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Social scientists use the term social integration to refer to individuals' connections with others in their environments. The concept and its consequences have been the subject of considerable study. Many researchers have asserted that meaningful and enduring ties to other persons serve as a buffer against stress, and thereby promote physical and mental health. The results are especially pronounced for older persons. Social Integration in the Second Half of Life presents integrative reviews of...

This book introduces part of the advances of the aging research conducted by Dr. Yang Wang and his collaborators since 2022. It covers several topics related to older adults, including their psychological and social well-being, their role as caregivers and care receivers, the impact of the maltreatment experience in early life, and how witnessing elder abuse could influence children. This book is composed of nine research articles and manuscripts. Most of the studies were conducted in China or U...

Known for his stand onthe legislation of voluntary euthanasia for the elderly and the sick, the author in this pamphlet makes the case for the legal right of the elderly to end their own lives, with dignity and humanity, when they feel that death calls them. In an increasingly sophisticated and medically advanced society, people are living longer than ever before, but the author argues that artificially prolonged life is not always beneficial - or most importantly - desired by the patient. The p...

Youth is the most sought-after elixir. As old age takes its toll people try to resist, anything is tried to keep decay and death at bay. Midas Dekkers argues that humans should accept decay in a similar manner to the changes of the seasons and the natural break-down process in plants. Decline is the clock by which we tell how far we have travelled; dissolution, not survival, is the norm; and old age is the fulfilment not the failure of our advancing years. Dekkers tries to challenge our most che...

Seeking to explore what it means to grow older in contemporary Britain from the perspective of older people themselves, this richly detailed ethnographic study engages in debates over selfhood and people’s relationships with time. Based on research conducted in a former coal mining village in South Yorkshire, England, Cathrine Degnen explores how the category of ‘old age’ comes to be assigned and experienced in everyday life through multiple registers of interaction, including that of social mem...

The aging of the population of the United States is occurring at a time of major economic and social changes. These economic changes include consideration of increases in the age of eligibility for Social Security and Medicare and possible changes in benefit levels. Furthermore, changes in the social context in which older individuals and families function may well affect the nature of key social relationships and institutions that define the environment for older persons. Sociology offers a kno...

Challenging the assumption that gender can be treated as static over the life course, this book highlights the differential social effects of ageing on women's and men's roles, relationships and identity. The early chapters address the question of linking gender and age within sociological theory, outlining alternatives and introducing new ideas to integrate these two dimensions of social stratification. Contributors assume a feminist perspective to explore the impact of ageing on gender roles i...

Millions of Americans experience some degree of hearing loss. The Social Security Administration (SSA) operates programs that provide cash disability benefits to people with permanent impairments like hearing loss, if they can show that their impairments meet stringent SSA criteria and their earnings are below an SSA threshold. The National Research Council convened an expert committee at the request of the SSA to study the issues related to disability determination for people with hearing loss....

Ageing has been conventionally framed within the boundaries of nation states, yet demographic changes, transmigration, financial globalization and the global media have rendered this perspective problematic. This much-needed book is the first to apply theories of globalisation to gerontology, including Appadurai’s theory, allowing readers to understand the implications of growing older in a global age.

Contemporary societies are aging – but what does that mean? Is this something bad? And can societies age as a whole? By bringing together psychological, gerontological, and sociological findings, this open access book opens up a hitherto unique, multifaceted, and realistic view of the phenomenon of old age and the process of aging.  The volume is based on the results of the project “Ageing as Future”, a long-term project network (2007-2021) involving a total of more than 30 scientists worldwide...

Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences, Seventh Edition, provides extensive reviews and critical evaluations of research on the social aspects of aging. It also makes available major references and identifies high-priority topics for future research. The book is organized into four parts. Part 1 reviews developments in the field of age and the life course (ALC) studies and presents guidelines on conducting cohort analysis. Part 2 covers the demographic aspects of aging; longevity trends; dis...

A critical milestone in the evolution of evidence-based medicine Evidence-Based Interventions for Community Dwelling Older Adults presents an overview of significant evidence-based programs that can improve the health of seniors living in community-based settings. The book examines research conducted on a variety of health-related issues, including depression, care management, falls prevention, physical activity, and medications management. It also looks at research models that were translated...

Discover the physical and mental benefits of outdoor spaces for the elderly The Role of the Outdoors in Residential Environments for Aging presents new insights on the positive role nature and the outdoors can play in the lives of older adults, whether they live in the community, in an assisted-living environment, or in a skilled nursing facility. Current research suggests that increased contact and activity levels with the outdoors can be an important therapeutic resource for the elderly, with...

Substance use and addiction is an increasing problem amongst older people. The identification of this problem is often more difficult in older patients and is frequently missed, particularly in the primary care context and in emergency departments, but also in a range of medical and psychiatric specialties.Substance Use and Older People shows how to recognise and treat substance problems in older patients. However, it goes well beyond assessment and diagnosis by incorporating up-to-date evidence...