As our global demographic shifts towards an increasingly aging population, we have an opportunity to transform how we experience and think about getting older and embrace the diversity and contribution that this population can bring to society. The International Handbook of Positive Aging showcases the latest research and theory into aging, examining the various challenges faced by older adults and the ways in which we can bring a much-needed positive focus towards dealing with these. The handbook brings together disparate research from medical, academic, economic and social community fields, with contributions from NHS partners, service users, universities across the United Kingdom and collaborations with international research leaders in the field of aging. Divided into sections, the first part of the book focuses on introducing the concept of positive aging before going on to cover the body over the life course, well-being and care delivery. All contributors recognise the fact that we are living longer, which is providing us with a tremendous opportunity to enjoy and flourish in healthy and fulfilling later lives, and this focus on the importance of patient empowerment is integral to the book. This is a valuable reference source for those working in developmental psychology, clinical psychology, mental health, health sciences, medicine, neuropsychological rehabilitation, sociology, anthropology, social policy and social work. It will help encourage researchers, professionals and policymakers to make the most of opportunities and innovations to promote a person's sense of independence, dignity, well-being, good health and participation in society as they get older.

Psychodynamic Approaches to the Experience of Dementia: Perspectives from Observation, Theory and Practice demonstrates the impact of healthcare approaches that take into account not only the practical needs but also the emotional experience of the patient, their partners, families and friends, lay carers and professional staff. Currently there is no cure for dementia, but the psychosocial and therapeutic approaches described in this volume have appeared to help people, both patients and carers, feel more contained and less lonely and isolated. Psychoanalytic theory provides a disciplined way of thinking about the internal world of an individual and their relationships. Each author provides their own commentary on the personal and interpersonal effects of dementia, endeavouring to understand behaviours and emotions which may otherwise seem incomprehensible. The subject is approached from a psychodynamic perspective, considering the unconscious, previous and current experiences and relationships, including those between patients and staff. Psychodynamic Approaches to the Experience of Dementia illustrates the practical and theoretical thinking of clinicians from a wide range of disciplines who are engaged in the care of people in late life with a diagnosis of dementia. It will be essential reading for mental health and health professionals in practice and training in the field of dementia.

The Journey of Life is both a cultural history of aging and a contribution to public dialogue about the meaning and significance of later life. The core of the book shows how central texts and images of Northern middle-class culture, first in Europe and then in America, created and sustained specifically modern images of the life course between the Reformation and World War I. During this long period, secular, scientific and individualist tendencies steadily eroded ancient and medieval understandings of aging as a mysterious part of the eternal order of things. In the last quarter of the twentieth century, however, postmodern images of life's journey offer a renewed awareness of the spiritual dimensions of later life and new opportunities for growth in an aging society.

Loneliness in Later Life concerns the personal and social changes associated with aging, a topic that is becoming increasingly popular with both professionals and those in the Third Age themselves. The nature of loneliness is analyzed and clearly distinguished from solitary living, which need not be an unpleasant state. Through an examination of material drawn from literature and modern research, including the author's own experience, the book arrives at the happy conclusion that older people are not, in general, lonelier than when they were younger.

`And that is one thing we need to relearn, that all of life brings its gifts - not only the first two or three decades.' - Rudolf Steiner When are we actually old? What happens as we age? How will we cope with old age? Growing old is an art, and to grow old in the right way we need spiritual understanding. In this enlightening anthology - compiled by a director of care homes for the elderly - wide-ranging cosmological perspectives alternate with detailed observations of the phenomena of ageing. Rudolf Steiner sees ageing within the context of the earthly and spiritual evolution that encompasses all forms of existence. The book thus begins with the primary meaning that ageing has in developmental terms and ends with a consideration of the human being as co-creator in cosmic processes - and with our capacity to become increasingly conscious of the tasks this implies. These key texts by Rudolf Steiner show how spiritual knowledge can broaden the current debate on the study of old age, the process of ageing, and the particular problems faced by older people. Concerns about our `ageing population' can be seen in a broader context that recognizes the fruits of old age. The productive relationship between childhood and old age - a running theme throughout this volume - is one example. If we grow old consciously, viewing ageing not only as a period of physical decline but as a time when we can actively participate in shaping life, then we can begin to find greater meaning in it. Chapters include: `The Core Messages of Ageing'; `Fundamental Principles of Gerontology'; `Ageing as a Developmental Process'; `Ageing: the Risks and Opportunities'; The Art of Growing Old'; `Old Age and Death'; `Growing Old - A Challenge for Education'; `The Cosmological Dimensions of Ageing'.

Loneliness in Later Life concerns the personal and social changes associated with ageing, a topic which is becoming increasingly popular as the number of those in the Third Age themselves reaches unprecedented levels. It analyses the nature of loneliness, clearly distinguishing it from the experience of solitary living, which in its turn is explored, and valued. Through an examination of material drawn from literature and moderen research, including the author's own experience, the book arrives at the happy conclusion that older people are not in general, lonelier than when younger.

This state-of-the-art review on longevity focuses on centenarians, studied as a model of positive biology. The extraordinary rise in the elderly population in developed countries underscores the importance of studies on ageing and longevity in order to decrease the medical, economic and social problems associated with the increased number of non-autonomous individuals affected by invalidating pathologies. Centenarians have reached the extreme limits of human life span. Those in relatively good health, who are able to perform their routine daily tasks, are the best examples of extreme longevity, representing selected individuals in which the appearance of major age-related diseases - including cancer and cardiovascular diseases - has been consistently delayed or avoided. The relationship between causality and chance is an open discussion topic in many disciplines. In particular, ageing, the related diseases, and longevity are difficult to define as a consequence of causality, chance or both. Discussing the relevance of these different factors in the attainment of longevity, the book gathers contributions on genetic, epigenetic and phenotypic aspects of centenarians. The "positive biology" approach is applied to clarify the causes of positive phenotypes, as well as to explain the biological mechanisms of health and well-being with the aim of preventing and/or reducing frailty and disability in the elderly.

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

The aging of society is a growing concern in all advanced nations, and at the forefront of concern is long-term care for frail older people. Enactment of a new public long-term care insurance program by the Japanese government in 1997 provided an excellent opportunity for a conference focusing on an ideal long-term care system for frail older people. The conference was organized around four major themes: Social aspects, including family dynamics and the role of formal providers; Clinical aspects, including effective treatments for physical and mental disabilities; Macroeconomic and macropolitical settings for public policy; Program design and management issues. With contributions from the fields of medicine, nursing, social work, gerontology, political science, economics, and sociology, this volume provides an overview of key problems and possible solutions in programs for frail older people from a unique international perspective.

This is a complete critical edition of Cicero's Cato Maior de Senectute (On Old Age )with an introduction and commentary. The text is based on a fresh examination of the manuscript tradition while the introduction aims to place the work in the context of Cicero's writings on old age in the ancient world. The Roman and Ciceronian qualities of the work are emphasized, rather than the search for lost sources that occupied scholars in the past. Matters of text, language, and content are all considered equally in the commentary.

Enhancing the Wellbeing and Wisdom of Older Learners: A Co-research Paradigm examines how lifelong learning, becoming wise, and sharing wisdom are integrally linked to older people's wellbeing. The book highlights appropriate learning styles and pedagogies for older people, including research models emphasising participation, and offers recommendations for research in lifelong learning with the potential to effect change. Focusing upon a collaborative action research project, 'Sagaciation', chapters explore the involvement of older learners in the design and delivery of the scheme, which enabled them to expand their knowledge and skills, and to fully engage as critical and creative voices in a supportive and welcoming environment. The book offers an account of the process of the action research, as well as its findings. The project is set into the context of leading academic thinking on fields such as the growth of an ageing population, the rise of literature on ageing, negative and positive constructions of ageing, social gerontology, the wellbeing and health of older people, and educational gerontology. This book challenges negative representations of older people as a burden by offering a paradigm of hope, resilience, and sagacity within education and beyond. It will appeal to researchers, academics and postgraduate students in the fields of adult education, lifelong learning, gerontology, mental health and wellbeing, and the sociology of education, as well as to policymakers and those working with older people

In the World Library of Psychologists series, international experts present career-long collections of what they judge to be their finest pieces - extracts from books, key articles, salient research findings, and their major practical theoretical contributions. Elaine Funnell has played an important role in the study of neuropsychology over the past 25 years. She has been at the forefront of groundbreaking research on individuals suffering with acquired disorders of written and/or spoken language resulting from brain damage. With commentary by Nicola Pitchford and Andrew Ellis, this volume presents Elaine's most significant contributions in her two main specialist areas: adult neuropsychology of semantic disorders, with a focus on disorders of naming in dementia, and acquired language and literacy disorders in childhood. The publications included in this volume date back to 1988, where Elaine co-authored a major review of theories regarding the representation of meanings in the mind and brain. They then bring us right up-to-date with a previously unpublished paper from 2010, which has been recently edited by the co-author, Mike Kopelman, for this edition. Through her exceptional work, Elaine has greatly advanced our understanding of the brain processes behind written and spoken language, and this book represents an original and timely contribution to the field. Acquired Language Disorders in Adulthood and Childhood will be of great interest to researchers and postgraduate students in adult and child neuropsychology, specifically for those specialising in semantic and language disorders.

In Disciplining Old Age Stephen Katz gives us a sophisticated and theoretically rigorous approach to what gerentology does. He deftly and subtly combines the theories of Foucault, Bourdieu, and the Althusser in his analysis of what he calls the "gerontological web."

Katz explores how political and social sciences have differentiated the elderly as a special kind of population characterized in negative terms, and he examines the literature of the discipline and shows how gerontology as built itself as a discipline through its journals, associations, funding agencies, and "schools of thought."

What does it mean to be able to move? The Aging Body in Dance brings together leading scholars and artists from a range of backgrounds to investigate cultural ideas of movement and beauty, expressiveness and agility. Contributors focus on Euro-American and Japanese attitudes towards aging and performance, including studies of choreographers, dancers and directors from Yvonne Rainer, Martha Graham, Anna Halprin and Roemeo Castellucci to Kazuo Ohno and Kikuo Tomoeda. They draw a fascinating comparison between youth-oriented Western cultures and dance cultures like Japan's, where aging performers are celebrated as part of the country's living heritage. The first cross-cultural study of its kind, The Aging Body in Dance offers a vital resource for scholars and practitioners interested in global dance cultures and their differing responses to the world's aging population.

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.

This volume contends that young individuals across Europe relate to their country's history in complex and often ambivalent ways. It pays attention to how both formal education and broader culture communicate ideas about the past, and how young people respond to these ideas. The studies collected in this volume show that such ideas about the past are central to the formation of the group identities of nations, social movements, or religious groups. Young people express received historical narratives in new, potentially subversive, ways. As young people tend to be more mobile and ready to interrogate their own roots than later generations, they selectively privilege certain aspects of their identities and their identification with their family or nation while neglecting others. This collection aims to correct the popular misperception that young people are indifferent towards history and prove instead that historical narratives are constitutive to their individual identities and their sense of belonging to something broader than themselves.

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Feminist women bequeath to us a powerful critique of our society's obsession with beauty and impossible body ideals. Having refused makeup, high heels, and short skirts in their youth, these women are now entering the most stigmatized stage in a woman's life--old age. As she becomes the "older woman," the feminist's rejection of beauty standards and her ability to locate self-worth is being challenged.How will feminists respond to the issues raised in this phase of their lives? By confronting the issues unique to older women in our culture and society, these authors redress the neglect and isolation experienced within contemporary feminism and gerontology.Ultimately, the goal of the book is to inspire the aging woman to more easily embrace the "older other" within her.

There are more than 15 million people aged over 65 currently living in the MENA region, yet little attention has been paid to the cultural significance of growing old. This book recognises the widespread silence by countering the critical corpus that reads modern Arabic novels as a political discourse with an emphasis on youth achievement. By assembling a range of fictional works from different parts of the Arab world that incorporate older characters, this book draws on a range of theoretical approaches to aging, particularly from the perspective of gender and feminism, to reconcile the biological and cultural understandings of old age. It reveals that there is no standard female or male experience and no single prototype of oldness in the modern Arabic novel, and that men and women manifest a multiplicity of identities, concerns, and experiences as they grow older.

Winner of the 2020 Anselm Strauss Award for Qualitative Family Research, National Council on Family Relations. How is qualitative data actually collected, analyzed, and accomplished? Real stories of How Qualitative Data Analysis Occurs: Moving Beyond "Themes Emerged" offers an in-depth look into how qualitative social science researchers studying family issues and dynamics approach their data analyses. It moves beyond the usual vague statement of "themes emerged from the data" to show readers how researchers actively and consciously arrive at their themes and conclusions, revealing the complexity and time involved in making sense of thousands of pages of interview data, multiple data sources, and diverse types of data. How Qualitative Data Analysis Occurs focuses on a diversity of topics in family research across the life course. The various authors provide detailed narratives into how they analyzed their data from previous publications, and what methodologies they used, ranging from arts-based research, autoethnography, community-based participatory research, ethnography, grounded theory, to narrative analysis. Supplemental figures, images, and screenshots which are referred to in the chapters, are included in an accompanying eResource, as well as links to the previously published work on which the chapters are based. This book is an invaluable resource for experienced and novice qualitative researchers throughout the social sciences.

Old age is part of the life cycle about which there are numberous myths and stereotypes. The appropriateness or otherwise of these myths is evaluated by Christina Victor using detailed statistical material from a biographical and anthropological perspective.;This edition of this review of the present and future needs of the elderly provides an up-to-date overview of the position of older people in late-20th century Britain. It examines their social and economic circumstances and the main policy issues including pensions, housing, health and social care. Data from Britain and other countries completes the revision of this standard work for social and health workers, sociologists and social policy analysts at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.;This book should serve as a useful introduction to the characteristics of older people in a modern industrial society. It should be of interest to Project 2000 (adult branch) and MSc students of social gerontology and social policy.

Research Design in Aging and Social Gerontology provides a review of methodological approaches and data-collection methods commonly used with older adults in real-life settings. It addresses the role of normative age-related sensory, cognitive, and functional changes, as well as the influence of generational cohort (age-period-cohort) upon each design. It discusses the role of older adults as true co-researchers; issues uniquely related to studies of persons residing in community-based, assisted, skilled, and memory-care settings; and ethical concerns related to cognitive status changes. The text concludes with detailed guidelines for improving existing data collection methods for older persons and selecting the best fitting methodologies for use in planning research on aging. Features of Research Design in Aging and Social Gerontology include: Descriptions and evaluations of a wide range of methodological approaches, and methods used to collect data about older persons (quantitative, qualitative, mixed, and emergent methods: photovoice, virtual environments, etc.) Ways to match research questions to selection of method without a preconceived methodological preference or dominance Real-world and applied examples along with cases from the gerontological literature "How to" sections about reading output/software reports and qualitative-analysis screenshots (from ATLAS.ti) and quantitative (SPSS) output and interpretation Pedagogical tools in every chapter such as text boxes, case studies, definitions of key terms, discussion questions, and references for further reading on chapter topics Glossary of key terms, complete sample research report, and an overview of past methodological research design work in gerontology Companion website at www.routledge.com/cw/Weil where instructors will find PowerPoint presentations, additional discussion questions, and a sample syllabus; and students will find flashcards based on glossary terms, a downloadable copy of the sample research report in the text, and links to data sets, related websites, further reading, and select gerontological journals This text is intended for upper-level undergraduates and masters students in aging and gerontology as well as students in human development, applied anthropology, psychology, public health, sociology, and social-work settings. Health care professionals, social workers, and care managers who work with older adults will also find this text a valuable resource.

Age Concern always seeks to be at the forefront in raising issues of importance as part of our continuing fight to improve the quality of life of older people. To this end we are privi leged in being able to draw on the skills of people with the commitment, expertise and enthusiasm to press for much needed change. When, some years ago, we published a book by Mervyn Eastman on old age abuse, the subject was largely unrecognized. He played a pioneering role in drawing atten tion to this difficult and sensitive topic, classifying the various types of abuse, analysing their causes, their tragic effects and the different contexts in which they were likely to occur. Earlier, when I joined Age Concern, I had been struck by the paucity of knowledge of old age abuse. My previous work with children and young people provided me with stark reminders of how much more developed both policy and prac tice were in dealing with the abuse of children. Even in that field there was still much to learn, and subsequent legislation, policy guidelines and codes of practice have taken us further down the road by constructing clear lines of accountability and by protecting and representing children at risk, by helping potential abusers and developing practice that avoids punish ing victims through removing them from their homes."

In recent years, the literature on the topic of ethnic and racial issues in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias has increased dramatically. At the same time, the need for cultural competence in all of geriatric care, including dementia care, is increasingly being acknowledged. Dementia is a large societal problem affecting all communities, regardless of race or ethnicity, and understanding dementia for specific groups is tremendously important for both clinical knowledge and for health planning as a nation. This third edition of Ethnicity and the Dementias offers invaluable background information in this area, while also examining how those suffering from dementia and their family members respond or adapt to the challenges that follow. Thoroughly updated and revised throughout, the book features contributions from leading clinicians and researchers in the field, with particular attention given to genetic and cultural factors related to dementia, effective prevention and treatment strategies, and issues in caregiving and family support. Chapters offer specific recommendations for dementia care in eleven ethnic/racial groups, as well as suggestions for working effectively with LGBTQ families. Providing a truly comprehensive resource on ethnicity and dementia, and including reflections on emerging trends and the future of caregiving, this new edition is ideal reading for clinicians, educators, researchers, policy makers, and families, in search of the most current ethnogeriatric findings.

The issue of elderly care is becoming increasingly important in both "developed" and "developing" countries alike as population structures change, and the trend towards ageing populations gathers momentum. This text presents a diverse range of progressive programmes from all parts of the world for the care of elderly people, ranging from community care schemes to fitness and income generation.;This book should be of interest to students of gerontology, as well as government planners and international agencies/charities concerned with ageing, and health care providers and planners.