This book explores positive aging through the lens of precarity, aiming to ground positive aging theories in current social contexts. In recent years, research on aging has been branded by growing disagreements between supporters of the successful aging model and critical gerontologists who highlight the widening inequalities, disadvantages and precarity that characterize old age. This book comes to fill a gap in knowledge by offering an alternative view on positive aging, informed by precarity and its impact on projections concerning aging. The first part of the book places aging in broader theoretical and empirical context, exploring the complex links between views on aging, successful aging theories, policy and social reality. The second part uses results from a qualitative research conducted in Germany to illustrate the dissonance between successful aging ideals and both negative and positive views on aging as well as aging preparation strategies inspired by precarity. Findings from this section provide a solid starting point for comparisons with countries that are both similar and different from Germany in terms of welfare regimes and aging policies. The final part of the book discusses the psychological implications of these findings within and beyond the German case study and outlines potential solutions for practice. This book provides health psychologists, gerontologists, sociologists, social workers, health professionals as well as students and aging individuals themselves with better understanding of the meaning of aging in precarious times and builds confidence about aging well despite precarity.

The ageing of the world s population is one of the major achievements of modern society. By 2050, an estimated 2 billion people will be aged 60 years or over. However, ageing poses major challenges and this is especially true for the field of ophthalmology, given that the major eye diseases age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataract predominantly affect the elderly.The challenges facing ophthalmology in an ageing society have not previously been addressed in a comprehensive way, although there are common denominators of the various eye diseases that affect the elderly. This book provides such a comprehensive overview encompassing epidemiology, risk factors, current treatment and prophylaxis, disability, co-morbidity, and the impact on quality of life. World leaders in their respective fields provide state-of-the-art knowledge on the geriatric aspects of ophthalmology that will help to improve the management of this growing patient population.

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of the field of developmental programming of ageing phenotypes. Although gerontological research has traditionally focused on later stages of the life cycle, growing evidence indicates that both the rate of ageing-associated functional declines, and the risks of later-life chronic pathological conditions, can be traced to origins early in life. While other books in the field concentrate on the developmental origin of particular disorders, this volume offers a detailed guide to all important aspects of the role of early-life conditions in programming both chronic pathological conditions and the ageing process. Interest in the study of ageing and longevity had its beginnings in research on the fetal origins of adult disease. This has evolved into a hypothesis on the Developmental Origins of Adult Health and Disease (DOHaD), which postulates that adverse environmental exposures during critical in-utero and early postnatal stages of development may permanently change physiological responses and cause functional impairments and disorders in adult life. In this book, the contributing authors and leading experts from around the world, describe research on mechanisms underlying the developmental programming phenomenon, as well as interventional strategies aimed at restoring developmentally disrupted epigenetic patterns. Early Life Origins of Ageing and Longevity benefits a wide audience of working scientists, clinicians, and advanced students, and will also interest scientifically curious general readers who wish to know more about current research in this rapidly evolving field.

As the population ages, increasing numbers of older people require the attention and services of mental health professionals. Despite their prevalence, however, mental health problems in this population often go undiagnosed and therefore untreated. This textbook offers medical students and professionals the information they need to care for older people with mental disorders.

Drs. Donna Cohen and Carl Eisdorfer, two internationally recognized experts in geriatric mental health, provide a comprehensive framework within which students and practitioners alike can address the salient issues of the field. These include the biopsychosocial aging processes, specific pathologies prevalent in later life, social issues common to the elderly, the delivery of care in various settings, and the economic policies affecting services for older people.

The authors' goal is not only to enhance clinical practice but also to urge physicians to develop and coordinate a more holistic care strategy that acknowledges the complex challenges of older patients. To this end, Cohen and Eisdorfer discuss essential principles of optimal care, the latest research findings, evidence- and consensus-based practice standards, resources to help professionals keep abreast of the changing mental health landscape, and ethical dilemmas of clinical practice and research.

The signal strength of this book lies in its integrated approach, an approach that emphasizes the philosophy and principles of caring for older people along with clinical practices and issues. From this broader perspective, the authors describe the many factors that influence the lives, health, and well-being of older patients and their caregivers, making this an ideal text for psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, and social workers.

Today, approximately 1.6 million American children live in what social scientists call "grandfamilies"-households in which children are being raised by their grandparents. In You've Always Been There for Me, Rachel Dunifon uses data gathered from grandfamilies in New York to analyze their unique strengths and distinct needs. Though grandfamilies can benefit from the accumulated wisdom of mature adults raising children for a second time, Dunifon notes, such families also face high rates of health problems as well as parenting challenges related to a large generation gap. Grandfamilies are also largely hidden in American society, flying under the radar of social service agencies, policymakers, and family researchers. This book gives family researchers a greater understanding of a unique family form, and also offers service providers, policymakers and the general public important information about the lives of an important group of American families.

This updated and expanded second edition of Resilience in Aging offers a comprehensive description of the current state of knowledge with regard to resilience from physiological (including genetic), psychological (including cognitive and creative), cultural, and economic perspectives. In addition, the book considers the impact of resilience on many critical aspects of life for older adults including policy issues, economic, cognitive and physiological challenges, spirituality, chronic illness, and motivation. The only book devoted solely to the importance and development of resilience in quality of life among older adults, Resilience in Aging, 2nd Edition continues to offer evidence-based theory, clinical guidelines, and new and updated case examples and real-world interventions so professional readers can make the best use of this powerful tool. The critical insights in this volume are concluded with a discussion of future directions on optimizing resilience and the importance of a lifespan approach to the critical component of aging. The book's coverage extends across disciplines and domains, including: Resilience and personality disorders in older age. Cultural and ethnic perspectives on enhancing resilience in aging Sustained by the sacred: religious and spiritual factors for resilience in adulthood and aging. Building resilience in persons with early-stage dementia and their care partners. Interdisciplinary geriatric mental health resilience interventions. Developing resilience in the aged and dementia care workforce. Using technology to enhance resilience among older adults. This wide-ranging and updated lifespan approach gives Resilience in Aging, 2nd Edition particular relevance to the gamut of practitioners in gerontology and geriatrics, including health psychologists, neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, geriatricians, family physicians, nurses, occupational and physical therapists, among others.

Social Theories of Aging: A Brief Synopsis introduces students to a broad spectrum of social theories on aging. Each theory is categorized as first, second, or third generation according to three theoretical levels: micro-level (individual aging theories), macro-level (societal aging theories), and micro-macro-level (emerging theories). The book provides students not only with a synopsis of key theories but with the agency to create their own knowledge and search for answers within the gerontology discipline. Over the course of six chapters, students explore a variety of generational theories. Each overview presents a theory's level, intellectual origins, and basic tenets. The theories span many fields and subfields of gerontology including social gerontology, sociology, anthropology, public administration, psychology, social work, and geriatrics. Activity Theory, Disengagement Theory, Modernization Theory, Continuity Theory, Exchange Theory, Age Stratification, Social Constructionist, and Transformative Learning Theory are just a few of the theories addressed in the text. Highly accessible and concise in nature, Social Theories of Aging is an ideal textbook for introductory gerontology courses. It can also be used in graduate level courses to remind students of the theoretical underpinnings of gerontology.

Geropsychology-the field of psychology concerned with the psychological, behavioral, biological, and social aspects of aging-has developed repidly in the past two decades, in response to the ever increasing aging population worldwide. This clinical casebook describes current best practice in managing complex cases involving common mental health issues in later life. It includes chapters by leading authorities in the field-experienced practitioners, researchers, and educators-who address contemporary issues in clinical work with older adults. It will be useful for clinicians wishing to update their practice, educators looking for case material to enrich their didactic courses, and students and practitioners new to working with older adults seeking guidance in approaching casework with this population. The book spans the international arena of practice, illustrating both universal themes in clinical work as well as regional practice issues that can inform health professionals more broadly. Each chapter is designed to inform the reader about the rich context in which clinical work occurs, including how the setting, the therapist's approach, and the nature of the problem interact to influence outcomes. Throughout, the cases have been carefully chosen to reflect archetypal scenarios and provide practical, empirically informed guidance for assessment, formulation, and formulation, and interventions. The cases deal with complex issues of diagnosis and formulation, assessment and intervention techniques, ethical and legal issues, and interdisciplinary perspectives that will appeal to a wide range of mental health professionals. The text provides points for reflection from the cases, as well as key references in the area, with an emphasis on current issues and theoretical perspectives. Providing a range of expertise in a single source, the Casebook of Clinical Geropsychology is an invaluable resource for anyone concerned with the mental health needs of older people.

This comprehensive book presents an evidence-based approach to treating asthma in adults aged 65 and older, a vulnerable subset of patients who are more likely to experience higher morbidity and mortality rates, and often enduring higher financial burdens related to treatment. Treatment of Asthma in Older Adults: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Guide is a unique resource, providing an up-to-date review of medication strategies, how asthma phenotypes and treatment decisions interact, and how controlling asthma triggers impacts long-term asthma outcomes in older patients. Additionally, the book incorporates recent advances in alternative therapies that improve the patient's quality of life. Opening discussions address the unique challenges of the differential diagnosis of asthma in older adults, as well as an examination of the significant medical comorbidities that co-exist with asthma. Subsequent chapters provide strategies to optimizing asthma management in this specific population, including information on case management that will assist allied health providers. Finally, the book closes with an analysis of several novel targets for therapy to treat severe asthma including biologics, macrolides and bronchial thermoplasty. Written by experts in the field, Treatment of Asthma in Older Adults: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Guide is an indispensable resource for allergists, pulmonologists, family physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and all other allied clinicians.

A practical and easy-to-use resource that will help not only dermatologists but also primary care physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and others to identify cancerous skin lesions correctly Includes hundreds of high-quality color images that illustrate all of the common cutaneous malignancies and frequent mimickers Also presents biopsy techniques, treatment options, and treatment complications The incidence of skin cancer has risen rapidly in recent decades, and patients often present initially to practitioners in many different specialties. Because skin cancer can vary in clinical appearance, even dermatologists may experience difficulty in reaching a clinical diagnosis. For primary care physicians and physician extenders (physician assistants, nurses, and nurse practitioners), who have had very little or no formal training in dermatology, the task can be still more daunting. In this atlas, the authors set out to provide a practical resource that will help improve the 'visual vocabulary' of physicians and physician extenders, helping them identify lesions that should be biopsied. Hundreds of high-quality color images are included to assist the reader in the task of recognition and identification. All of the common cutaneous malignancies are illustrated, with a number of examples of each entity and of common mimickers. In addition, biopsy techniques and treatment options are presented in step-by step detail with the use of high resolution clinical images, and potential complications of treatment are discussed. This atlas is ideal for all providers who wish to sharpen their clinical acumen and gain confidence in identifying skin cancers. Content Level Professional/practitioner Keywords actinic keratosis - basal cell carcinoma - skin neoplasm - skin tumors - squamous cell carcinoma Related subjects Dermatology - Family & Geriatric Medicine - Internal Medicine - Medicine - Oncology & Hematology

This book explains how to promote and prolong "healthy ageing," which constitutes maintaining daily functioning and well-being until the end of life. In this context, the editor of the book and the international team of authors, all of whom are experts on the various aspects of ageing, demonstrate the value of this new approach in clinical practice. The systematic integration of a functional assessment, if not a complete and comprehensive geriatric assessment, is fundamental in daily clinical practice. Identifying risk factors at midlife will help to promote health at any age. Moreover, randomized control trials are making it increasingly clear that interventions could help ageing and elderly adults enjoy their remaining years without disability. Indeed, wellbeing will also increase, allowing elderly adults to stay independent until a very advanced age. The book also shows how considerable societal benefits can be easily forecast when more lifetime is spent without disability, followed by a dignified end of life. This book will be of interest to all medical doctors, general practitioners and organ specialists as well as geriatricians who want to have a complete overview of what healthy ageing means.

This book presents a concise description and qualitative exploration of a new residential option for older adults: senior cohousing. It describes the practical, structural and communal aspects of senior cohousing and shares the lived experiences of actual residents. Pursuing an existential-phenomenological approach, the authors visited a selection of senior cohousing communities throughout the US and interviewed members to investigate their experiences in several regards: gathering together; developing the mission and architectural design; defining member expectations for the community; and engaging in cooperative self-management, consensus building, shared tasks and mutual activities as an ongoing way of life. In addition, the authors explored the benefits, challenges and surprises that community members have encountered along the way, and what these experiences have meant for their lives. Given its unique insights, the book offers a valuable resource for academics and all those working and interested in gerontology, sociology, psychology, nursing, public health, housing and the consumer sciences. It will also benefit active older adults who are considering new housing options.

Geriatric psychiatry is a relatively young discipline within the field of North American psychiatry. The development of a workforce to meet the needs of an aging population has been identified as an urgent priority, but there is still much we don't know about fulfilling the mental health needs of older adults. For Mark J. Rapoport, geriatric psychiatrists must assess and treat patients today in face of the limitations of what we know, but also be armed with enthusiasm to create novel ways of impacting on the quality of life of older patients with mental illness. The chapters in this book include case scenarios, concise point-form summaries of diagnostic and treatment approaches, up-to-date evidence syntheses, discussions of controversies, and a series of practical and thought-provoking questions and answers. Geriatric Psychiatry is a succinct and advanced review of geriatric psychiatry that will help clinicians improve the psychiatric care of an aging population.

Death Across Cultures: Death and Dying in Non-Western Cultures, explores death practices and beliefs, before and after death, around the non-Western world. It includes chapters on countries in Africa, Asia, South America, as well as indigenous people in Australia and North America. These chapters address changes in death rituals and beliefs, medicalization and the industry of death, and the different ways cultures mediate the impacts of modernity. Comparative studies with the west and among countries are included. This book brings together global research conducted by anthropologists, social scientists and scholars who work closely with individuals from the cultures they are writing about.

This unique book is intended for all health professionals caring for older people with diabetes such as specialist and general nurses, doctors, primary care practioners and dieteticians. Although there is an increasing body of work about personalised care, no publications were identified that encompass the focus and scope of the proposed book. The global population is ageing and increasing age is a key risk factor for diabetes. Older people with diabetes are often vulnerable, have complex care needs and often have cognitive changes, which makes personalising care challenging for health professionals. Thus, this is an internationally relevant book filling a gap in the current literature. This is a practical and updated book that will use an engaging and easy to read narrative style. It challenges readers to reflect in and on their practice. It encompasses people with diabetes' and authors' stories, which are known to have a special interest to readers, make it easier to apply the information to practice, enhance learning, and hence the relevance and value of the book. It is relevant to advocacy organisations as well as managers and service planners. Researchers and scientists may find relevant information on grant and ethics applications, research protocols, plain language statements for potential participants and operationalising research protocols.

Elderly Care: Options, Challenges and Trends examines the demographic shifts Lebanon has experienced over the last few decades, indicating that it is a rapidly aging country. Such an aging population may need various levels of support including access to nursing care in nursing homes, either for short-term rehabilitation or for extended periods of time, when individual dependency outstrips family-based resources. Next, a review is provided on the latest studies and evidences regarding the influence of indoor environment on elderly health. A set of recommendations to improve elderly environmental health are presented, considering the most recent state-of-the-art on this field. Following this, the authors share their real-world experiences from an ongoing large-scale project on IoT-enabled community eldercare. Technology-centric challenges that need to be addressed are identified so that such systems can be sustainably implemented and adopted by key stakeholders. In a separate chapter, the book analyzes hospice care in China, which is still far from meeting its needs caused by the profound aging of Chinas population. The analysis indicates that the Chinese Government should formulate a development plan for hospice care and include hospice care services in the National Healthcare Insurance System. Additionally, NGOs should continue to play their part in hospice care development. The perspectives of aging and frailty syndrome are explored later, focusing on the role of biomarkers and environmental exposure in its development. Currently, there are several gaps in the scientific literature regarding frailty syndrome, namely in their definition, models, causal-effects and prevention or treatments. Afterwards, rib fractures in the elderly are addressed. Although plain radiographic films are diagnostic, a large number of patients will need CAT scans for more precise locations of rib fractures. The management of complications as a direct result of rib fractures; mostly hemopneumothorax or visceral injury, will be dealt with accordingly. In an additional study, the factors for hospital admissions associated with adverse drug events are studied. Drug related hospital admissions in the elderly are commonly influenced by polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing.

Delivering the first comprehensive analysis of elder justice and its implications for policy and practice, this book offers a promising approach that ensures the rights, safety, and security of all older Americans. It explains the antecedents of elder justice in the fields of elder abuse, aging, and public health, and describes the opportunities for achieving more comprehensive, cohesive, and integrated public policy. The text examines the cumulative impact of ageism, racism, sexism, heterosexism, class, and other forms of disadvantage and isolation on the lives of older adults and how these contribute to poverty, disease, disability, abuse, and neglect. It draws from the fields of public health and health equity, and plans devised by international organizations that frame elder abuse as a human rights issue. Practical and achievable goals in the prevention of elder abuse aid policy makers, program developers, grant-makers, and service providers in the fields of gerontology, social work, public health, and nursing in their efforts towards elder abuse prevention. Key Features: Identifies institutionalized ageism in pubic policy and practice Proposes core principles of elder justice to guide policy and service development Introduces knowledge and techniques from the fields of elder abuse and public health Provides greater understanding of social determinants and how they are addressed in the public health arena Offers techniques for improving access to the legal system for people with physical, cognitive, and communication disabilities Offers practical and achievable goals; objectives and recommendations; and models for state, national, and international policy and programs.

This book explores medical nonadherence to treatment and management of psychiatric disorders across the lifespan. Leading experts in the field, specializing in a range of mental health problems describe the impact of nonadherence in the treatment of children, adolescents, transition age youths, adults, and older adults. The book eloquently articulates the key elements of effective physicians and offers clinical pearls on professionalism, empathy, and the doctor-patient relationship-a key component to solving treatment nonadherence. This volume focuses on solutions for improved clinical outcomes, including communication skills, empathy and building trust, motivational interviewing techniques and the use of technology. Psychiatric Nonadherence is an excellent resource for all clinicians who care for individuals with psychiatric illness. This timely reference will provide guidance to enhance effective treatment adherence for a wide array of medical practitioners, including child and adolescent, adult forensic, and geriatric psychiatrists, addiction medicine specialists, primary care physicians, psychologists and nurses.