This work presents the first serious attempt to impose rigor on the definition and measurement of quality of life among the elderly. The book uses a conference to develop background but goes well beyond the meeting in terms of depth of reviews of the literature and of integration among the chapters.
This book is intended for use by researchers in the many disciplines which focus on the mental and physical well-being of the elderly, including those in medicine, nursing, psychiatry, psychology, rehabilitation, sociology and social work, among others. In addition, this book provides important background information for professionals and policy makers interested in ensuring quality of life in the later years.

The chapters and reports in this publication have been selected from presentations at a Symposium on "Aging and Technological Advances" held in August, 1983 at the Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center of the University of Southern California. The Symposium was made possible by a grant from the NATO Special Programme Panel on Human Factors, and the support of this program is gratefully acknowledged. Members of the Symposium Advisory Board were James E. Birren, Judy Livingston, Erhard Olbrich, Victor Regnier, Pauline Robinson, Thomas Singleton, Arnold Small, Harvey Sterns, and Alvar Svanborg. Professor Lambros Houssiadas also provided invaluable encouragement. Appreciation is also extended to the Andrew Norman Institute for Advanced Study in Gerontology and Geriatrics for support of planning activities leading up to the Symposium and for support of events surrounding the Symposium itself. A generous gift from The UPS Foundation to the Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center made possible the compilation, editing and preparation of this manuscript and helped to support Symposium ac ti vi ties. We thank David Bergstone and Mary Margaret Ragan who together carefully and skillfully organized and carried out the typing of the manuscript.

"Telling the Stories of Life through Guided Autobiography Groups," based on James Birren's 25 years of conducting autobiography groups, discusses all the topics an organizer faces while developing a program for adults who want to recall and write down their life histories. This book is ideal for adult education programs, church groups, social workers, psychologists, gerontologists, and others who work with adults who might be interested in exploring, recording, or sharing their personal histories. It helps professionals and trained workshop leaders at community centers, senior centers, schools and other settings guide group participants in exploring major themes of their lives so that they can organize and write their stories and share them in a group with others on the same journey. This exercise is rewarding for adults of any age in a period of transition or with interest in gaining insight from their own stories. Personal development and a feeling of connection to other participants and their stories is a natural outcome of this process. This book provides background material and detailed lesson plans for those who wish to develop and lead an autobiography group.

The authors explain the concept of guided autobiography, discuss the benefits to the group participants, and provide logistical information on how to plan, organize, and set up a group. An appendix provides exercises, handouts, and suggested adaptations for specific groups. The book also explains a systematic method of priming memories, including the history of family and of one's life work, the role of money, health and the body, and ideas about death.

At a time when rapid change has created a widespread yearning to write down and exchange personal accounts, sharing life stories can reveal a great deal about how we have come to be the persons we are. "Telling the Stories of Life through Guided Autobiography Groups" shows how to organize, record, and share life experiences through a proven and effective technique.

Jim Birren, the pioneer of guided autobiography, has developed a remarkable process that encourages people to take stock of their lives so that they can move forward, reinvigorated, into a vital, rewarding future.

"I want you to think of your life as an autobiographical story with a past, present, and a future yet to be plotted", Jim Birren writes, as he urges readers to appreciate all they've been through, survived, and accomplished; figure out what is missing; and decide how they want to spend the rest of their lives.

By contemplating our lives, or telling our stories in small groups where other people's memories prime our own, we can increase the chances of getting the most return from the years ahead. Cautioning that there is no magic carpet ride to a blissful elderhood, Jim Birren offers readers the ability to let go of the fears from the past, to understand and be themselves, and to see the future as a wonderful adventure. The result is living longer better.

The Handbook of the Psychology of Aging, 6e provides a comprehensive summary and evaluation of recent research on the psychological aspects of aging. The 22 chapters are organized into four divisions: Concepts, Theories, and Methods in the Psychology of Aging; Biological and Social Influences on Aging; Behavioral Processes and Aging; and Complex Behavioral Concepts and Processes in Aging.
The 6th edition of the "Handbook" is considerably changed from the previous edition. Half of the chapters are on new topics and the remaining half are on returning subjects that are entirely new presentations by different authors of new material. Some of the exciting new topics include Contributions of Cognitive Neuroscience to Understanding Behavior and Aging, Everyday Problem Solving and Decision Making, Autobiographical Memory, and Religion and Health Late in Life.
The "Handbook" will be of use to researchers and professional practitioners working with the aged. It is also suitable for use as a textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses on the psychology of aging.
The Handbook of the Psychology of Aging, Sixth Edition is part of the Handbooks on Aging series, including Handbook of the Biology of Aging and Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences, also in their 6th editions.

"Guided autobiography," write the authors, "is ideally suited to foster in the older adult a belief that his or her life is meaningful and something of which to be proud." This book helps professionals--at senior centers, community centers, and other service facilities--guide older adults and others in preparing their autobiographies.

Many older adults, the authors explain, have limited social networks. Widowhood, retirement, and other "involuntary transitions" create a loss of roles, which can damage the older adult's sense of identity and self-worth. Guided autobiography can be used very effectively with such persons--to promote their general well- being, develop friendships, and create increased feelings of self-sufficiency.

The book's chapters treat such topics as eliciting themes from people's lives, promoting creative thinking, facilitating group interaction, and mastering obstacles in the group process. Based on the authors' fourteen years of experience leading groups in guided autobiography, this book will be of special interest to gerontologists, psychologists, social workers, and other professionals who conduct activity programs for older people.