Population aging is a matter of global concern. It often occurs in tandem with changes in the health profile of the population. In Africa, many countries are already facing a high burden of communicable diseases. However, as more and more children survive childhood and move on to adult years and old age they are also more likely to experience health problems associated with the aging process. Population aging in Africa is occurring in the context of high levels of poverty, changing family structures, an immense disease burden, fragile health systems and weak or poorly managed government institutions. This book shows that aging is likely to lead to increased social and economic demands for the continent. However, most national governments in Africa have not begun to address the issue of how to respond effectively to the needs of the older population. This will require a better understanding of the socio-economic and demographic situation of the older population in Africa. This book fills the gaps that exist by exploring the social realities of population aging in Africa. It also focuses on the policy and programmatic responses, gaps and future challenges related to aging across the continent.

Our societies are ageing, and we need to identify sustainable and person-centred solutions for supporting frail older people in their homes. Reablement offers a radical new integrated care approach which supports older people to regain and maintain functioning and independence. This interdisciplinary book provides an introduction to the remarkable, if haphazard, international growth in reablement policies and practices in aged care over the past 20 years. Incorporating theoretical and empirical research, it considers benefits for clients and care workers, cost-saving potentials and reablement provision for people with dementia. Finally, the book reflects on key findings, challenges and the way forward for long-term care for older people.

Social Welfare, Aging and Social Theory explores how we can understand the changing relationship between social welfare and human aging. The book begins by reviewing how historical changes in society impacted on shaping emergence of scientific approaches to understand and problematize and bio-medicalize aging as akin to an illness and disease. The discussion moves to trace how particular social science theories were developed to reinforce negative perceptions of aging. The book also develops its own reflexive approach with in-depth examples of social welfare in national, international and global contexts in how aging is theorized in the postmodern world were alternative possibilities can be encountered.

"Transitions and the Lifecourse" investigates and challenges dominant interpretations of transitions in late life. Amanda Grenier takes a cross-national and interdisciplinary comparative approach to the topic of aging and the life course, yielding a fresh perspective on these transitions as well as considering some innovative strategies for addressing concerns related to them. Scholars and students interested in social gerontology, policy studies in health and social care, and older people's accounts of lived experience will find this book to be a stimulating read.

This in-depth description of life in a nursing/care home for 70 residents and 40 staff highlights the daily care of frail or ill residents between 80 and 100 years of age, including people suffering with dementia. How residents interact with care assistants is emphasised, as are the different behaviours of men and women observed during a year of daily conversations between the author, patients and staff, who share their stories of the pressures of the work. Living Before Dying shows a world where, in extreme old age, people have to learn how to cope with living communally.

Current social policy recognizes that older people should be treated as experts in their own lives and be actively involved in their care. This book explores what can be learned from older people's experiences in managing ageing. Direct connections are made between the everyday experiences and perspectives of older people, related research, and theoretical perspectives. This yields an engaging and informative analysis of how older people manage the ageing experience and what this means for policy and practice directed at promoting older people's wellbeing. The book provides an original and much-needed exploration of the strategies used by older people. It is topical and highly relevant to current issues in social policy, social work, and social care. As a unique and valuable resource for teaching, research, and practice in these areas, it provides key messages from recent and current research, relating to the experiences of older people and different aspects of community care practice.

Current social policy recognizes that older people should be treated as experts in their own lives and be actively involved in their care. This book explores what can be learned from older people's experiences in managing ageing. Direct connections are made between the everyday experiences and perspectives of older people, related research, and theoretical perspectives. This yields an engaging and informative analysis of how older people manage the ageing experience and what this means for policy and practice directed at promoting older people's wellbeing. The book provides an original and much-needed exploration of the strategies used by older people. It is topical and highly relevant to current issues in social policy, social work, and social care. As a unique and valuable resource for teaching, research, and practice in these areas, it provides key messages from recent and current research, relating to the experiences of older people and different aspects of community care practice.

This book examines policies on unpaid care throughout the UK since the 1990 NHS and Community Care Act. It questions why, after decades of policies and strategies, unpaid care remains in a marginal position in the social care system and in society more broadly, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides critical analysis of key policies and professional practice over three decades and highlights the continuing challenges faced by people in caring relationships, as well as reflecting on developments in the position of unpaid carers in the system of social care. By questioning why this crucially important sphere of human life remains under-resourced, it sheds light on the ways in which care is understood and how policy makers and service providers perceive the need for support.

The ageing of the population has enormous implications for the provision of, and access to, health care. Christina Victor's important textbook provides comprehensive overview of the experiences of older people, chapters on physical health, mental health, disability and lifestyle, a thesis of current policy developments, the key debates on the future health of elders and an international, up-to-date perspective. Written by a leader in the field, the book covers key questions such as the fitness of future older people, the widening inequalities in their health and whether health in old age is related to habits and behaviour in earlier life.

No one wants to put an aging relative in a "home." But very few people have an understanding of the issues involved and options available for an older person who needs outside care. This important book offers a variety of new insights into ways of maximizing choice, independence, and well-being, and minimizing the emotional stunting often associated with institutionalization. Both imaginative institutional programs and such alternatives as community maintenance are examined.

Specialist forms of housing with care are becoming increasingly popular in the United Kingdom, largely as a result of the ageing of the population and the relative wealth of the latest generation of older people. Retirement villages and extra care housing are two models of provision that have seen particularly spectacular growth. This is partly because in many ways they are perceived to promote government agendas for increasing independence and wellbeing for older people. They also aim to meet older people's aspirations for a good quality of life in their retirement years and to live somewhere they feel they belong. Many such housing developments are marketed as 'communities of like minded people', offering security, peace of mind, a range of facilities and new opportunities for friendship and social interaction. This important book investigates changing concepts and experiences of community across the lifecourse and into older age and how they play out in housing with care settings. An overview of how the housing with care sector has developed, both in the UK and internationally, is provided. The book emphasizes the central importance of a sense of community for older people's quality of life and explores the impact of a range of factors including social networks, inclusive activities, diversity and the built environment. The book will be of particular interest to students in the fields of gerontology, social policy, housing, planning, the built environment and community development. It will also appeal to academics, policy makers, practitioners, service providers and researchers, both in the UK and other countries with similar housing with care options, including the USA, Australia and New Zealand.

For a shockingly high number of older people, growing older is not the media's soft-focus vision of fun times and fond grandchildren but a journey of loss: loss of work and opportunity to contribute, health and well-being, family and friends. Over two million older people are stuck in persistent poverty. The diseases and disabilities associated with growing older multiply with the dramatic ageing of the population, yet the response of communities and care systems is often inadequate and ageism still abounds. At least one million of our seniors feel society has left them behind and that their lives have been reduced to survival. "Unequal Ageing" analyses the vital dimensions of money, health, place, quality of life and identity, and demonstrates the gaps of treatment and outcomes between older and younger people, and between different groups of older people. This powerful book, written by leading experts in the field, provides strong evidence of the scale of current disadvantage in the UK and suggests actions that could begin to change the picture of unequal ageing. The book is aimed at all those with a serious interest in the unprecedented challenge of our ageing society. It will be of importance to policy-makers striving to develop workable solutions, to professionals responsible for implementing those solutions, to opinion-formers wishing to examine the way attitudes about ageing are shaped, and above all to older people themselves.

Specialist forms of housing with care are becoming increasingly popular in the United Kingdom, largely as a result of the ageing of the population and the relative wealth of the latest generation of older people. Retirement villages and extra care housing are two models of provision that have seen particularly spectacular growth. This is partly because in many ways they are perceived to promote government agendas for increasing independence and wellbeing for older people. They also aim to meet older people's aspirations for a good quality of life in their retirement years and to live somewhere they feel they belong. Many such housing developments are marketed as 'communities of like minded people', offering security, peace of mind, a range of facilities and new opportunities for friendship and social interaction. This important book investigates changing concepts and experiences of community across the lifecourse and into older age and how they play out in housing with care settings. An overview of how the housing with care sector has developed, both in the UK and internationally, is provided. The book emphasizes the central importance of a sense of community for older people's quality of life and explores the impact of a range of factors including social networks, inclusive activities, diversity and the built environment. The book will be of particular interest to students in the fields of gerontology, social policy, housing, planning, the built environment and community development. It will also appeal to academics, policy makers, practitioners, service providers and researchers, both in the UK and other countries with similar housing with care options, including the USA, Australia and New Zealand.

This comprehensive graduate textbook focuses on the full spectrum of long-term care settings ranging from family and community based care through supportive housing options to a variety of institutional long-term care alternatives. Integrating theory and practice, the book features the perspectives of diverse fields regarding current long-term care options and new directions for the future. Prominent scholars from history, environmental design, family caregiving, gerontology, social service delivery, clinical care, health service delivery, public policy, finance, law, and ethics explore such themes as relationships among independence, dependence, and interdependence; ethical considerations in the provision of long-term care; decision-making in long-term care; fluidity and transitions in long-term care; the lived experience of long-term care; and a micro-macro perspective ranging from the individual to societal institutions.

Caring for an elderly family member can be overwhelming. But fulfilling life experiences are still possible for both caregivers and their loved ones, despite the stress and fatigue of caregiving. Even an elderly spouse, parent, or other family member who is significantly impaired or increasingly dependent can enjoy simple pleasures and share their joy and wisdom. In this book, Ann Kaiser Stearns explores the practical and personal challenges of both caregiving and successful aging. In her engaging, conversational tone, Stearns shares stories and lessons from many resilient caregivers. She couples findings from the latest research with powerful insights and problem-solving tips to help caregivers achieve the best life possible for those they care for-and for themselves as they age. Topics include* improving the quality of life for the one giving and the one receiving care* distinguishing normal aging from early warning signs * understanding caregiver sadness, resentment, guilt, and grief* using strategies and skills to minimize an impaired elder's distress and emotional outbursts and the caregiver's own anxieties about growing old* finding resources to aid in the care of the loved one and protect the caregiver from stress overload * moving forward after the death of a loved one to have a meaningful life of one's own * overcoming ageist stereotypes and deciding what kind of "old person" one will be* making life easier for those who someday will care for us Redefining Aging will help readers think differently about caregiving and their own aging. It will also help them empathize with and interact positively with their elderly loved ones while imagining a positive future for themselves.

With more people living longer lives, there is increased importance in the health care industry on improving services for the elderly. This comprehensive book gives an expert overview of the topics and challenges, along with imperative ethical and legal frameworks. The book also details existing programs and benefits in relation to a realistic portrayal of population needs. Other important issues are covered such as long-term palliative care and hospice, other vulnerable populations, elder abuse, public-private collaboration, evidence-based policy-making, and much more.

Based on seventeen months of ethnographic research among Indonesian eldercare workers in Japan and Indonesia, this book is the first ethnography to research Indonesian care workers' relationships with the cared-for elderly, their Japanese colleagues, and their employers. Through the notion of intimacy, the book brings together sociological and anthropological scholarship on the body, migration, demographic change, and eldercare in a vivid account of societal transformation. Placed against the background of mass media representations, the Indonesian workers' experiences serve as a basis for discussion of the role of bodily experience in shaping the image of a national "other" in Japan.

This book provides a unique critical perspective on the changing nature of later life by examining the engagement of older people with consumer society in Britain since the 1960s. People retiring now are those who participated in the creation of the post-war consumer culture. These consumers have grown older but have not stopped consuming; their choices and behaviour are products of the collective histories of both cohort and generation. The book is based on extensive analysis over two years of large UK survey data sets and charts the changes in the experience of later life in the UK over the last 50 years. Individual chapters address social change and later life, the 'third age' in consumer society, concepts of age, cohort and generation, inequalities in income and expenditure and the evolution of health and social policy.The book will appeal to students, lecturers, researchers and policy analysts. It will provide material for teaching on undergraduate courses and postgraduate courses in sociology, social policy and social gerontology. It will also have considerable appeal to private industry engaged with older consumers as well as to voluntary and non-governmental organisations addressing ageing in Britain.

The only text specifically for nurses about elder abuse in the clinical setting Nurses are required by law to report elder abuse even when it is suspected but not verified. This is the only current text written specifically for nurses that provides a detailed overview of different forms of elder abuse in a variety of clinical settings. In combination with unfolding case studies, the book presents essential facts about elder abuse needed by nurses in clinical settings and provides them with useful tools to advocate for their patients. It describes key criteria for nurses to use in recognizing, assessing, intervening in and reporting elder abuse, as well as the legal, ethical, cultural and interprofessional care considerations associated with this complex topic. Of particular value is a series of detailed and unfolding case studies that illustrate the role of nurses caring for abused elders in a variety of care settings. A ""What Nurses Need to Know"" feature containing clinical pearls and key takeaway points is threaded throughout the text. The book examines relevant characteristics of potential victims of elder abuse and their perpetrators, along with influential cultural factors. In addition, a wealth of resources for nurses to use in caring and advocating for their patients include video clips, state-by-state legal information, cultural assessment and communication tools, and patient teaching and communication resources. The book concludes with a chapter on the Future of Elder Abuse, organized by the domains contained in the Elder Justice Roadmap - direct service, research, policy, and education - as they pertain to public health and health care, including nursing, with respect to what actions are anticipated and what actions are needed. Key Features: Presents essential facts about different forms of elder abuse in varied clinical settings Describes key criteria for nurses to use in recognizing, assessing, intervening in, and reporting elder abuse Addresses legal, ethical, cultural, and interprofessional care considerations Contains unfolding case studies illustrating the roles of nurses in dealing with elder abuse Provides clinical assessment pearls, takeaway points, links to video clips, state-by-state laws and information, cultural assessment tools, and more

Giving voice to the lived experiences of people with dementia across the globe, including Australia, Canada, Sweden and the UK, this critical and evidence-based collection engages with the realities of life for people living with dementia at home and within their neighbourhoods. This insightful text addresses the fundamental social aspects of environment, including place attachment, belonging and connectivity. The chapters reveal the potential and expose the challenges for practitioners and researchers as dementia care shifts to a neighbourhood setting. The unique 'neighbourhood-centred' perspective provides an innovative guide for policy and practice and calls for a new place-based culture of care and support in the neighbourhood.

Targeted as the 'grey consumer', people retiring now participated in the creation of the post-war consumer culture. These consumers have grown older but have not stopped consuming. Based on extensive analysis over two years, this unique book examines the engagement of older people with consumer society in Britain since the 1960s. It charts the changes in the experience of later life in the UK over the last 50 years, the rise of the 'individualised consumer citizen' and what this means for health and social policies. The book will appeal to students, lecturers, researchers and policy analysts. It will provide material for teaching on undergraduate courses and postgraduate courses in sociology, social policy and social gerontology. It will also have considerable appeal to private industry engaged with older consumers as well as to voluntary and non-governmental organisations addressing ageing in Britain.

Low health literacy is a critical issue among adults, with over one-third found to have difficulty understanding such basic information as that found on prescription bottles. This is the first graduate textbook to address key health literacy issues as they affect the health and wellbeing of the ageing population. Embracing a topic spanning numerous disciplines, it features a dynamic, multiple contextual systems approach and includes contributions from renowned scholars and practitioners in gerontology, public health, social work, nursing, and other related fields. The text emphasises increasing health literacy among older adults through the use of technological tools and features the most current research, evidence-based programs, and practices. It provides expansive coverage of the intersection of technology and health literacy, highlighting innovative approaches and discussing how to use technology with resource-limited groups, and gives special consideration to rural, impoverished, culturally diverse, and low literacy elders and presents gold standard intervention programs and models. Also covered are the policy implications of programs focusing on increasing health literacy and future directions for meeting the Healthy People 2020 initiative. Case studies, review questions, accompanying PowerPoint lectures, learning objectives, will reinforce learning. Key Features: Provides a one-of-a-kind, multidisciplinary survey of the key health literacy issues of older adults. Focuses on increasing health literacy across the disciplines. Addresses a priority area of Healthy People 2020. Incorporates research and practice from gerontology, psychology, public health, social work, sociology, medicine, and nursing. Includes case studies, review questions, learning objectives, and PowerPoint slides for assisting instructors.

* offers a fresh approach, employing new and exciting custom methodologies in psychodrama * inspires and gives helpful tools to those who work with people who suffer from Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, loss, illness, self-effacement, abuse, or any issue that causes loneliness and depression * fhe focus is on old age and dementia; however, the tools and illustrations can be used by therapists, teachers, and personnel of all fields

Introduction to Senior Transportation focuses on an issue that is a growing concern-the community mobility needs of older adults. Surpassing the coverage available in existing gerontology textbooks, it enables the reader to understand and appreciate the challenges faced by older adults as they make the transition from driving to using transportation options (many of which were not designed to meet their particular needs). It considers the physical and cognitive limitations of older adult passengers, the family of transportation services, the challenges providers face in meeting the assistance and support needs of senior passengers, and the transportation methods that do and do not currently meet the needs and wants of senior passengers. This textbook addresses the educational and professional development needs of faculty, students, and practitioners working in the fields of aging, aging services, and transportation. The book has been class-tested and features innovative, practical learning tools that appeal to students and practitioners. It complements any introductory course in gerontology, human development and aging, or human factors, and will enhance the curriculum of programs in the social behavioral sciences as well as traffic safety, transit engineering, and community planning.

This original collection explores how critical gerontology can make sense of old age inequalities to inform and improve social work research, policy and practice and empower older people. With examples of practice-facing research, this book engages with key debates on age-related human rights and social justice issues. The critical and conceptual focus will expand the horizons of those who work with older people, addressing the current challenges, issues and opportunities that they face.