Olin Library: Sociology: Social Gerontology, Aging, Older People - E-books

""101+ Careers is rich with useful information. I highly recommend the book for any student, emerging, or re-careering professional exploring their options for a career in gerontology and the resources they may need to go about pursuing it."" Jarmin Yeh, Institute for Health and Aging and Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences School of Nursing at the University of California, San Francisco "American Society on Aging Blog" Describes a wealth of diverse career opportunities in gerontology and how to prepare for them How do you know if a career in gerontology is right for you? What opportunities exist in the field? Completely updated to reflect significant changes to policy and management of resources, the second edition of "101 Careers in Gerontology" provides a wealth of helpful and timely guidance in this rapidly growing field. Written for all levels of job seekers ranging from community college students to credential-seeking professionals, the book outlines a multitude of opportunities that dovetail with careers ranging from sociologist and home care agency administrator to architect and documentary filmmaker.

Abuse of the elderly remained a largely undefined social problem until the end of the 1970s. The ten essays in the book represent contributions by nurses, psychiatrists, lawyers, sociologists, social workers, and social scientists. This volume will serve as an essential guide to an important emerging social issue.

Caregiving is a long standing tradition in the African American community. This book provides historical and contemporary insight into caregiving. The authors intertwine the African American struggle for dignity and social justice with their discussion of various aspects of caregiving. An overarching theme of the book is the resilience of African Americans in carrying out their caregiving responsibilities. Although disparities are a part of the caregiving landscape, the authors individually and collectively present a rhythm of caregiving that engages the reader in caregiving across the life span. This in depth look at the African American caregiving experience exposes readers to a broader lens, thus avoiding the often overly simplistic view or culturally limited view of their caregiving experience. Caregiving is not limited to any particular groupthe old and the young are a part of the caregiving experience that is discussed in this book. The book is a collaboration between social work programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities---Howard University (Washington, DC) and Alabama A&M University (Normal, Alabama). The book includes a wide range of content, from caring for older persons with dementia to younger disabled children. The authors/contributors also range in age and experience as caregivers. All of the authors have extensive experience working with African Americans. These are authentic accounts of the caregiving experience within the African American community.

The booming increase of the senior population has become a social phenomenon and a challenge to our societies, and technological advances have undoubtedly contributed to improve the lives of elderly citizens in numerous aspects. In current debates on technology, however, the »human factor« is often largely ignored. The ageing individual is rather seen as a malfunctioning machine whose deficiencies must be diagnosed or as a set of limitations to be overcome by means of technological devices. This volume aims at focusing on the perspective of human beings deriving from the development and use of technology: this change of perspective - taking the human being and not technology first - may help us to become more sensitive to the ambivalences involved in the interaction between humans and technology, as well as to adapt technologies to the people that created the need for its existence, thus contributing to improve the quality of life of senior citizens.

This book examines aging and old age from a range of social and cultural approaches. The book begins by examining the emergence of mainstream sociological theories of aging that attempt to go beyond the tradition of bio-medical fatalism. It moves its attention to a cultural analysis of aging through an examination of embodiment. It concludes by arguing for a narrative gerontology that incorporates some of the methodological considerations required to understand and investigate an aging identity in contemporary culture.

This classic text, now in its fifth edition, is distinguished by its emphasis on social context, social processes, and social structures as part of a broader understanding of the sociology of aging and the life course. Presenting an objective view of the realities of aging, both positive and negative, the book examines aging from micro/macro, personal, community, societal, and global perspectives. This fifth edition describes important changes in the field of social gerontology and the growth in such topics as diversity, global aging, and the life course. It addresses major shifts in public policy, social institutions, and aging-related programming initiatives. There is a strong focus on the changing landscape of aging, particularly in regard to social engagement, employment and lifelong learning, enhanced health and independence, and livable communities for people of all ages. Additionally, the book includes new information on the Affordable Care Act and end-of-life issues. The text is uniquely organized, featuring theoretical discussions in each chapter and topical essays between chapters. Critical thinking and review questions foster an in-depth understanding of the material. Written in an engaging style, the text is for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students; it is also used effectively in introductory gerontology classes. In addition to an Instructor's Manual, the fifth edition now includes Power- Point slides.

As our population ages, the need for comprehensive, up-to-date knowledge about aging services in the United States becomes more and more crucial. This highly accessible and concise text about such resources provides students and practitioners of gerontology, along with all professionals whose work concerns the well-being of older adults, with a current, detailed description and analysis of federal, state, local, and global programs and services for older people with or without cognitive, physical, and social needs. Thoroughly updated to encompass the new information available concerning later life, it reflects critical changes to legislation, health care, and current trends, and focuses on the strengths of older adults, their diversity, and the role our multilayered aging network plays in advocacy, community independence, and engagement. Commentary and critical thinking challenges from policymakers, program directors, and educators facilitate high-level thinking and independent analysis of the aging networks, past, present, and future. The eighth edition underscores recent policy changes and how these changes will impact the lives of older adults. "Perspectives" boxes throughout the text highlight complex themes addressed by experts, and "Critical Thinking" topics and questions encourage reflection and discussion.

How come I can never find my keys? Why don't I sleep as well? Why do my friends keep repeating the same stories? What can I do to keep my brain sharp? Scientists know. Your Aging Brain, by developmental molecular biologist Dr. John Medina, gives you the facts -- and the prescription to age well -- in his engaging signature style.With so many discoveries over the years, science is literally changing our minds about the optimal care and feeding of the brain. All of it is captivating. A great deal of it is unexpected.In his New York Times bestseller Brain Rules, Dr. Medina showed us how our brains really work'and why we ought to redesign our workplaces and schools to match. Now, in Your Aging Brain, he shares how you can make the most of the years you have left. In a book destined to be a classic on aging, Medina's fascinating stories and infectious sense of humor breathe life into the science.You may already be experiencing the sometimes unpleasant effects of the aging process. Or you may be deeply concerned about your loved ones who are. Either way, Your Aging Brain is for you.

This book seeks to improve the quality of life of the elderly by means of policy suggestions that can be implemented by the government. Caring for the Elderly focuses on managing various issues confronting the elderly today and the remedial measures that can be taken by care givers and society at large. Contributions from eminent scholars throw light on important concepts, such as population ageing and its associated impacts. In a rapidly changing world, there is a need to discuss issues related to the elderly population and their health and well-being in the social and economic context. Scholars and researchers of gerontology, anthropology, policy studies will find this book useful.

Learn more about age discrimination and how it affects us all. The Encyclopedia of Ageism is a comprehensive review of over 125 aspects of ageism, alphabetically arranged for easy access. Written by 60 experts, the book examines topics such as anti-aging, stereotypes, and the media--with numerous references for further information. You'll find an alphabetical list of the entries, a detailed index, and a list of the entries categorized by subject, to help you find what you need fast. This resource will increase your awareness about the many facets of ageism and provide you with a wealth of concepts, theories, and facts about ageism. This important resource exposes the many faces of dehumanization through the elder neglect and prejudice that results from today's worldwide youth-oriented culture. The Encyclopedia of Ageism will help you recognize ageism when you encounter it and avoid it in your own thinking and actions. The book is a valuable guide for anyone working with older people and for older people themselves. With the Encyclopedia of Ageism, you will be able to identify personal, cultural, and institutional sources of ageism, such as: age denial age inequality/stratification sexuality scapegoating abuse the disengagement theory and so much more! This eye-opening reference shows how discrimination against elders can have consequences to the aged, the youth, the economy, and society as a whole.

The third edition reflects the many advances in geriatrics that have occurred since the publication of the second edition in 2006. It contains the updated, evidence-based contributions of more than 260 nationally recognized geriatric healthcare professionals regarding elder-care concerns relating to society, community, caregiving, and the individual. Completely new entries address Geriatric Care Models (acute care for elders, Project BOOST), Geriatric Health Issues (diarrhea in adults, prolonged hospitalization, frailty, fronto-temporal dementia, re-hospitalization, acute urinary retention, personality and aging, primary palliative care), Technology and Aging (Smart home sensors, Telehealth, Surveillance technology), and more. The Encyclopedia is organized alphabetically and includes links to important Web-based resources and Apps. Clinical topics comprehensively address diagnosis, treatment, and disease management. Health care clinicians across the continuum will find this reference-the only one of its kind--to be a valuable guide to making appropriate referrals to social service providers, and social service professionals will be well informed by highly accessible descriptions of diagnoses, clinical syndromes, and care management. Key Features: Includes over 310 updated geriatric and geriatric care clinical entries across multiple healthcare disciplines Contains state-of-the-art contributions from over 260 nationally recognized geriatric healthcare experts Provides clinical content for social service professionals and social care information for clinicians Offers new information on multiple topics relating to Geriatric Care Models, Geriatric Health Concerns, and Technology and Aging References numerous Web-based resources and Apps

The environments in which people live out their later lives have a strong impact on their identity and provide opportunities for nourishing social interactions. This volume translates the insights derived from contemporary research on residential environments and public spaces that enhance well-being into practical recommendations for the design of such beneficial community environments. The text is grounded in the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of current research on place attachment, environmental meaning, and community living in later life. Emphasis is placed on how to design residential spaces that facilitate the development of a sense of place or home, and investigation is made into the kinds of lifestyles such spaces foster and support. A major theme pervading the text is the juxtaposition of private and public space. The book also addresses such themes as the transformation of spaces into places of personal identification and attachment, the need for shared intergenerational spaces, and consideration of diverse populations when designing public spaces. The book also considers how emerging public policy agendas affect the development and management of environments for the elderly. Environmental Gerontology includes the contributions of scholars in anthropology, architecture, economics, education, geography, gerontology, planning, psychology, sociology, and numerous health sciences, who hail from North America, Europe, and Asia. With its strong interdisciplinary focus, this text offers innovative and judicious recommendations for the creation of community environments that are truly beneficial for older adults. Key Features: Provides an up-to-date synthesis of the latest research on the meaning of place to older people and its relationship to well-being. Offers fresh insight and critical perspectives on community planning and environmental design Considers private residences, retirement communities, long-term care facilities, and public and private community spaces.

Two mega-trends of modern culture, the rapid aging of the population and the inexorable advances in technology, have fueled the development of gerontechnology--the use oftechnology to sustain individual autonomy to an advanced age. This expansive bookencompasses state-of-the-art research in gerontechnology and promising new technologies, products, and services that can improve activities of daily living, general health, and wellbeingof older individuals. It addresses current and future applications in such crucial areasas mobility and transportation, assistive devices, smart homes for senior citizens, in-hometechnologies, safety and privacy, and research and development highlighting--amongothers--design. Topics include, but are not limited to, virtual environments as a research tool, sensation, perception, and cognition research advancements, novel accessibility challenges to information and communication technology, as well as the evolving characteristics of the elderly. These are among the welcome developments addressed in the book. Contributors from around the globe, including the UK, Germany, Japan, Canada, The Netherlands, Korea, the United States, and more, bring unprecedented cross-cultural insight to the intersections of aging phenomena and technology.

"The array of topics covered is amazing, making this book a valuable, significant resource for many disciplines...This multidisciplinary review of the literature on minority aging presents the scholarship related to public health and 'social, behavioral, and biological concerns' of aged minorities like no other publication. Graduate students will certainly be well-served by this book, as would faculty teaching aging at both undergraduate and graduate levels...Highly recommended."--Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries ..".while practitioners of gerontology, family medicine, and any professional involved in the care of the elderly will find some practical guidance in the second part of the book, it will really earn a place on the bookshelf of anyone and everyone with an interest in US sociology and the development of public policy for the elderly. With the general aging of the population and the book's accentuation of current issues, this outstanding review will become an indispensable tool."Healthy Aging Research This text provides up-to-date, multidisciplinary, and comprehensive information about aging among diverse racial and ethnic populations in the United States. It is the only book to focus on paramount public health issues as they relate to older minority Americans, and addresses social, behavioral, and biological concerns for this population. The text distills the most important advances in the science of minority aging and incorporates the evidence of scholars in gerontology, anthropology, psychology, public health, sociology, social work, biology, medicine, and nursing. Additionally, the book incorporates the work of both established and emerging scholars to provide the broadest possible knowledge base on the needs of and concerns for this rapidly growing population. Chapters focus on subject areas that are recognized as being critical in understanding the well being of minority elders. These include sociology (Medicare, SES, work and retirement, social networks, context/neighborhood, ethnography, gender, demographics), psychology (cognition, stress, mental health, personality, sexuality, religion, neuroscience, discrimination), medicine/nursing/public health (mortality and morbidity, disability, health disparities, long-term care, genetics, dietary issues, health interventions, physical functioning), social work (caregiving, housing, social services, end-of-life care), and many other topics. The book focuses on the needs of four major ethnic groups: Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, African American, and Native American.

This state-of-the-art handbook will keep researchers and practitioners in gerontology abreast of the newest theories and models of aging. With virtually all new contributors and content, this edition contains 35 chapters by the most highly respected luminaries in the field. It addresses theories and concepts built on cumulative knowledge in four disciplinary areas: biology, psychology, social sciences, and policy and practice, as well as landmark advances in trans-disciplinary science. With its explicit focus on theory, the handbook is unique in providing essential knowledge about primary explanations for aging, spanning from cells to societies. The chapters in the third edition place a strong emphasis on the future of theory development, assessing the current state of theories and providing a roadmap for how theory can shape research, and vice versa, in years to come. Many chapters also address connections between theories and policy or practice. Each set of authors has been asked to consider how theories in their area address matters of diversity and inequalities in aging, and how theories might be revised or tested with these matters in mind. The third edition also contains a new section, "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants," which includes personal essays by senior gerontologists who share their perspectives on the history of ideas in their fields, and on their experiences with the process and prospects of developing good theory. Hallmarks of the Third Edition: Highlights important gains in trans-disciplinary theories of aging. Emphasizes the future of theory development. Provides insights on theory development from living legends in gerontology.

Spanning the biological and psychosocial aspects of aging, this upper-level undergraduate and graduate text integrates current findings in biology, psychology, and the social sciences to provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary coverage of the aging process. This new edition incorporates the tremendous amount of research that has come to light since the first edition was published. From a physical perspective, the text examines age-related changes and disease-related processes, the demography of the aging population, aging theories, and how to promote optimal aging. Coverage of the psychosocial aspects of aging encompasses mental health, stress and coping, spirituality, and caregiving in later years.The authors address demographic, theoretical, and methodological issues on aging, including a worldwide overview of aging demographics. The book reviews biological and psychosocial theories and offers much-needed information on longitudinal design and statistics as they relate to aging research. It discusses the aging of the major organ systems, the brain and sensory systems, and the endocrine and immune systems; basic anatomy and physiology; normal, impaired, and optimal aging; and functional health. Psychosocial factors that affect health are addressed, including the interplay between physical health and mental health, stress, coping, and social support. The text also covers current issues in social gerontology, including such promising new trends as gerontechnology and Green Houses, and provides information on health promotion programs.

The first graduate text to address health literacy in the aging population Low health literacy is a critical issue among adults, with over one third found to have difficulty understanding such basic information as that found on prescription bottles. This is the first graduate textbook to address key health literacy issues as they affect the health and wellbeing of the aging population. Embracing a topic spanning numerous disciplines, it features a dynamic, multicontextual systems approach and includes contributions from renowned scholars and practitioners in gerontology, public health, social work, nursing, and other related fields. The text emphasizes increasing health literacy among older adults through the use of technological tools and features, the most current research, and evidence-based programs and practices. The book provides expansive coverage of the intersection of technology and health literacy, highlighting innovative approaches and discussing how to use technology with resource-limited groups. The text gives special consideration to rural, impoverished, culturally diverse, and lowliteracy elders and presents gold standard intervention programs and models. Also covered are the policy implications of programs focusing on increasing health literacy and future directions for meeting the Healthy People 2020 initiative.

This unique book recounts the experience of facing one's death solely from the dying person's point of view rather than from the perspective of caregivers, survivors, or rescuers. Such unmediated access challenges assumptions about the emotional and spiritual dimensions of dying, showing readers that-along with suffering, loss, anger, sadness, and fear-we can also feel courage, love, hope, reminiscence, transcendence, transformation, and even happiness as we die. A work that is at once psychological, sociological, and philosophical, this book brings together testimonies of those dying from terminal illness, old age, sudden injury or trauma, acts of war, and the consequences of natural disasters and terrorism. It also includes statements from individuals who are on death row, in death camps, or planning suicide. Each form of dying addressed highlights an important set of emotions and narratives that often eclipses stereotypical renderings of dying and reflects the numerous contexts in which this journey can occur outside of hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices. Chapters focus on common emotional themes linked to dying, expanding and challenging them through first-person accounts and analyses of relevant academic and clinical literature in psycho-oncology, palliative care, gerontology, military history, anthropology, sociology, cultural and religious studies, poetry, and fiction. The result is an all-encompassing investigation into an experience that will eventually include us all and is more surprising and profound than anyone can imagine.

What is meant by narrative? How can one elicit a narrative or analyze it in research? How can narrative work best be facilitated among older adults? This is the only text to provide comprehensive information about the applications of narrative approaches in community and long-term settings, writing in the virtual world, and such individual work as journaling or poetry. The book explores the theories of narratives across many disciplines, research practices and analytical strategies, and applications in work with older adults. It has been written by a prominent researcher of the narrative construction of self in old age, whose studies have been funded by the NIH, the Brookdale Foundation, and the Alzheimeris Association, among other related achievements. The book brings together a unique blend of interdisciplinary perspectives and practices not found in other books on life stories, autobiography, and/or narrative approaches to understanding oneis experiences. Specifically, it focuses on the myriad theoretical underpinnings of narrative, provides a developmental history of narrative use in gerontology, and details various ways to use narratives in a variety of research settings. Each chapter includes step-by-step guides on who to analyze and report on, and how to write up narrative data. It also discusses ways to incorporate narratives in varied practice settings such as writing workshops in retirement communities, individual writing projects, and others.

In 2011, seven thousand American "baby boomers" (those born between 1946 and 1964) turned sixty-five daily. As this largest U.S. generation ages, cities, municipalities, and governments at every level must grapple with the allocation of resources and funding for maintaining the quality of life, health, and standard of living for an aging population. In "The New Neighborhood Senior Center", Joyce Weil uses in-depth ethnographic methods to examine a working-class senior center in Queens, New York. She explores the ways in which social structure directly affects the lives of older Americans and traces the role of political, social, and economic institutions and neighborhood processes in the decision to close such centers throughout the city of New York. Many policy makers and gerontologists advocate a concept of "aging in place," whereby the communities in which these older residents live provide access to resources that foster and maintain their independence. But all "aging in place" is not equal and the success of such efforts depends heavily upon the social class and availability of resources in any given community. Senior centers, expanded in part by funding from federal programs in the 1970s, were designed as focal points in the provision of community-based services. However, for the first wave of "boomers," the role of these centers has come to be questioned. Declining government support has led to the closings of many centers, even as the remaining centers are beginning to "rebrand" to attract the boomer generation.

Between 1870 and 1940, life expectancy in the United States skyrocketed while the percentage of senior citizens age sixty-five and older more than doubled--a phenomenon owed largely to innovations in medicine and public health. At the same time, the Great Depression was a major tipping point for age discrimination and poverty in the West: seniors were living longer and retiring earlier, but without adequate means to support themselves and their families. The economic disaster of the 1930s alerted scientists, who were actively researching the processes of aging, to the profound social implications of their work--and by the end of the 1950s, the field of gerontology emerged. Old Age, New Science explores how a group of American and British life scientists contributed to gerontology's development as a multidisciplinary field. It examines the foundational "biosocial visions" they shared, a byproduct of both their research and the social problems they encountered. Hyung Wook Park shows how these visions shaped popular discourses on aging, directly influenced the institutionalization of gerontology, and also reflected the class, gender, and race biases of their founders.

Written by a renowned scholar and practitioner of gerontology and aging, this is a concise, reader-friendly overview of key concepts of geropsychology, the psychology of aging. Grounded in positive psychology, the text dispels common myths about the aging population with a wealth of evidence-based research. It encompasses a foundational knowledge base regarding issues unique to older adults, information that is essential for mental health providers, who already see an unprecedented growth in the number of older adults in their practices - a trend that is expected to continue for years to come. The text discusses theoretical models underlying geropsychology and examines common difficulties that affect older adults along with the most effective treatment approaches for this population. With a focus on the strengths and functions of older adults, the text examines the unique psychological problems of later life and conflicts caused by retirement, living longer, financial stressors, and chronic illness. It discusses the complications of changing family systems, coping with cognitive impairments, how psychologists understand and treat Alzheimer's and dementia patients, older adult sexuality and the unique sexual problems confronting LGBT individuals, elder abuse, ageism, substance abuse, and issues surrounding death and dying. A chapter on future directions for psychological research and practice highlights the many opportunities available in this field. The text will be of value for upper-level undergraduate courses on the psychology of aging, as a supplement to developmental and clinical psychology courses, and as a resource for interdisciplinarystudies with a focus on gerontology.

Robert Neil Butler (1927-2010) was a scholar, psychiatrist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author who revolutionized the way the world thinks about aging and the elderly. One of the first psychiatrists to engage with older men and women outside of institutional settings, Butler coined the term "ageism" to draw attention to discrimination against older adults and spent a lifetime working to improve their status, medical treatment, and care. Early in his career, Butler seized on the positive features of late-life development-aspects he documented in his pathbreaking research on "healthy aging" at the National Institutes of Health and in private practice. He set the nation's age-based health care agenda and research priorities as founding director of the National Institute on Aging and by creating the first interprofessional, interdisciplinary department of geriatrics at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital. In the final two decades of his career, Butler created a global alliance of scientists, educators, practitioners, politicians, journalists, and advocates through the International Longevity Center. A scholar who knew Butler personally and professionally, W. Andrew Achenbaum follows this pioneer's significant contributions to the concept of healthy aging and the notion that aging is not synonymous with physical and mental decline. Emphasizing the progressive aspects of Butler's approach and insight, Achenbaum affirms the ongoing relevance of his work to gerontology, geriatrics, medicine, social work, and related fields.

This book explores the concept of ageing and presents it in the disciplinary field entitled 'Social Gerontology'. The book examines key theories that have emerged and the problems and possibilities of such theories to understand key social issues affecting older people such as health, welfare, leisure and identity.

This book, set within a social gerontology and transport behaviour studies paradigm, examines current debates and issues around transport for older people and its relationship to health and wellbeing for individuals and society as a whole.  This timely title explores transport and travel needs and motivations of older people, barriers older people face using public and community transport, difficulties in accessing public spaces for walking and cycling. The safety of older drivers and recent advances in technology are also investigated.  Concluding by looking to the future in addressing digital cities, driverless cars and other changes in ICT that may affect older people and their travel behaviour, a variety of global perspectives examine the social aspects of mobility and transport from a psychological, sociological, and geographical perspective. This title will be of interest to those working with older people in the health and wellbeing sector, those involved in transport and town and country planning and academics examining gerontology and associated social science subjects.

This book explores specific theories on ageing grounded through examination of several issues in social welfare. The book will review different understandings of becoming and being old and how these have been reflected in society in general and social policy in particular. The text aims to explore current debates about ageing populations as well as to understand issues affecting individual older people. A key focus is the crucial relationship between old age and the welfare state, to a large extent concerned with the provision of support to older people. It attempts to understand and evaluate these important welfare issues by exploring conceptual coverage derived from both macro and micro theories of ageing.