with a variety of economic aspects of individual and population ageing. They have been arranged under four main headings as follows: individual ageing and the life cycle; population ageing; ageing and social insurance; and macroeconomic effects. The editor has prepared a fresh introduction to accompany the piece which aims to set the context and discuss some of the major issues.