When tasked with providing activities for older people in care homes, it can be difficult to know where to begin. What constitutes an activity? How can you make sure activities are as positive and person-centred as possible? What can you actually do? Written by an experienced activity coordinator, this handbook is an indispensable companion for others in this role. The author provides useful background information on dementia, the importance of activities and how to get to know residents through life story work. She addresses important practical considerations such as how to assess a resident for suitable activities, activity planning, timetabling, budgeting and money-stretching, as well as more subtle issues such as how to enthuse residents and staff to join in and how to deal with resistance from colleagues. An A-Z of inventive ideas and step-by-step instructions for activities as wide-ranging as arts and crafts, cooking, exercise, gardening, meditation, music, reminiscence, themed days and trips out is also included. Offering peer-to-peer advice and encouragement as well as a wealth of practical ideas and suggestions, this is essential reading for all those involved in activity planning for older people, including those with dementia, in care homes.

Demographic and epidemiological changes mean that frail older people have come to be seen as an expensive problem for health care systems. The challenge for professionals and policy-makers is to find ways to respond to the coming crisis by delivering high-quality care in the home. This collection offers a critical analysis of home care policy and practice. It focuses on how high-quality care is provided and the practices and policies that support this. It offers case studies (both policy- and practice-oriented empirical studies) from countries that share a basic orientation to social welfare: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The nine chapters set out a critical agenda for the development of "good" practices in challenging times. This book is essential reading for students, practitioners and researchers who wish to understand diverse problems in care provision for frail older persons and the complexities of policy responses in different health and social care contexts.

This book provides a critical engagement with the intensified struggles to be found within elderly care provision. Various social and political processes, including the forces of globalisation and the de-gendering of care, have changed how we might understand this national and global political concern. Emerging discourses such as neoliberalism have also reframed elderly care to increase existing tensions at the individual, national, and transnational level. Dahl argues that in order to grasp these new realities of care we need a new analytical framework that redirects us to new sites of contestation. Dahl approaches these issues from a post-structuralist and radical feminist position, while drawing from feminist sociology, feminist political science, nursing philosophy and feminist history. In particular, Struggles In (Elderly) Care highlights how the predominantly feminist theorization of care has been dominated by a sociological bias that could be improved using insights from political science concerning concepts of power and struggle, and the importance of the state and governance. This book will be of interest to researchers in sociology, gerontology, nursing, and feminist studies.

"This book is particularly relevant now as the baby-boomer generation is aging and a greater proportion of the world's population is growing older. Interpersonal communication is clearly the most critical process for promoting social integration and adaptation of older adults within society. Yet understanding of the complex dynamics of interpersonal communication with the elderly is severely limited and the aged are often stigmatized, stereotyped, and isolated. This book will help clarify the role of communication in effective social integration and adaptation of the aged by providing comprehensive and in-depth analyses of relevant research and theory. The book integrates information on the most important issues and contexts influencing interpersonal communication and aging and the individual chapters are written by an excellent group of authors who have demonstrated expertise on their topics. The book is well organized, clearly written, and comprehensive. The major topics are logically organized and compelling. I highly recommend this book!" --Gary L. Kreps, Northern Illinois University "Aging obviously occurs at many levels, with biological, psychological, and social systems showing multidirectional and interdependent changes. What is less obvious is how these factors affect communication in later life. This volume represents a strong contribution toward solving this problem by bringing together a group of prominent scholars with diverse perspectives on language, communication, and aging." --Elizabeth A. I. Stine, University of New Hampshire "The Hummert, Wiemann, and Nussbaum book brings together a strong theoretical base with the presentation of new data. The chapters go well beyond the typical literature reviews usually found in edited volumes. The contributors provide sophisticated presentations of a variety of socially significant and unique topics, including the communicative impact of physical and cognitive changes sometimes associated with aging, patronization, verbosity, frailty, conversational skills, proper names, and the presentation of self. Some of the chapters are strongly quantitative while others are more interpretive. After building a strong rationale for the volume, the editors go on to put together a series of well-written chapters that provide a much needed emphasis on the social construction of relationships through communication. The book should prompt much new research and advance our understanding of interpersonal communication and the aging process significantly." --Teresa Thompson, University of Dayton "The rich diversity of theoretical and methodological perspectives highlighted within the various chapters is an impressive feature of this edited collection. These essays add conceptual breadth and depth to our understanding of interpersonal communication and the process of aging." --Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, Department of Communication Arts, University of Wisconsin "This book is a valuable addition to the gerontological literature. Written from the perspective of the communication researcher, it brings together existing literature and offers new insights to gerontologists working in many social science disciplines. I recommend Interpersonal Communication in Older Adulthood as a resource to any scholars interested in older adults." --Victor G. Cicirelli, Professor of Developmental and Aging Psychology, Purdue University "This book is very timely. Communication is offering a new wave of aging research, and interpersonal processes in communication are where our experiences and our personal theories of aging are grounded. This book brings together many of the researchers who are breaking new ground in communication and aging. It offers a valuable overview of where we have gone in aging theory communicatively, and where we need to go. Interpersonal Communication in Older Adulthood demonstrates the rich diversity of methods and traditions of communication research that are beginning to illuminate gerontology." --Nikolas Coupland, University of Wales, Cardiff By highlighting the commonalities across a range of disciplines, Interpersonal Communication in Older Adulthood provides a unique and broad-based perspective on communication and aging. This integrative approach brings together the best of the current research and theory from communication, cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, and medical sociology. The underlying framework of the book centers around three topics--cognition, language, and relationships--exploring the individual areas as well as the ways they intersect. In addition, this volume brings to light the implications of the elderly population's individual differences as they affect communication, and illustrates the positive as well as the negative effects of the aging process on language production, relational satisfaction, and other communication-related variables. This major reference source, Interpersonal Communication in Older Adulthood, is essential reading for anyone concerned with the issues of aging and communication.

The mistreatment of older people is increasingly recognised internationally as a significant abuse of elders' human rights. 'Scandals' and inquiries into the failure to protect older people from abuse in health and social care systems rarely address, and still less challenge, the social, economic and cultural context to the abuse of older people. This critical and challenging book makes a strong case for the development of ethically-driven, research-informed policy and practice to safeguard older people from abuse. Drawing on findings of original UK research and framed in an international context, it illustrates ways in which ageism, under-resourced services to older people, target-driven health and social care policy and services, and organisational cultures of blame and scapegoating, are a powerful yet invisible backcloth to elder abuse. Safeguarding older people from abuse will be essential reading for policy makers, politicians, professionals, campaigners, researchers and educators, and those working in criminal justice fields.

A practical guide to providing home-based mental health services, Providing Home Care for Older Adults teaches readers how to handle the unique aspects of home-based care and apply and adapt evidence-based assessment and treatment within the home-based setting. Featuring contributions from experienced, board-certified home care psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists, the book explains the multifaceted role of a home-based provider, offers concrete and practical considerations for working within the home, and highlights adaptations to specific evidence-based methods used in treating homebound older adults. Also covered are special topics related to hoarding, safety, capacity evaluations, caregivers, case management, and use of technology. Each chapter includes engaging case examples with practical tips that illustrate what it is like to work in this new and exciting frontier. Psychologists, counselors, and other mental health practitioners in home settings will be able to use this guide to provide effective home-based care to older adults.

The QCS Pool Activity Level (PAL) Instrument is widely used as the framework for providing activity-based care for people with cognitive impairments, including dementia. The Instrument was recommended for daily living skills training and activity planning in the National Institute for Clinical Excellence Clinical Guidelines for Dementia (NICE 2006). It is an essential resource for any practitioner or carer wanting to provide fulfilling occupation for clients with cognitive impairments. This fifth edition of The QCS Pool Activity Level (PAL) Instrument for Occupational Profiling retains the checklists and plans helpful in matching user's abilities with personal care and leisure activities and includes a new chapter co-written by Professor Lesley Collier on the revised 'PAL Engagement Measure' describing its use and validity. Including access to a digital version of the PAL instrument, it is an essential resource for any practitioner or carer wanting to provide fulfilling and meaningful occupation for clients with cognitive impairments.

This book focuses on older people as makers of meaning and insight, highlighting the evolving values, priorities and ways of communicating that make later life fascinating. It explores what creating 'meaning' in later life really implies, for older people themselves, for how to conceptualise older people and for relationships between generations. The book offers a language for discussing major types of lifecourse meaning, not least those concerning ethical and temporal aspects of the ways people interpret their lifecourses, the ways older people form part of social and symbolic landscapes, and the types of wisdom they can offer. It will appeal to students of gerontology, sociological methodology, humanistic sociology, philosophy, psychology, and health promotion and medicine.

Taking a novel approach to ageing, this book focuses on older people as makers of meaning and insight, highlighting the evolving values, priorities, and ways of communicating that make later life fascinating and rich. Ricca Edmondson explores what creating meaning in later life really implies, for older people themselves, for how older people are conceptualised, and for relationships between generations.

Choosing a care home is one of the more emotional and expensive decisions that anyone ever has to make. You may be unprepared, inexperienced, under time pressure and in an emotional whirlwind. This book is designed to cut through this noise and offer clear, practical advice for anyone who has to make this crucial decision. Professor June Andrews looks at everything that you need to know, from first deciding whether care is needed for someone, to choosing a care home, to what happens next. She offers honest and sensible information about costs, quality of care and accommodation, and examines the finer details of what you might consider, such as food, decor, medical services and religious arrangements. A good care home is a reward for a life well spent, and providing that care is a joy for the people who do it well. Avoiding the pitfalls, and finding the right place is the first step.

The study of death has the capacity to bring together a range of policy areas. Yet death is often overlooked within policy debates in the UK and beyond, and within gerontology. Bringing together a range of scholars engaged in policy associated with death, this collection provides a holistic account of how death factors in social policy. Within this, issues covered include inheritance, palliative care, euthanasia, funeral costs, bereavement support, marginalised deaths and disposal practices. At the heart of the book, the volume recognises that the issues identified are likely to intensify and expand over the next twenty years, as death rates continue to rise.

This unique book represents the first multi-disciplinary examination of ageing, covering everything from basic cell biology, to social participation in later life, to the representations of old age in the arts and literature. A comprehensive introductory text about the latest scientific evidence on ageing, the book draws on the pioneering New Dynamics of Ageing Programme, the UK's largest research programme in ageing. This programme brought together leading academics from across the arts and humanities, social and biological sciences and fields of engineering and medical research, to study how ageing is changing and the ways in which this process can be made more beneficial to both individuals and society. Comprising individual, local, national and global perspectives, this book will appeal to everyone with an interest in one of the greatest challenges facing the world - our own ageing.

This unique book represents the first multi-disciplinary examination of ageing, covering everything from basic cell biology, to social participation in later life, to the representations of old age in the arts and literature. A comprehensive introductory text about the latest scientific evidence on ageing, the book draws on the pioneering New Dynamics of Ageing Programme, the UK's largest research programme in ageing. This programme brought together leading academics from across the arts and humanities, social and biological sciences and fields of engineering and medical research, to study how ageing is changing and the ways in which this process can be made more beneficial to both individuals and society. Comprising individual, local, national and global perspectives, this book will appeal to everyone with an interest in one of the greatest challenges facing the world - our own ageing.

The mistreatment of older people is increasingly recognised internationally as a significant abuse of elders' human rights. 'Scandals' and inquiries into the failure to protect older people from abuse in health and social care systems rarely address, and still less challenge, the social, economic and cultural context to the abuse of older people. This critical and challenging book makes a strong case for the development of ethically-driven, research-informed policy and practice to safeguard older people from abuse. Drawing on findings of original UK research and framed in an international context, it illustrates ways in which ageism, under-resourced services to older people, target-driven health and social care policy and services, and organisational cultures of blame and scapegoating, are a powerful yet invisible backcloth to elder abuse. Safeguarding older people from abuse will be essential reading for policy makers, politicians, professionals, campaigners, researchers and educators, and those working in criminal justice fields.

As the average age of the U.S. population continues to increase, age-related policies have come under intense scrutiny, sparking heated debates. In the past, older people were seen as a frail, dependent population, but major policies enacted or expanded on their behalf have made them major players in electoral and interest-group politics. This thoroughly revised and updated edition of Robert B. Hudson's "The New Politics of Old Age Policy" not only explains the politics behind the country's age-based programs and describes how those programs work but also assesses how well--or poorly--they meet the growing and changing needs of older Americans.

Essays by leading experts in political science, sociology, law, social work, and gerontology address, among other things, theoretical approaches to age-based policy; population dynamics and the impact of growing diversity within the older population; and national, state, and local issues associated with major age-based programs. More than any other source, this book presents the most current information on growing older in the United States, including in-depth analyses of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, housing initiatives, the Older Americans Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and tax policy.

Detailed new chapters focus on financial security and retirement in the context of the Great Recession, diversity and inequality in aging populations, and implications of the Affordable Care Act. Scholars, students, and policymakers will appreciate the volume's timely overview of the evolution of aging policy.

Despite being integral parts of all our identities, sexuality, sex and intimacy are what many would call the Last Taboo in dementia care, usually seen as 'problem behaviours' to be stopped and dealt with. Informed by a combination of accessible neuroscience and person-centred compassion, Danuta Lipinska's new book shows that the human need for intimacy, attachment and sexual expression is as important for supporting the wellbeing and personhood of people with dementia as communication and care. Considering the brain as the body's biggest sex organ, it examines the cognitive changes that occur in dementia and what these changes mean in the context of sexual behaviour and consent. Taking Carl Rogers' Core Conditions and Tom Kitwood's psychological needs of persons living with dementia as a starting point, Lipinska offers a unique model for person-centred conversations about sex and sexuality that we have not seen before.

Worldwide, the population ageing is a reality. The concept of Active Ageing, adopted by the World Health Organization, aims to guarantee quality ageing and appears as a strategy to solve this demographic challenge. The technological solutions might have a key role in the promotion of human functioning and in the mitigation of disabilities, particularly those resulting from the natural ageing process. This perspective is evident in the development of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) solutions. In this context, it is relevant to know about the recent developments in AAL and discuss future trends and challenges in this area. One of the objectives of this book is to do a systematic literature review on AAL, not only considering the technology used, but also the health condition that is intended to improve. For this purpose, we consider the human functioning, in particular the conceptual model of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Considering that the ICF conceptual framework is accepted within the healthcare domain, the use of its concepts and terminologies to promote multidisciplinary approaches for AAL solutions development processes can help to overcome difficulties of communication between users, careers and technological developers. AAL solutions must consider in their development the needs of the person that will use AAL solutions. The development must be user-centred and usability questions cannot be forgotten. In addition, the acceptance of the AAL solutions is closely related to the quality of the systems, so it is necessary to appropriately assess these solutions.

Slow and delay the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, from memory loss to disorientation, with this practical activity book. Using step-by-step ideas designed to stimulate and entertain, dementia care specialist Helen Lambert explains how engaging in a variety of simple activities can benefit different parts of the brain and help to keep your mind fitter for longer. What's more, everyone can join in: each activity contains hints and tips that not only show you how to do it, but also include ways to adapt the various physical exercises, games, and craft projects for different abilities, or to include family and friends. Dive straight in to discover: -Over 50 activities to choose from accordingly relating to mood, ability and energy level -Panels include a range of advice and highlight the reactions activities may trigger and how to deal with them -Includes general guidance on the nature of memory loss and dementia and how to interact with the condition -Suitable for people with Alzheimer's, Vascular dementia and other types of cognitive impairment. Whether your interests are in music, art, gaming, or gardening, The Memory Activity Book has activities to suit, as well as ideas to inspire anyone looking for guidance on how best to interact with people affected by memory issues, Alzheimer's, or other forms of dementia. Whatever your involvement - friend, relative, partner, or patient - The Memory Activity Book offers a valuable resource for everyone living with dementia.

"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.

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.

Nursing homes are where some of the most vulnerable live and work. In too many homes, the conditions of work make it difficult to make care as good as it can be. For the last eight years an international team from Germany, Sweden, Norway, the UK, the US and Canada have been searching for promising practices that treat residents, families and staff with dignity and respect in ways that can also bring joy. While we did find ideas worth sharing, we also saw a disturbing trend toward privatization. Privatization is the process of moving away not only from public delivery and public payment for health services but also from a commitment to shared responsibility, democratic decision-making, and the idea that the public sector operates according to a logic of service to all. This book documents moves toward privatization in the six countries and their consequences for families, staff, residents, and, eventually, us all. None of the countries has escaped pressure from powerful forces in and outside government pushing for privatization in all its forms. However, the wide variations in the extent and nature of privatization indicate privatization is not inevitable and our research shows there are alternatives.

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.

As the aging population of the United States continues to increase, age-related policies have come under intense scrutiny and have sparked heated debates. This revised and updated edition of "The New Politics of Old Age Policy" explains the politics behind the country's age-based programs, describes how those programs work, and assesses how well--or poorly--they meet the growing and changing needs of older Americans.

The chapters address theoretical approaches to age-based policy; population dynamics and the impact of growing diversity within the older population; and national, state, and local political issues associated with major age-based programs. The contributors are leading experts whose essays range across disciplines, including political science, sociology, law, social work, social welfare, and gerontology.

More than any other source, this book presents the most current information on growing older in the United States, including detailed analyses of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, housing initiatives, the Older Americans Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and tax policy.

Contributors: Christina M. Andrews, M.S.W., University of Chicago; Jeffrey A. Burr, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts-Boston; Andrea Louise Campbell, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Caroline Cicero, M.P.L., University of Southern California; Kerstin Gerst, Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch; Judith G. Gonyea, Ph.D., Boston University School of Social Work; Colleen M. Grogan, Ph.D., University of Chicago; Madonna Harrington Meyer, Ph.D., Syracuse University; Christopher Howard, Ph.D., The College of William and Mary; Ryan King, S.B., Renewable Energy Systems Americas, Denver, Colorado; Sandra R. Levitsky, Ph.D., University of Michigan; Frederick R. Lynch, Ph.D., Claremont McKenna College; Laurie A. McCann, J.D., AARP Foundation Litigation, Washington, D.C.; Kimberly J. Morgan, Ph.D., The George Washington University; Jan E. Mutchler, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts-Boston; John Myles, Ph.D., University of Toronto; Christy M. Nishita, Ph.D., University of Hawaii; Jon Pynoos, Ph.D., University of Southern California; Richard A. Settersten, Jr., Ph.D., Oregon State University; Molly E. Trauten, M.G.S., Oregon State University; Cathy Ventrell-Monsees, J.D., Attorney, Chevy Chase, Maryland; Janet M. Wilmoth, Ph.D., Syracuse University

For a shockingly high number of elderly 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 the opportunity to contribute, loss of health and well-being, loss of 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. Countless seniors feel that society has left them behind and that their lives have been reduced to survival. Unequal Ageing is for all those with a serious interest in the unprecedented challenge of our ageing society. This powerful book 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. Written by leading experts in the field, it analyzes the vital dimensions

With over 3.5 million copies sold, the bestselling guide to understanding and caring for people with dementia is now completely revised and updated! For 40 years, The 36-Hour Day has been the leading work in the field for caregivers of those with dementia. Written by experts with decades of experience caring for individuals with memory loss, Alzheimer's, and other dementias, the book is widely known for its authoritativeness and compassionate approach to care. Featuring everything from the causes of dementia to managing its early stages to advice on caring for those in the later stages of the disease, it is widely considered to be the most detailed and trusted book available. Highlighting useful takeaway messages and informed by recent research into the causes of dementia, this new edition has been completely updated. It features * brand-new content on everything from home care aides to useful apps to promising preventative techniques and therapies * practical advice for avoiding caregiver burnout-plus tips for when and how to get additional help * a completely new two-column design that allows readers to quickly access what they need The central idea underlying this indispensable book-that much can be done to improve the lives of people with dementia and of those caring for them-remains the same. The 36-Hour Day is the definitive dementia care guide.