As the population of older Americans grows, meaningful perspectives on aging are needed by both the young and the old. Biblical Perspectives on Aging: God and the Elderly takes a detailed look at the views of aging presented in the Old and New Testaments. This wide ranging and insightful survey encompasses not only the entire Bible but also interpretations of sacred Middle Eastern and Judaic documents. This new expanded edition of the original classic text adds thorough discussions of the wisdom of the Bible and Jewish literature with ways to interpret these readings and what they teach about spirituality and growing older. Approaches to aging issues have changed in recent years. With the average American lifespan increasing, the view of old age as a solitary time of waiting has been pushed aside. So too has the assumption that the elderly simply want to remember "the good old days." This updated edition of Biblical Perspectives on Aging: God and the Elderly has expanded its scope to incorporate and address the effects of these changing views. This sweeping study of the Bible's positive treatment of aging and elderly figures sheds new light on contemporary society's negative view of the elderly and what can be done about it. Clear examples from both Scripture and literature provide a wealth of understanding, comfort, and wisdom to everyone interested in aging and the Bible. In addition, this new edition explores the changing relationships that exist among aging, hermeneutics, mentoring, and spirituality. The new insights revealed here reinvigorate the challenge against ageism and traditional pictures of old age as a time of withdrawal and living in the past. Among the issues explored in Biblical Perspectives on Aging: God and the Elderly are aging experiences and the Bible, biblical theology and its role in social support for the elderly, hermeneutics and old age, spirituality and its relationship to aging, cross-generational relationships and mentoring, and a detailed index of Old and New Testament Scripture references. Accessible and concise, with compelling arguments and numerous examples, Biblical Perspectives on Aging: God and the Elderly is an ideal resource for pastors, seminary students, professionals, and leaders of programs for the elderly. It shows both young and old that while aging may not be easy, Biblical theology can ease some of its mystery.

The contributors to this volume reference a shared, longitudinal corpus of spontaneous conversation elicited in natural settings from speakers with moderate to late moderate Alzheimer's Disease, utilizing other collections as appropriate, to analyze conversation, discourse and written text by and about Alzheimer's speech. Cross-disciplinary contributions from the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Germany, representing linguistics, gerontology, geriatric nursing, computer science, and communications disorders report on empirically-based investigations of social and pragmatic language competencies and strategies retained by AD patients which could ground communication enhancements or interventions.

Discover the latest research on the mental health concerns of older women Women are the primary consumers of mental health services, however, there is a paucity of research on their specific needs. Mental Health Issues of Older Women: A Comprehensive Review for Health Care Professionals presents a comprehensive overview for health care professionals, educators, and students on the study of mental health problems of aging women. This resource provides the latest research and informed perspectives by seasoned mental health clinicians. A wide range of mental health problems are explored, including dementia, cognitive impairment, alcohol abuse, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorders, traumatic and dissociative disorders, sexual and eating disorders, and personality disorders. Mental Health Issues of Older Women provides practicing therapists and counselors with a much-needed research update and a broad clinical perspective from respected experts. This book uses current psychiatric diagnoses as a framework to gain greater depth of understanding to address the mental health issues of older women. Students and health professionals will discover valuable information, inspiration, and encouragement in their work with middle-aged and older women who are facing mental health challenges. This volume provides extensive references. Topics in Mental Health Issues of Older Women include: the role of cognitive impairment in older persons assessment tools and treatment options for older women who display alcohol use problems schizophrenia in older women major depressive disorder among older women therapeutic options for anxiety disorders under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed incidents of PTSD a provocative look at dissociative identity disorder sexual problems with treatment options eating disorders with treatment approaches effective treatment options for borderline personality disorder Mental Health Issues of Older Women provides practitioners, educators, students, researchers, and administrators with an essential review of the latest research and current issues on the mental health problems of older women.

The Rolling Stones (now in their 60s) have sung to us for years about what a drag it is getting old, but it doesn't have to be that way. Despite living in a youth-oriented society, many of the aged patients seen by Dr. Levine have kept their emotional zest, intellectual zeal, and empowering dignity. Levine points to well-known public figures clearly aging with dignity and vitality. And this neurologist author shows steps we can take to age while retaining these qualities in defiance of a society that challenges this quest. Living longer is not enough for most of us; we don't want to just survive. The quality of our life as we age is most important, and much of that depends on our attitudes and approach. This text includes strategies to optimize self-esteem as well as health, including attention to nutrition, exercise, health care, education, mind stimulation, sexuality, social activities, and cosmetics and cosmetic surgery.

The Rolling Stones (now in their 60s) have sung to us for years about what a drag it is getting old, but they have proven that it doesn't have to be that way. Despite living in a youth-oriented society, many of the aged patients seen by Dr. Levine have kept their emotional zest, intellectual zeal, and empowering dignity. Levine points out well-known public figures who are clearly aging with dignity and vitality. The neurologist author shows steps we can take to age while retaining these qualities, defying a society that challenges this quest. Living longer is not enough for most of us: we don't want to just survive. The quality of our life as we age is most important, and much of that depends on our attitudes and approach. The text includes strategies to optimize self-esteem as well as health, including attention to nurtrition, exercise, health care, education and mind stimulation, sexuality, social activities, and cosmetics and cosmetic surgery.

Readers are shown the physiological facts of aging, from cellular to systemic changes. The most common diseases in old age are described, and actions are suggested to avoid many of the diseases. Levine also explores how the disorders change abilities and self-perception.

The relationship between ageing and crime has been a much neglected issue, the focus rather being on youth. This books aims to redress this imbalance, bringing together a group of leading authorities to address key issues on the subject of crime and ageing, considering older people as both victims and perpetrators of crime, and looking too at conditions faced by older prisoners. The book draws upon both criminology and gerontology, as well as sociology and social policy, to help understand the complex relationship between ageing and the criminal justice system, and argues that the needs of elders must be far more firmly on the penal policy agenda than is the case currently. Ageing, Crime and Society will be concerned with 'unsilencing' a group who because of their age and status have been muted by the criminal justice system.

Routledge Library Editions: The City reprints some of the most important works in urban studies published in the last century. For further information on this collection please email [email protected].

The relationship between ageing and crime has been a much neglected issue, the focus rather being on youth. This books aims to redress this imbalance, bringing together a group of leading authorities to address key issues on the subject of crime and ageing, considering older people as both victims and perpetrators of crime, and looking too at conditions faced by older prisoners. The book draws upon both criminology and gerontology, as well as sociology and social policy, to help understand the complex relationship between ageing and the criminal justice system, and argues that the needs of elders must be far more firmly on the penal policy agenda than is the case currently. Ageing, Crime and Society will be concerned with 'unsilencing' a group who because of their age and status have been muted by the criminal justice system.

It's terrible to get old? Life is all downhill after fifty? That's what our youth-centered culture may think but don't be duped. Selected as a finalist for 2006 Independent Publisher Book Awards, this book can change how you think about aging, even make you feel good about getting old! ". . . a liberating change is happening, a change as momentous as the liberation movements of the 1960s and 70s. It brings respect for older people, appreciation for maturity, and the promise of a more balanced culture."-from the Introduction by Margaret Karmazin and Janet Amalia Weinberg. Discover a new, positive way of looking at aging with Still Going Strong: Memoirs, Stories, and Poems About Great Older Women. This exuberant, inspiring anthology celebrates the vitality of older women and shows them having adventures, facing loss, enjoying romance, and feeling more capable and confident than ever. The 42 authors included in the collection know that life after middle age is not the diminished state dreaded by our youth-centered culture, but rather, a time of growth and fulfillment, enriched by the wisdom of experience and perspective. Get a taste of the passion, wit, and wisdom of some of these women: From "Why Vermont" by Elayne Clift: "It was great not to be driven by achievement. I was learning the art of laid-back living. Spending a day writing, or reading, was heavenly and I was reminded of my freedom whenever a friend said, 'I'd give anything to be doing that!'" From "Gray Matters" by Marsha Dubrow: ". . . finally [I] have decided to enjoy being a gray. It links me with a powerful sisterhood, complimenting each other on our gray badge of courage. A woman with dreadlocks resembling pillars of salt approached me on the street and said, 'You go, girlfriend. We're gray and we're proud-and gorgeous.' We smacked high fives." From "Katherine Banning: Wife, Mother, Bank Robber" by Melissa Lugo: "Crazy, you say? Well, wait till you hit 90 and realize you still want to live, that even though you're way past menopause you want another child, and that even though your breasts make tracks in the mud, you still want a lover, and that even though your hands shake, there are still things that you didn't get to do (like going to the Olympics and bringing home the gold) things you want to do, that you will do. Then, see what you're capable of. And you'll be perfectly sane. Senility, temporary insanity, it's all bull. Old folks know exactly what they're doing. One of the good parts about being an old fart is that you have a license to be loony tunes, to live the wild way you didn't have the balls for before. At 90, you see, your dignity's gone the way of dirty diapers, and your life is heading the same way fast. You have nothing to lose except the moment." From "A Different Woman" by Joan Kip: "My relationship with Seth is, I tell him, my great experiment. He calls me on every one of my tightly-held protections, and his pleasure in meeting my body is matched by my own freedom to respond. Ours is a relationship with no hidden agenda, no commitments. Our occasional evenings of uncomplicated delight are the intertwining of two desires who touch down and embrace one another, knowing they will meet again, sometime, somewhere. And while sex is not absent from our meetings, it is, rather, my compelling ache to be touched and held and to touch and hold that pulls me back each time to Seth. Like the newly-born whose being depends upon the enfolding presence of a parent, those of us who are now so old, glow more warmly when we, too, may share our tenderness." Still Going Strong counters demeaning stereotypes of "little old ladies" by offering positive, empowering views of women over fifty. It is a hopeful voice that speaks to any woman facing her own future.

Drawing on cutting-edge research, award-winning journalist Jonathan Rauch answers all these questions. He shows that from our 20s into our 40s, happiness follows a well-documented U-shaped trajectory, a "happiness curve", declining from the optimism of youth into what's often a long, low trough in middle age, before starting to rise again in our 50s.

This isn't a midlife crisis, though. Rauch reveals that this downturn is instead a natural stage of life - and an essential one. By shifting priorities away from competition and toward compassion, you can equip yourself with new tools of wisdom and gratitude to head positively into your later years.

And Rauch can testify to this personally - it was his own slump, despite acclaim as a journalist and commentator that compelled him to investigate the happiness curve. His own story and the stories of many others from all walks of life - from a steelworker and a limo driver to a telecoms executive and a philanthropist - show how the ordeal of midlife malaise can reboot our values and even our brains for a rebirth of gratitude.

Full of insights and eye-opening data, and featuring practical ways to endure the dip and avoid its perils and traps, The Happiness Curve doesn't just show you the dark forest of midlife, it helps you find a path through the trees.

The baby boomer generation is heading toward their retirement years, and uses of mass media - as well as the images portrayed in these media - are already being influenced by this demographic shift. This book comprehensively examines the linkage between media and aging issues, addressing mass media theory and practice as it relates to older people. Mass Media, an Aging Population and the Baby Boomers explains why aging baby boomers are an important area of mass media study, and reviews theory and research on communication and gerontology. Authors Jeremy Lipschultz and Michael Hilt focus on print media because older readers remain the most important audience for this media. They also examine television - one replacement for interpersonal communication - and consider the topic of entertainment, since older people generally have more available free time and use media for entertainment. They explore the impact of aging on advertising and public relations, and extend baby boomer media use to the Internet and new media. of aging, and presents a view of older people as important players in the political process because of the size of the demographic group. Lipschultz and Hilt also address trends and predictions related to baby boomers and mass media. This text is intended for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in communication, gerontology, sociology, and political science. It may be used as a primary or supplementary reading, and can be combined with a more general theory book.

It's terrible to get old? Life is all downhill after fifty? That's what our youth-centered culture may think but don't be duped. Selected as a finalist for 2006 Independent Publisher Book Awards, this book can change how you think about aging, even make you feel good about getting old! ". . . a liberating change is happening, a change as momentous as the liberation movements of the 1960s and 70s. It brings respect for older people, appreciation for maturity, and the promise of a more balanced culture."-from the Introduction by Margaret Karmazin and Janet Amalia Weinberg. Discover a new, positive way of looking at aging with Still Going Strong: Memoirs, Stories, and Poems About Great Older Women. This exuberant, inspiring anthology celebrates the vitality of older women and shows them having adventures, facing loss, enjoying romance, and feeling more capable and confident than ever. The 42 authors included in the collection know that life after middle age is not the diminished state dreaded by our youth-centered culture, but rather, a time of growth and fulfillment, enriched by the wisdom of experience and perspective. Get a taste of the passion, wit, and wisdom of some of these women: From "Why Vermont" by Elayne Clift: "It was great not to be driven by achievement. I was learning the art of laid-back living. Spending a day writing, or reading, was heavenly and I was reminded of my freedom whenever a friend said, 'I'd give anything to be doing that!'" From "Gray Matters" by Marsha Dubrow: ". . . finally [I] have decided to enjoy being a gray. It links me with a powerful sisterhood, complimenting each other on our gray badge of courage. A woman with dreadlocks resembling pillars of salt approached me on the street and said, 'You go, girlfriend. We're gray and we're proud-and gorgeous.' We smacked high fives." From "Katherine Banning: Wife, Mother, Bank Robber" by Melissa Lugo: "Crazy, you say? Well, wait till you hit 90 and realize you still want to live, that even though you're way past menopause you want another child, and that even though your breasts make tracks in the mud, you still want a lover, and that even though your hands shake, there are still things that you didn't get to do (like going to the Olympics and bringing home the gold) things you want to do, that you will do. Then, see what you're capable of. And you'll be perfectly sane. Senility, temporary insanity, it's all bull. Old folks know exactly what they're doing. One of the good parts about being an old fart is that you have a license to be loony tunes, to live the wild way you didn't have the balls for before. At 90, you see, your dignity's gone the way of dirty diapers, and your life is heading the same way fast. You have nothing to lose except the moment." From "A Different Woman" by Joan Kip: "My relationship with Seth is, I tell him, my great experiment. He calls me on every one of my tightly-held protections, and his pleasure in meeting my body is matched by my own freedom to respond. Ours is a relationship with no hidden agenda, no commitments. Our occasional evenings of uncomplicated delight are the intertwining of two desires who touch down and embrace one another, knowing they will meet again, sometime, somewhere. And while sex is not absent from our meetings, it is, rather, my compelling ache to be touched and held and to touch and hold that pulls me back each time to Seth. Like the newly-born whose being depends upon the enfolding presence of a parent, those of us who are now so old, glow more warmly when we, too, may share our tenderness." Still Going Strong counters demeaning stereotypes of "little old ladies" by offering positive, empowering views of women over fifty. It is a hopeful voice that speaks to any woman facing her own future.

Aging: From Fundamental Biology to Societal Impact examines the interconnection of the cellular and molecular basis of aging and societal-based challenges and innovative interventions. Sections take a societal-based angle on aging, describing several flagship initiatives for healthy living and active aging in different regions, cover the biology of aging which includes the hallmarks of aging, explain the pathophysiology of aging, describing different comorbidities associated with aging and possible interventions to decrease the impact of aging, and envision future and innovative measures to tackle aging-related morbidities. Contributions from an interdisciplinary panel of experts cover such topics as the biology of aging to physical activity, nutrition, psychology, pharmacology, health care, social care and urban planning.

Handbook of the Biology of Aging, Ninth Edition, provides a comprehensive synthesis and review of the latest and most important advances and themes in modern biogerontology. The book focuses on the trend of 'big data' approaches in the biological sciences, presenting new strategies to analyze, interpret and understand the enormous amounts of information being generated through DNA sequencing, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomics methodologies applied to aging related problems. Sections cover longevity pathways and interventions that modulate aging, innovative tools that facilitate systems-level approaches to aging research, the mTOR pathway and its importance in age-related phenotypes, and much more.

Gain first-hand knowledge of how today's lesbians aged 60 and over survived the 20th century! I didn't know we were lesbians. We lived together 13 years! Whistling Women is a unique, candid collection of the life experiences of 44 lesbians between 62 and 82 years of age. This book explores new ground with interviews about their memories, feelings, and thoughts on a diversity of perspectivesfrom growing up during the Depression and World War II, to retirement and old age at the height of the gay liberation movement. This unprecedented resource captures a first-person view of lesbian history and documents the struggles and achievements of the women who lived it. All my schooling was women-orientedso I was able to see what women and girls could give to each other. In Whistling Women, these older women share their views on: childhood and young adulthoodfamily, social factors, religion, schooling marriagehusbands, children, divorce lesbian relationshipscoming out/closet relationships, role playing, butch and fem practices conventional politicsparty affiliation, activities, concerns, degree of feminism work and moneyfinancial arrangements, home ownership, investment properties life after 60retirement, health, activities, communities and much more! I dated. I went along. I did it because basically it was the thing to do. But I had crushes on girls. Whistling Women offers you unprecedented statistics on these women and comparisons with statistics gathered in other analyses on lesbian and heterosexual women. This research includes studies of: socioeconomic class in childhood, mid-life, and at retirement level of education of participants number and duration of long-term relationshipsboth heterosexual marriages and lesbian lover relationships age of first lesbian relationship retirement statisticsyear retired, age at retirement economic resources after retirement (compared to general US population) If we had these things in the 1950s [gay bookstores and publications], how different life would be for a lot of people. But we had to pave the way. This book is significant for sociologists, gay and lesbian researchers, and gerontologists, as well as anyone interested in women's history. It also presents recollections of lesbian/mixed barssome famousstarting in the 1930s, memories of the notorious Greenwich Village, the early development of lesbian social groups, and lesbian friendships with gay men. Whistling Girls identifies many of the organizations that cater specifically to older lesbians, such as OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing for Change) and SOL (Slightly Older Lesbians).

Gain first-hand knowledge of how today's lesbians aged 60 and over survived the 20th century! I didn't know we were lesbians. We lived together 13 years! Whistling Women is a unique, candid collection of the life experiences of 44 lesbians between 62 and 82 years of age. This book explores new ground with interviews about their memories, feelings, and thoughts on a diversity of perspectivesfrom growing up during the Depression and World War II, to retirement and old age at the height of the gay liberation movement. This unprecedented resource captures a first-person view of lesbian history and documents the struggles and achievements of the women who lived it. All my schooling was women-orientedso I was able to see what women and girls could give to each other. In Whistling Women, these older women share their views on: childhood and young adulthoodfamily, social factors, religion, schooling marriagehusbands, children, divorce lesbian relationshipscoming out/closet relationships, role playing, butch and fem practices conventional politicsparty affiliation, activities, concerns, degree of feminism work and moneyfinancial arrangements, home ownership, investment properties life after 60retirement, health, activities, communities and much more! I dated. I went along. I did it because basically it was the thing to do. But I had crushes on girls. Whistling Women offers you unprecedented statistics on these women and comparisons with statistics gathered in other analyses on lesbian and heterosexual women. This research includes studies of: socioeconomic class in childhood, mid-life, and at retirement level of education of participants number and duration of long-term relationshipsboth heterosexual marriages and lesbian lover relationships age of first lesbian relationship retirement statisticsyear retired, age at retirement economic resources after retirement (compared to general US population) If we had these things in the 1950s [gay bookstores and publications], how different life would be for a lot of people. But we had to pave the way. This book is significant for sociologists, gay and lesbian researchers, and gerontologists, as well as anyone interested in women's history. It also presents recollections of lesbian/mixed barssome famousstarting in the 1930s, memories of the notorious Greenwich Village, the early development of lesbian social groups, and lesbian friendships with gay men. Whistling Girls identifies many of the organizations that cater specifically to older lesbians, such as OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing for Change) and SOL (Slightly Older Lesbians).

Population ageing is among the most important developments of our time. This book explores the profound challenges faced by an aging world. Leading experts from diverse disciplines describe the fundamental impact demographic aging has on pension systems, on the concepts of retirement and old age, and on the balance of generational justice.

Understand the impact of a global ageing population on how products are bought, and the effect this has on how to market and advertise these products and services to the older generation of consumers. This book contains models for companies to evaluate the success of their own strategies, with tools for improving their age-friendly marketing campaigns.

Examine the questions of how, what, and why associated with religiousness and spirituality in the lives of older adults! New Directions in the Study of Late Life Religiousness and Spirituality explores new ways of thinking about a topic that was once taboo but that has now attracted considerable attention from the gerontological community. It examines various approaches to methodology and definition that are used in the study of religion, spirituality, and aging. In addition, it explores the ways that gerontological research can highlight the role of religion and spirituality in the lives of older adults. The first section will introduce you to new ways of thinking about research methodology and data analysis that can be applied to studying the complexity of older adults' religious/spiritual practice and beliefs. You'll learn several approaches to the study of phenomena that are both personal and also deeply embedded in community. The second section addresses issues of definition, exploring important questions that call for critical reflection, such as: What are we studying? What social and psychological influences shape our thinking about definition? and Do the definitions used by gerontologists match those held by older people? The final section moves the study of religion, spirituality, and aging beyond a focus on health and mortality to examine well-being more broadly in the context of the life experiences of older adults. Here is a small sample of what you'll learn about in New Directions in the Study of Late Life Religiousness and Spirituality: structural equation modelinga statistical method designed to capture the dynamics inherent in the passage of time feminist qualitative methods for studying spiritual resiliency in older women spirituality as a public health issue the differences between groups of older people in the way they define religion and spirituality the psychosocial implications of two types of religious orientationdwelling and seeking older women's responses to the experience of widowhood and to the question of whether their religious beliefs were affected by the experience how social context influences our decisions and our interpretations of people's religious beliefs, behaviors, and experiences the ways that people caring for a spouse with dementia rely on religious coping a model that delineates three different ways people relate to God in copingand a study that asks whether these types of coping produce different outcomes for caregivers how people adjust to bereavement as a function of their beliefs about an afterlife

The recent explosion in population aging across the globe represents one of the most remarkable demographic changes in human history. There is much concern about population aging and its consequences for nations, for governments, and for individuals. It has often been noted that population aging will inevitably affect the economic stability of most countries and the policies of most state governments. What is less obvious, but equally important, is that population aging will profoundly affect families. Who will care for the growing numbers of tomorrow's very old members of societies? Will it be state governments? The aged themselves? Their families? The purpose of this volume is to examine consequences of global aging for families and intergenerational support, and for nations as they plan for the future. Four remarkable social changes during the past fifty years are highlighted: (1) Extension of the life course: A generation has been added to the average span of life over the past century; (2) Changes in the age structures of nations: Most nations today have many more elders, and many fewer children, than fifty years ago; (3) Changes in family structures and relationships: Some of these differences are the result of trends in family structure, notably higher divorce rates and the higher incidence of childbearing to single parents; (4) Changes in governmental responsibilities: In the last decade, governmental responsibility appears to have slowed or reversed as states reduce welfare expenditures. How will families respond to twenty-first-century problems associated with population aging? Will families indeed be important in the twenty-first century, or will kinship and the obligations across generations become increasingly irrelevant, replaced by "personal communities"? This volume goes a considerable distance to answer these critical issues for the twenty-first century. "Vern L. Bengtson" is an AARP/University Chair in Gerontology and Professor of Sociology, University of Southern California. "Ariela Lowenstein" is associate professor and head, Department of Aging Studies, University of Haifa, Israel.

Sociological Analysis of Aging: The Gay Male Perspective is an exploratory study of the life changes homosexual and bisexual men experience as they age. This unique book presents in-depth, qualitative interviews with gay men, aged 55 and older, focusing on their physical, mental, and social needs. More than one hundred men offer first-hand perceptions on the unique problems they face with regards to employment/retirement, housing, health and well-being, and relationships, and how they function within (or without) a social support system. Sociological Analysis of Aging fills in the gaps in the existing social science literature on homosexuals and aging, updating findings that were inconclusive when first published and/or based on case studies or limited samples. While standard books on aging typically deal with the impact of life events such as child rearing, the empty nest syndrome, and grandparenting, Sociological Analysis of Aging deals with the unique realities that gay men face in addition to the universal concerns of the elderly: affordable health care, affordable housing, and adequate coverage for medication costs. The study examines what can be done to assist successful aging for sexual minorities, particularly in the areas of social policy, service delivery, and public tolerance. Sociological Analysis of Aging focuses on specific research questions: Do aging gay men consider themselves to be physically healthy? Do aging gay men suffer from depression? Do aging gay men have access to social support networks? What are the housing needs of the aging gay communitypresent and future? How involved are aging gay men with family, friends, church, and community? In addition, the men interviewed were asked what, if anything, was left on a to-do list; what the best and worst aspects of aging are; and what, if anything, they would change about the course their lives had taken. Their answers make Sociological Analysis of Aging: The Gay Male Perspective an essential resource for therapists, counselors, and social workers, and for academics working in sociology, psychology, gerontology, and gay studies.

The Last Years of Long Lives is a unique account of that period of old age which precedes death. Based on 400 complete individual histories and covering a twenty-year period, it looks at the experiences of people over eighty years old in three important areas: disability, family life and health care. Using the life-course approach to research, it reveals rich data about the contributions of formal and informal care and how life expectancy and experiences of disability interact with experiences of care.

The reader is invited to conceptualise these phenomena as processes in continuous time - processes that are sometimes long and complex, sometimes short and simple - and learns about the four types of disability career before death. At the same time, the author presents a three-stage model of informal care and examines the main patterns of formal service use.

The Last Years of Long Lives presents a new way of looking at old age for students, researchers, practitioners and policy makers and gives a comprehensive picture of what has been called 'the fourth age'.

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