The question of communication and understanding between different generations is emerging as a key issue for the twenty-first century. The advent of ageing populations may lead to increased conflict or solidarity in society, and provokes a profound ambivalence both in public and in the private sphere. In a new approach, Biggs and Lowenstein offer a critical examination of Generational Intelligence as one way of addressing these issues. How easy is it to put yourself in the shoes of someone of a different age group? What are the personal, interpersonal and social factors that affect our perceptions of the 'age other'? What are the key issues facing families, workplaces and communities in an ageing society? This book sets out a way of thinking about interpersonal relations based on age, and the question of communication between people of different ages and generations. The book challenges existing orthodoxies for relations between adults of different ages and draws out steps that can be taken to increase understanding between generational groups. The authors outline a series of steps that can be taken to enhance Generational Intelligence, examine existing theories and social issues, and suggest new directions for sustainable relations between generational groups.

This book examines the issues and implications that mental health professionals face when dealing with ageing and older adults. The book focuses on the biological, psychological and cultural influences that impact on the work of mental health practitioners who work with this client group.

Based on current empirical research and evidence-based practical issues this book explores topics including:

• ageing and dementia
• elder abuse
• caring for older adults
• depression and ageing
• the paradox of ageing
• how older adults are key to the success of future generations.

Throughout the book the contributors emphasise the notion of healthy ageing, and the importance and significance of this concept as part of the life-cycle process. As such Ageing and Older Adult Mental Health will be key reading not only for mental health professionals, but also for those involved in policy making for older adults.

This book examines the issues and implications that mental health professionals face when dealing with ageing and older adults. The book focuses on the biological, psychological and cultural influences that impact on the work of mental health practitioners who work with this client group. Based on current empirical research and evidence-based practical issues this book explores topics including: * ageing and dementia * elder abuse * caring for older adults * depression and ageing * the paradox of ageing * how older adults are key to the success of future generations. Throughout the book the contributors emphasise the notion of healthy ageing', and the importance and significance of this concept as part of the life-cycle process. As such Ageing and Older Adult Mental Health will be key reading not only for mental health professionals, but also for those involved in policy making for older adults.

There are more than 50 million people age 65 or older in the United States, and over the decade 2010-2019 this was the fastest growing age sector in the United States - growing by 34% during that period. (US Census Bureau) As people age, they face a number of new challenges and opportunities, ranging from the shift from salary to Social Security and retirement funds, increasing issues with health, and opportunities for extended relaxation and second careers. While seniors bring a lifetime of experience and honed skills, they face a number of new situations that involved learning new information and new ways of doing things. Information Issues for Older Americans brings together faculty from the leading Information Schools to examine information needs, behavior, and policy related to older Americans. These scholars use a variety of lenses to understand the information issues that older Americans face in their everyday lives. These lenses include information literacy from both the consumer and provider sides; information behavior to understand search strategies, evaluation of information quality and relevance, sources used, questions raised, and how these change over time; the information ecologies in which an individual lives in his or her private and professional worlds; privacy issues that arise in everyday life; information and communication technologies (ICTs), including the skills of users with these technologies, the expected and unexpected uses of these technologies, and the technology's positive and negative impacts; how ICTs can be used to augment human intelligence and physical skills (human-computer interaction and design); how ICTs, together with traditional information institutions such as libraries and museums and social clubs, have been used to build stronger communities (community informatics). This book is a contribution to the academic literatures on information studies and aging, but it is also intended to be generally readable and be accessible to the educated public and professionals who serve older Americans such as librarians, health care workers, and workers at community centers. While there is a growing literature on health informatics for the elderly, and occasional journal articles on various other topics about information and the elderly, this is the first comprehensive book on the various information aspects of the everyday activities and concerns of older Americans.

This essential volume explores the vital role of communication in the aging process and how this varies for different social groups and cultural communities. It reveals how communication can empower people in the process of aging, and that how we communicate about age is critically important to - and is at the heart of - aging successfully. Giles et al. confront the uncertainty and negativity surrounding "aging" - a process with which we all have to cope - by expertly placing communication at the core of the process. They address the need to avoid negative language, discuss the lifespan as an evolving adventure, and introduce a new theory of successful aging - the communication ecology model of successful aging (CEMSA). They explore the research on key topics including: age stereotypes, age identities, and messages of ageism; the role of culture, gender, ethnicity, and being a member of marginalized groups; the ingredients of intergenerational communication; depiction of aging and youth in the media; and how and why talk about death and dying can be instrumental in promoting control over life's demands. Communication for Successful Aging is essential reading for graduate students of psychology, human development, gerontology, and communication, scholars in the social sciences, and all of us concerned with this complex academic and highly personal topic.

The later-adult years are commonly viewed as a period in which one struggles to maintain a vestige of the physical, mental, and emotional vitality of one's earlier years. In 'Still Growing', however, Donald Capps shows that older adulthood is actually a period of growth and development, and that a central feature of this growth and development is the remarkable creativity of older adults. This creativity is the consequence of the wisdom gained through years of experience but is also due to a newly developed capacity to adapt to unprecedented challenges integral to the aging process. In Part 1, Capps illustrates the challenges of transitioning to older adulthood from the author's own experiences, while in Part 2 he draws on material from Erik H. Erikson, Sigmund Freud, and Paul W. Pruyser to account for longevity, adaptability, and creativity in older adults. Finally, in part 3 he focusses on the work of both William James and Walt Disney to fashion a model of creative aging.

As the population ages, this book reveals how divides that are apparent through childhood and working life change and are added to in later life. Two internationally renowned experts in ageing look beyond longstanding factors like class, gender and ethnicity to explore new social divisions, including contrasting states of physical fitness and mental health. They show how differences in health and frailty are creating fresh inequalities in later life, with significant implications for the future of our ageing societies. This accessible overview of social divisions is essential reading for those interested in the sociology of ageing and its differences, diversities and inequalities.

The interface of old age and cinema provides a fascinating yet uncharted territory in the humanities and social sciences and this book explores two central perspectives: movies on old age by old filmmakers; and movies on old age by younger artists. The first perspective focuses on the cinematic representation of aging from within, whereas the second examines the ways aging is viewed from the outside. The distinction is based on the schism between the phenomenology of aging and its social representation: The one hinges on intrinsic qualities of "old age style" or "late style;" the second addresses attitudes towards old age in general as well as towards aging artists and the reception (or rejection) of their late films. The author combines these general perspectives as it shifts between text and context, beginning with aging from the outside in order to introduce the semantics and pragmatics of the context (reception and filmmaking stylistic change, midlife images of old age), and continuing into the world of aging as cinematically represented from within, by old filmmakers, an often idiosyncratic, metaphysical, and sometimes unapproachable world. By providing a roadmap that charts previous scholarly paths of inquiry, this book offers a panoramic view of the direction of this new field of cinematic gerontology, and is essential reading for students and scholars of cinema, humanistic gerontology, psychology of art, and the sociology of old age and popular culture.

Intended for long-term care providers, consumers, and gerontology students, this valuable new guidebook and manual encourages the promotion and enhancement of adult day care as an essential link in long-term care. Since the early 1970s, the number of adult day care centers in the United States has grown from 20 to more than 620. This rapid increase in adult day care programs indicates that it is an important health care and social resource that has begun to fill a necessary gap in the long-term care system. To further meet the increasing needs, this new book provides information regarding the history, definition, and concept of adult day care; models of care; scope of activities; state and national policy; and samples of forms and reports needed for daily operations.

It is well known that we are living in a time of demographic shift to an ageing society, yet our responses to this are still uneven and often spring from dated assumptions and images of older people. The significance of place in all our lives, but particularly in the lives of older people, puts responsibility on planners and other place-makers to challenge ideas about later life by developing practices of involvement that put older people's voices at the core of planning responses. This book introduces planners to dominant ideas about ageing and how these have influenced the responses of place-makers, considering how the demographic shift may be a catalyst for new thinking in place-making. It is not so much about planning for old people, but about how an ageing population changes all aspects of our lives. The book introduces useful concepts such as the 20-minute neighbourhood and the everyday-life framework; explains the age-friendly movement; and questions to what extent it helps cities respond to change. Comparing international case studies, it explores the critical role of housing and the possible use of land allocation to encourage developers to think about better and more housing options for later life. Other aspects covered include the importance of mobility and the role of good urban design; planning as part of preventative care; and bringing together green and ageing/disability agendas.

People react very differently to the process of ageing. Some people shy away from old age for as long as they can and eventually spend it reflecting on times when they were physically and mentally stronger and more independent. For others old age is embraced as a new adventure and something to look forward to.

In this book psychoanalyst Danielle Quinodoz highlights the value of old age and the fact that although many elderly people have suffered losses, either of their own good health or through bereavement, most have managed to retain the most important thing their sense of self. Quinodoz argues that growing old provides us with the opportunity to learn more about ourselves and instead of facing it with dread, it should be celebrated. Divided into accessible chapters this book covers topics including:

• the internal life-history
• remembering
• phases of life
• anxiety about death
• being a psychoanalyst and growing old.

Throughout Growing Old the author draws on both her clinical experience of working with the elderly, and her own personal experience of growing old. This makes it an interesting read for both practising psychoanalysts, and those who wish to gain a greater insight of the natural progression into later life.

In this fascinating book, leading international experts in gerontology and social work examine the conditions of older people in their respective native lands--Australia, Canada, West Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, and Sweden. In response to the need for world-wide sharing of information and research on one of the most dramatic developments of the twentieth century in the United States and throughout the western world--the aging of the populations--these professionals offer an international dimension and cross-cultural knowledge to social gerontology and gerontological social work. Emphasis is placed on the social service delivery system in each country together with an analysis of social work roles and activities. The informative articles include demographic notes, the socioeconomic characteristics of older people in each country, and the author s forecast of trends, issues, and future directions. These timely reviews of what has worked elsewhere may spark greater creativity among educators and practitioners in social work and gerontology in finding alternative solutions to the many problems professionals face as advocates and service providers for older adults. Social work practitioners and educators examine social services for seniors in eight different industrialized countries. Each chapter--focusing on a different country--features: a review of the social service delivery system, providing information about its historical evolution and current organization a look at home care programs, as well as community based and institutionally based services a review of service availability and accesibility with consideration of how social services are coordinated with health care and other human services special attention is given to social work roles within the social service system, including an examination of direct service and planning/management roles a consideration of the importance and usefulness of social work in service provision for each country a brief analysis of current trends and furture directions for gerontological social work and social services for the elderly. The cross-national perspectives will highlight global trends in the industrial world and illuminate distinctions among countries, based upon a particular historical, political, and cultural context. Gerontological Social Work provides a wider base for understanding and evaluating policies and programs in one s own country. Each analysis suggests new and different ways of solving problems and providing services. Social work professionals worldwide will learn successful methods of enabling the elderly to maintain maximum self-sufficiency and participate actively in society, thus insuring improved quality of life.

In Spain, on May 15, 2011, a movement against austerity measures began. In a time when representative democracies were under threat, 15M came to life as a virtuous and democratic response to the slide into far-right populism and authoritarianism. More than a social movement, 15M became a mode of being with transformative, democratizing potential. In Democracy Here and Now, Pablo Ouziel offers a grounded analysis of 15M. At the time of the movement and during the ensuing encampments, Ouziel travelled extensively, speaking to participants, and keeping an ongoing record of his conversations. Presenting an original participatory mode of research, the book reveals six types of intersubjective, "joining hands" relationships that 15M has brought into being and works to carry on in creative ways. The book shows how the movement's way of being and temporality persists in Spain following the square occupations, while 15M citizens continue to learn and move forward in less perceptible ways. Democracy Here and Now sheds light on a deeply relational, intersectional, and eco-social mode of democracy, and shows how 15M's ongoing democratization practices are exemplary of similar grassroots movements around the world, broadening our understandings of what it means to be democratic in the here and now.

Middle age, for many, marks a key period for a radical reappraisal of one's life and way of living. The sense of time running out, both from the perspective that one's life has ground to a halt, and from the point of view of the greater closeness of death, and the sense of loneliness engendered by the compromised and wasteful nature of life, become ever clearer in mid-life, and can lead to a period of dramatic self doubt.In this book, the philosopher Christopher Hamilton (early 40s) explores the moods, emotions and experiences of middle age in the contemporary world, seeking to describe and analyze that period of life philosophically. Hamilton draws on his own personal experiences of turning 40 as well as a wide range of sources - from the philosophical writings of Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Hegel, Heidegger to the literature of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Conrad and the films of Woody Allen - to offer us a philosophy of middle age.Some of the many fascinating themes explored include the strong sense of nostalgia experienced in mid-life, of loss for one's youth, and of regret, the sense that life has become boring, the recognition that one can never fully escape feelings of guilt, and - central to the experience of middle age - the question of what is the point of going on at all. In the light of the 'melancholy wisdom' of mid-life Hamilton suggests that pleasure becomes much more important than at previous stages of life and he shows that the enjoyment of pleasure can be something noble.Insightful, entertaining, and thought-provoking, "Middle Age" is fascinating reading and for anyone heading for a 'mid-life crisis' it is much cheaper than buying a sports car.

This edited volume approaches the life experiences and well-being of Japanese people from an empirical perspective. It explores the current trend of happiness among Japanese over time and examines the association of income, lifestyle, and perceived life conditions using modern econometric models with supplementary qualitative observations. Issues relating to ageing, gender, household division of labour, and emigration are also examined to provide a wide scope of results based on both survey and field methods for culturally sensitive researchers. Going beyond the conventional cultural interpretation of the uniqueness of the Japanese case, this book provides timely, empirical evidence for understanding how the various social groups comprising the Japanese population have enjoyed a better quality of life, while some groups are very dissatisfied with social arrangements and have elected to emigrate. The book is a pioneering endeavour to reveal the detailed structure of quality of life and well-being in Japanese society.

Ethnicity and Gerontological Social Work presents a compassionate and illuminating update on ethnicity in this area of social work. This fine book looks at such topics as the relationship between white aged clients and non-white paraprofessional workers, minority elder maltreatment, the utilization of social services by the Mexican-American Elderly, the neglected Asian-American Elderly, public policies and services in Japan, and more.

In the past decade, evidence based practice (EBP) has emerged as one of the most important movements to improve the effectiveness of clinical care. As the number of older adults continues to grow, it is essential that practitioners have knowledge of effective strategies to improve both the medical and the psychosocial aspects of older persons' lives. The purpose of this work is to present systematic reviews of research-based psychosocial interventions for older adults and their caregivers.

The interventions presented focus on a variety of critical issues facing older adults today including medical illnesses (cardiac disease, diabetes, arthritis/pain, cancer, and HIV/AIDS), mental health/cognitive disorders (depression/anxiety, dementia, substance abuse), and social functioning (developmental disabilities, end-of-life, dementia caregivers, grandparent caregivers). For each of these areas the prevalence of the problem, the demographics of those affected, and the nature and consequences of the problem are discussed. The empirical literature is then reviewed. A treatment summary highlights the type and nature of research supporting the interventions reviewed and is followed by a conclusion section that summarizes the status of intervention research for the specified issue. A Treatment Resource Appendix for each area is included. These appendices highlight manuals, books, articles and web resources that detail the treatment approaches and methodologies discussed.

This book was previously published as a special issue of the Journal of Gerontological Social Work.

The nature of health in later life has conventionally been studied from two perspectives. Medical sociologists have focused on the failing body, chronic illness, infirmity and mortality, while social gerontologists on the other hand have focused on the epidemiology of old age and health and social policy. By examining these perspectives, Higgs and Jones show how both standpoints have a restricted sense of contemporary ageing which has prevented an understanding of the way in which health in later life has changed. In the book, the authors point out that the current debates on longevity and disability are being transformed by the emergence of a fitter and healthier older population. This third age - where fitness and participation are valorised - leads to the increasing salience of issues such as bodily control, age-denial and anti-ageing medicine. By discussing the key issue of old age versus ageing, the authors examine the prospect of a new sociology - a sociology of health in later life. Medical Sociology and Old Age is essential reading for all students and researchers of medical sociology and gerontology and for anyone concerned with the challenge of ageing populations in the twenty-first century. This book is essential reading for all students and researchers of medical sociology and gerontology.

This book promotes an understanding of ageism, discrimination and mistreatment of older adult workers, incorporating an international human rights perspective. The impact of ageism on the mistreatment of older adult workers has not to date been examined in depth through the lens of international human rights instruments, nor has discrimination against older adults in the workplace been framed as a form of elder abuse for research and policy making purposes. This book presents a multi-disciplinary exploration of these themes as they affect work and retirement of older adults. It reflects the view that older people who choose to work into old age should be able to do so in enabling work environments that promote dignity and are free of abuse. The contributing authors come from many disciplines, including law, psychology, social work, business, and international affairs. Many are members of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), a non-governmental organization with consultative status at the United Nations, and have devoted their professional careers to increase awareness and understanding of elder abuse in order to prevent it. The editors hope that broadening the framework within which elder abuse in the workplace is understood will stimulate further research, policy and program development to address this troubling social problem.

This book covers the essentials of psychotherapeutic work with older adults, discussing how contemporary psychodynamic thought can be applied clinically to engage the older patient in psychotherapeutic work of depth and meaning, work that not only relieves suffering but also promotes growth. It describes the way the difficulties accompanying older age can affect psychological functioning and it examines the unique psychotherapeutic needs of this age group. Using clinical vignettes for illustrative purposes, it explores the psychotherapeutic challenges, tasks, techniques and accomplishments involved in the treatment of older adults. Topics discussed include the reemergence of earlier developmental challenges; the concurrent treatment of late life and revived early trauma; transference and countertransference; the functions of developing an enriched life narrative in restoring the self; existential issues; and mourning. Throughout, the focus is on what psychotherapy can do to help. The demand for mental health services for older adults is growing alongside increasing life spans, but the psychodynamic literature has neglected this population. Blooming in December: Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with Older Adults fills this gap, offering a clear guide to effective work with older adults for all psychotherapists and psychoanalysts.

The Handbook of Rural Aging goes beyond the perspective of a narrow range of health professions, disciplines, and community services that serve older adults in rural America to encompass the full range of perspectives and issues impacting the communities in which rural older adults live. Touching on such topics as work and voluntarism, technology, transportation, housing, the environment, social participation, and the delivery of health and community services, this reference work addresses the full breadth and scope of factors impacting the lives of rural elders with contributions from recognized scholars, administrators, and researchers. This Handbook buttresses a widespread movement to garner more attention for rural America in policy matters and decisions, while also elevating awareness of the critical circumstances facing rural elders and those who serve them. Merging demographic, economic, social, cultural, health, environmental, and political perspectives, it will be an essential reference source for library professionals, researchers, educators, students, program and community administrators, and practitioners with a combined interest in rural issues and aging.

This book advances a new understanding of acculturation processes for older migrants, drawing on empirical data from migrants of Chinese heritage in Australia. It challenges the traditional models of acculturation, questions the conventional notion of integration and analyses the fluid nature of cultural identities. Drawing on insights from environmental gerontology, intercultural communication and acculturation theories, it conceptualises ageing in a foreign land as a home-building process, highlighting the collective contributions of individual, community, social, cultural, technological and environmental factors to older migrants' well-being. A consideration of what it means to age 'in place' for those whose home is not necessarily attached to one place and one culture, this volume will appeal to social scientists with interests in ageing, gerontology, migration and diaspora, as well as those working in the fields of aged care policy.

Older women run their own businesses. Older women go to aerobics classes. Older women fall in love. In fact, older women have active lives and make a major contribution to the community despite the the public assumption that they are past their use-by date. A Certain Age explores the public and private worlds of older women. Challenging the emphasis on declining health in other studies of ageing, it looks at the interactions between older women and family, friends and the community, as well as their work and leisure activities. The authors discuss the factors that are important in older woman's lives such as home, menopause, fitness, learning, widowhood and intimacy. They show that many older women maintain good health and an independent lifestyle while others experience barriers that prevent them from continuing to be active members of their community. A Certain Age is valuable reading for anyone who works with older people, develops programs or policies for older people, or is interested in the experience of growing older.

By the turn of the century, the elderly will comprise about 20 percent of the population in North" America, and 28 percent of those who drive. Place this percentage in high-powered automobiles, and the need for planning and policy development becomes evident. Most standard research on elderly drivers has not gone beyond gathering data on specific situations or characteristics. This book rises beyond simple statistical presentation. It blends sociological insight with statistical detail to produce an absorbing description of the elderly drivers' daily lives, driving styles, experiences with accident and injury, social relationships, and life aspirations. It also describes areas of neglect: imagined and real health problems, driving exposure and traffic violations, accidents, and loss of self-esteem. It presents in-depth accounts of the trauma of loss of license and the importance of the automobile for sustaining mental, physical, and social well-being. The self-imposed or self-defined rules elderly drivers use to navigate traffic or compensate for physical frailities are described in depth.The Safety of Elderly Drivers includes penetrating comments from elderly drivers who have been involved in serious accidents, and from random elderly drivers speaking for their generation of drivers. Integrating statistical findings based on Motor Vehicle Department accident data and survey data with comprehensive interviews and discussions with elderly drivers, the book provides an emperically grounded, in-depth view of the elderly driver today. Rothe summarizes theories and models of aging, along with past research on elderly drivers, projecting what the future may hold if present trends in medicine, housing, politics, migration, and mass transit continue. It closes with a series of recommendations for future traffic planning. This book will be of interest to policymakers concerned with traffic safety, as well as social scientists and others interested in gerontological issues. It is the latest in a series on traffic safety sponsored by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia in Canada.

This volume provides an important collection of recent papers on the macroeconomic effects of population ageing. The articles are focused into three categories which cover the main channels through which population ageing affects national living standards: productivity and growth; consumption and saving; and labour market and fiscal effects. The papers have been selected for their clear and valuable contributions to this field of study. The book will be an essential reference volume for academic and public sector economists, policy makers and demographers.