Written by an expert in gerontological social work and curriculum development, this book provides a wealth of clinical information for social workers and other health care professionals who counsel older adults. It describes a strengths-based, empowerment approach to treatment that integrates theory, technique, advocacy, and social policy, and encompasses the tenets of human rights. The book's content has been tested in the classroom setting for a three-year period with advanced social work undergraduate and graduate students.

The book examines various theories of aging including a contrast between the strengths-based person-in-environment theory and the pathologically based medical model of psychological problems. It advocates truly engaging with the older client during the assessment phase, and discusses a variety of intervention modalities. The psychological construct of stigma regarding aging is examined, along with the major psychopathological problems common to older adults. The book also considers Alzheimer's disease and dementia, medical problems of older adults and co-occurring psychological problems, substance abuse, older adult sexuality, elder abuse, and the vulnerabilities of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender older adults. Additionally, the book addresses mental health issues pertaining to residential settings and the aspects of death and dying that give older people concern. Extensive case studies, learning objectives, and discussion questions are featured in each chapter. The book also includes an instructor packet, PowerPoint slides, and an interactive PDF.

Key Features: Provides a wealth of classroom-tested clinical information Espouses a strengths-based approach to treatment that integrates theory, technique, advocacy, and social justice Consistent with social work mandates for a human rights focus Presents extensive case studies, learning objectives, and discussion questions in each chapter Includes an instructors packet, PowerPoint slides, and interactive PDF

As the drive towards creating age-friendly cities grows, this important book provides a comprehensive survey of theories and policies aimed at improving the quality of life of older people living in urban areas. In this book, part of the Ageing in a Global Context series, leading international researchers critically assess the problems and the potential of designing age-friendly environments. The book considers the different ways in which cities are responding to population ageing, the different strategies for developing age-friendly communities, and the extent to which older people themselves can be involved in the co-production of age-friendly policies and practices. The book includes a manifesto for the age-friendly movement, focused around tackling social inequality and promoting community empowerment.

With the impending retirement of some 76 million baby boomers in a period of huge government deficits, public anxiety about the social and economic health of an aging nation is widespread. The policy debates are contentious -- from deciding who should receive limited subsidized housing and medical services to the ongoing battle over "saving" Social Security and other entitlement programs. Some policy makers and pundits forecast disaster: elderly people will be put out to pasture with inadequate health care and financial resources, and a crumbling social welfare infrastructure will implode under the strain of intergenerational conflict.

In Aging Nation, renowned experts James H. Schulz and Robert H. Binstock agree that there is considerable cause for concern but insist that a demographic tsunami is not inevitable. Drawing from the most current data, the authors provide an in-depth analysis of the nation's evolving private and public policies on retirement, faltering employer pensions, health care, workplace conditions, and entitlement programs. They consider such timely issues as poverty among older people, rejoining the workforce after retirement, Social Security and health care reform, as well as the rise of elderly people as a powerful political force.

Dispelling popular myths and misconceptions perpetrated by politicians and pundits, Schulz and Binstock consider the economic, political, and social challenges arising from the aging U.S. population, and present a balanced -- and reassuring -- assessment of the future.

Winner of the Outstanding Publication Award, Section on Aging and the Life Course, American Sociological Association Senior citizens from all walks of life face a gauntlet of physical, psychological, and social hurdles. But do the disadvantages some people accumulate over the course of their lives make their final years especially difficult? Or does the quality of life among poor and affluent seniors converge at some point? The End Game investigates whether persistent socioeconomic, racial, and gender divisions in America create inequalities that structure the lives of the elderly. "Avoiding reductionist frameworks and showing the hugely varying lifestyles of Californian seniors, The End Game poses a profound question: how can provision of services for the elderly cater for individual circumstances and not merely treat the aged as one grey block? Abramson eloquently and comprehensively expounds this complex question." -Michael Warren, LSE Review of Books "The author's approach situates inequality experienced by older Americans in a real world context and links culture, social life, biological life, and structural disparities in ways that allow readers to understand the intersectionality of diversity imbued in the lives of older Americans...Abramson opens a window into the reality of old age, the importance of culture and the impact it has on shared/prior experiences, and the inequalities that structure them." -A. L. Lewis, Choice

In this book we wanted to identify trajectories of health and their associations with lifestyle factors in a national representative cohort study of older Mexicans. We used secondary data from the Study of Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) second wave 2014-15 in Mexico. The average healthy life expectancy of older Mexicans has actually declined over the past decade. Limited access to nutrition resources and unhealthy dietary styles, due to high poverty, have led to increasing chronic diseases like diabetes among older Mexican adults, which in turn create further financial problems as a result of high out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare. This book deals with angina pectoris, stroke, oral health, eye health, alcohol use, tobacco use, depression, loneliness, arthritis, back pain, obesity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and sleep. We hope that findings from these papers may aid public policy and programmes for older adults in Mexico.

What is meant by narrative? How can one elicit a narrative or analyze it in research? How can narrative work best be facilitated among older adults? This is the only text to provide comprehensive information about the applications of narrative approaches in community and long-term settings, writing in the virtual world, and such individual work as journaling or poetry. The book explores the theories of narratives across many disciplines, research practices and analytical strategies, and applications in work with older adults.

It has been written by a prominent researcher of the narrative construction of self in old age, whose studies have been funded by the NIH, the Brookdale Foundation, and the Alzheimer's Association, among other related achievements. The book brings together a unique blend of interdisciplinary perspectives and practices not found in other books on life stories, autobiography, and/or narrative approaches to understanding one's experiences. Specifically, it focuses on the myriad theoretical underpinnings of narrative, provides a developmental history of narrative use in gerontology, and details various ways to use narratives in a variety of research settings. Each chapter includes step-by-step guides on who to analyze and report on, and how to write up narrative data. It also discusses ways to incorporate narratives in varied practice settings such as writing workshops in retirement communities, individual writing projects, and others.

Key Features: Offers a "hands on" research tool that guides the reader from theory to research to practice Describes the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of narrative with older adults Illustrates how narrative gerontology is fundamentally different in practice than narrative research with younger participants Addresses the breadth of available narrative methods and how to apply them in a research settings Designed for use in qualitative methods, service learning, and gerontological research courses.

Spousal bereavement seems to be one of the most devastating things a person can suffer through during the course of his or her life and it can result in adverse bio-psycho-social consequences for the left behind spouse. This book offers updated views from incorporating meaning making theory and social constructionist theory to examine the mediating roles of meaning making and help readers to understand grief and bereavement experiences of the widowed elderly population in China. The volume starts with elaborating on the meaning making model, followed by an overview of grief theories and traditional culture, including empirical feedback of the results of applying the model to Chinese elderly widows and widowers. Pan's book concludes with a discussion on the implications and limitations of this research as well as future directions. The volume provides valuable theoretical reflection and empirical evidence on grief and bereavement experiences of the elderly population in China. By combining meaning making theory with a social constructionist perspective, this research develops a novel approach to apply Western models and theories to the Chinese context and effectively study China's elderly population and their grief and bereavement experiences. This volume brings the readers the benefits of understanding Chinese cultural doctrines regarding death and life, getting a comprehensive view on meaning making theory, as well as learning the specific coping skills of Chinese elderly in widowhood. This volume merits the attention of those in the fields of mental health, social work, and gerontology to help further their understanding of meaning making systems in a non-western setting.

As the drive towards creating age-friendly cities grows, this important book provides a comprehensive survey of theories and policies aimed at improving the quality of life of older people living in urban areas. In this book, part of the Ageing in a Global Context series, leading international researchers critically assess the problems and the potential of designing age-friendly environments. The book considers the different ways in which cities are responding to population ageing, the different strategies for developing age-friendly communities, and the extent to which older people themselves can be involved in the co-production of age-friendly policies and practices. The book includes a manifesto for the age-friendly movement, focused around tackling social inequality and promoting community empowerment.

Through five editions, The 36-Hour Day has been an essential resource for families who love and care for people with Alzheimer disease. Whether a person has Alzheimer disease or another form of dementia, he or she will face a host of problems. The 36-Hour Day will help family members and caregivers address these challenges and simultaneously cope with their own emotions and needs. Featuring useful takeaway messages and informed by recent research into the causes of and the search for therapies to prevent or cure dementia, this edition includes new information on * devices to make life simpler and safer for people who have dementia* strategies for delaying behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms* changes in Medicare and other health care insurance laws* palliative care, hospice care, durable power of attorney, and guardianship* dementia due to traumatic brain injury* choosing a residential care facility* support groups for caregivers, friends, and family members The central idea underlying the 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.

Come through the doors of the care homes with the care home manager, the home to our elderly, vulnerable adults, their final home. Experience the day-to-day life as a Registered manager and share some of her tales she tells. Susie tells her tales of horror and heartbreak but also those that will make you laugh and smile and happenings you will find unbelievable... Life in a care home, written by a care home manager. This little book will touch hearts and give an understanding of what it means to work in our care homes, the people we meet and those we care for, and those we work with. A Most Precious Gift is a token of thanks to all our staff that work in care homes and for those that showed their commitment and empathy working through the Covid Pandemic.

The book examines the health rights of older persons who are more likely potentially to face various disadvantages in terms of healthcare access and affordability, thereby impacting on health outcomes. The point of departure in the analyses is that the health security of older persons is guaranteed only if a country approaches the health of its citizens out of moral obligation, viewing health and well-being as a right rather than an entitlement. Data from five countries in the ASEAN region are analysed with the intent of highlighting the health inequalities and barriers at the societal and individual levels, on the one hand, as well as the gaps at the health and healthcare policy and programmatic levels within each country, on the other. It is also intended that the analyses of the data from the selected countries which represent different stages of development, and thus income levels, provide a useful comparative framework for policymakers in the ASEAN region.

The second, expanded edition of this acclaimed memoir by an Alzheimer's caregiver living with his father during his final year includes a new introduction that illustrates the immense toll of the disease, important lessons from the author's experience, and a readers' guide. Joe Thorndike was managing editor of Life at the height of its popularity immediately following World War II. He was the founder of American Heritage and Horizon magazines, the author of three books, and the editor of a dozen more. But at age ninety-two, in the space of six months he stopped reading or writing or carrying on detailed conversations. He could no longer tell time or make a phone call. He was convinced that the governor of Massachusetts had come to visit and was in the refrigerator. Over six million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's, and like many of them, Joe Thorndike's one great desire was to remain in his own house. To honor his wish, his son John left his own home and moved into his father's upstairs bedroom on Cape Cod. For a year, in a house filled with file cabinets, photos, and letters, John explored his father's mind, his parents' divorce, and his mother's secrets. The Last of His Mind is the bittersweet account of a son's final year with his father and a candid portrait of an implacable disease. It's the ordeal of Alzheimer's that draws father and son close, closer than they have been since John was a boy. At the end, when Joe's heart stops beating, John's hand is on his chest, and a story of painful decline has become a portrait of deep family ties, caregiving, and love.

Social Security (comprising Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) and Disability Insurance (DI)) is the largest single program in the federal governments budget. In 2010, annual outlays for the program exceeded annual revenues (excluding interest) credited to the combined trust funds. A gap between those amounts has persisted since then, and in fiscal year 2015 outlays exceeded tax revenues by almost 9 percent. As the baby-boom generation retires over the next 10 years, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects, the gap will widen between amounts credited to the trust funds and payments to beneficiaries. This book considers 36 policy options that are among those commonly proposed by policymakers and analysts as a means of restoring financial security to the Social Security program. Furthermore, this book presents additional information about CBOs long-term projections for Social Security in the form of 15 exhibits that illustrate the programs finances and the distribution of benefits paid to and payroll taxes collected from various groups of people.

Social work and social care services should treat older people as citizens with the same humanity and rights as every other citizen. That means services of all kinds engaging older people in a fulfilling, creative life in the mainstream of each community. Informed by a wide international literature, Malcolm Payne, a leading social work author, develops a critical and creative social work practice focused on social inclusion to achieve a high quality of life for all older people and explores how advance care planning allows older people to influence the space they live in and the quality of care that they need, and support at the end of life. He shows how integrated services can provide a secure place for older people, with opportunities for personal development and creativity in their lives and that groupwork should be a crucial part of any service to facilitate mutual support and advocacy for older people and their carers. This clearly written and well-structured textbook uses case examples and reflective points to illustrate concepts and will be essential reading for all social work students.

Five federal agencies within four departments fund home and community-based services and supports that older adults often require to continue living independently in their own homes and communities. The Administration on Aging (AoA) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Transportation (DOT), and Agriculture (USDA) provide funds, often through state agencies, to local governments and community-based organisations. The Older Americans Act of 1965 (the Act) requires AoA to promote and support a comprehensive system of services. This book addresses federal programs that fund these services and supports for older adults; how these services and supports are planned and delivered in selected localities; and agencies' efforts to promote a coordinated federal system of these services and supports. Furthermore, the book provides information on the OAA's historical development, and briefly describes the act's titles, highlighting selected provisions.

Antipsychotic drugs are frequently prescribed to older adults with dementia. Dementia affects millions of older adults, causing behavioral symptoms such as mood changes, loss of communication, and agitation. Concerns have been raised about the use of antipsychotic drugs to address the behavioral symptoms of the disease, primarily due to the FDA's boxed warning that these drugs may cause an increased risk of death when used by older adults with dementia and the drugs are not approved for this use. This book examines to what extent antipsychotic drugs are prescribed for older adults with dementia living inside and outside nursing homes; what is known from selected experts and published research about factors contributing to the such prescribing; and to what extent the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken action to reduce the use of antipsychotic drugs by older adults with dementia.

Elder abuse is a pervasive phenomenon around the world with devastating effects on the victims. Although it is not a new phenomenon, interest in examining elder abuse is relatively new. This book aims to provide an overview of the aetiological theories and measures of elder abuse. The book briefly reviews theories to explain causes of elder abuse and then discusses the most commonly used measures of elder abuse.

Elder abuse -- including neglect, abandonment, and financial exploitation, as well as physical and psychological abuse -- affects millions of Americans each year, with widespread health, legal, social and economic implications. With the input of experts and stakeholders from across the country, this book identifies and prioritises actions that direct service providers, educators, and researchers can take to benefit older adults facing abuse, neglect or financial exploitation. Likewise, it provides a roadmap for strategic investment and engagement by policymakers in both the public and private sectors to advance our collective efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse at the local, state and national levels.

Elder abuse is a complex issue that often requires a multifaceted policy response that combines public health interventions, social services programs, and criminal law enforcement for abusive behaviour. To address this complexity, the Elder Justice Act was enacted as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The act attempts to provide a coordinated federal response by emphasising various public health and social service approaches to the prevention, detection, and treatment of elder abuse. The Elder Justice Act also represents Congress's first attempt at comprehensive legislation to address abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the elderly at the federal level. This book provides a brief legislative history of the Elder Justice Act, summarises elder justice provisions enacted as part of ACA, and administrative efforts related to implementation and funding. The book then describes several issues for Congress with respect to the act's reauthorisation.

Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is the intravenous administration of nutrients carried out in the patient's home. This book analyses current practices in HPN, with a view to inform best practice, covering epidemiology of HPN in regions including the UK and Europe, USA and Australia, its role in the treatment of clinical conditions including gastrointestinal disorders and cancer, ethical and legal aspects and patient quality of life.

Productive Aging: An Occupational Perspective is a concise and practical text that takes a fresh look at our rapidly expanding and diverse older population. Recognizing the unique identity of each older person, this text provides client-centered guidelines for maximizing function, independence, and wellness. Productive Aging also outlines self-management strategies for promoting participation and engagement in productive occupations for the older persons own continuing development, health, and well-being. Productive Aging not only summarizes current evidence, but it looks into the lives of forty productive agers who shared their personal perspective with the authors as part of an original qualitative study. These participant stories, often told in the participants own words, describe how current theories of aging are applied in the lives of older adults who are currently living the experience. Older adults ages 60 to 98 describe the effective strategies they used to manage their own aging process, to structure healthy lifestyles and social connections, and to intentionally direct their own productive occupations in satisfying and meaningful ways. The results of this qualitative research study have led to a grounded theory of Conditional Independence, which guides occupational therapy approaches to productive aging in practice. Authors Marilyn B. Cole and Dr. Karen C. Macdonald explore the six productive occupations that researchers have identified as typical of older adults today: self-management, home management, volunteering, paid work, care giving, and lifelong learning. In addition to summarizing current research and theories within each occupation, concrete strategies and techniques relative to these roles are detailed, with multiple examples, case studies, and learning activities. Throughout Productive Aging, interviews with experienced practitioners, administrators, and educators reveal some of the implications of various trends and techniques. For occupational therapists, descriptions of settings and types of intervention are consistent with the latest version of AOTA's Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, Third Edition. In addition to promoting productive occupations within traditional institutional and medical-based practice, occupational therapy roles include that of consultant, educator, and advocate when treating individuals, groups, and populations in home care, organizational, and community settings. Special attention is given to developing the ability to become an effective self-manager, facilitating social participation, and maximizing clients applied functional abilities. Productive Aging: An Occupational Perspective is the perfect addition to the bookshelf of occupational therapy students, faculty, and clinicians, as well as any health care practitioner who would like to update his or her knowledge of the aging individual within his or her current practice settings.

For millions of Americans, the heartbreak of watching a loved one struggle with Alzheimer's disease is a pain they know all too well. Alzheimer's disease burdens an increasing number of our Nation's elders and their families, and it is essential that we confront the challenge it poses to our public health. In 2011, President Barack Obama signed into law the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA), requiring the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the National Alzheimer's Project to create and maintain an integrated national plan to overcome Alzheimer's disease; co-ordinate Alzheimer's disease research and services across all federal agencies; accelerate the development of treatments that would prevent, halt, or reverse the course of Alzheimer's disease; improve early diagnosis and co-ordination of care and treatment of Alzheimer's disease; improve outcomes for ethnic and racial minority populations that are at higher risk for Alzheimer's disease; co-ordinate with international bodies to fight Alzheimer's globally. This book addresses each of these points and provides further insight on the national plan to address this disease.