Lessons on Aging from Three Nations


Book Description

The global phenomenon of the aging of societies during a period of outstanding scientific, economic, and technological advancements is a blessing for humanity. These fundamental changes, however, create new needs and problems in all areas of life, often difficult to address. In some countries, the trend is towards compression of the period of age-related morbidity - fewer years of living with disabilities - but the absolute numbers of elderly people living with disabilities are increasing worldwide. This book highlights a series of global threats, problems and challenges in the areas of care and caregiving, through the prism of three multicultural nations: the United States, Israel and Australia. The contributors to this book, experts in their fields, focus on the art of caregiving at the national level, including the interface between family and state responsibilities, policies and practices in the provision of services, and the demands for education and training, as well as the problems and difficulties faced by family caregivers. This is the second of two edited volumes on aging and caregiving. The first, ""Lessons on Aging from Three Nations - Volume I: The Art of Aging Well"", examines positive aspects of and successful adaptations to aging. This book will be of interest to students of gerontology and geriatrics; those working in nongovernmental organizations - private, for-profit and non-profit agencies, including voluntary charitable and religious groups, those working in national regional and local governments, and all general readers intrigued with the aging of societies and longevity.




The Well-being of Chinese Older Adults


Book Description

The well-being of the Chinese elderly has recently drawn the attention of a significant number of researchers. This book examines the relationship among personal factors (such as age, sex, income, cognitive functioning, and functional disability), environmental factors (including satisfaction of housing, community, safety, and transportation), person-environment fit, well-being, and the mediating effects of supplementary fit. It represents the first study to integrate the concepts of complementary fit (needs supply) and supplementary fit (value congruence) in one theoretical framework, exploring which of these has a more powerful effect on well-being in later life. Its findings convey noteworthy implications for theoretical, practical, and policy perspectives, and will be of help to those who are interested in person-environment fit theory, as social work and welfare management.




SAGE Biographical Research


Book Description

Biographical research may take a range of forms and may vary in its application and approach but has the unified and coherent aim to give ′voice′ to individuals. The central concern of this collection is to assemble articles (from sociology, social psychology, education, health, criminology, social gerontology, epidemiology, management and organizational research) that illustrate the full range of debates, methods and techniques that can be combined under the heading ′biographical research′. Volume One: Biographical Research: Starting Points, Debates and Approaches explores the different biographical methods currently used while locating these within the history of social science methods. Volume Two: Biographical Interviews, Oral Histories and Life Narratives focuses on the more established, interview-based, biographical research methods and considers the analytical strategies used for interview-based biographical research Volume Three: Forms of Life Writing: Letters, Diaries and Auto/Biography considers the value of ′data′ contained within letters, diaries and auto/biography and illustrates how this data has been analyzed to reveal biographies and their social context. Volume Four: Other Documents of Life: Photographs, Cyber Documents and Ephemera focuses on the ′other′ human documents and objects, like photographs, cyber-documents (emails, blogs, social networking sites, webpages) and other ephemera (such as official documents) that are used extensively in biographical research.




International Social Work Practice


Book Description

International Social Work Practice compares and contrasts divergent social work approaches in countries around the world, providing students with a unique perspective on social work as it is actually practised. Using case studies from frontline practitioners from across the globe, this innovative new textbook stimulates critical thinking about international social work practice issues. Providing a review of both country-specific social work practices and universal social work issues, the text looks at a variety of core social work topics, framed here in terms of CSWE competencies. Set within a theoretical framework presented in the introductory chapter, the subjects covered include: child welfare intimate partner violence family conflict and communication elder care substance abuse trauma. Each chapter presents several case studies exploring range of issues within the broader topic and each case study is commented on by two narratives from social work academics and practitioners from different countries, providing different cultural perspectives. Taking a practical hands-on approach, this text includes a dedicated section for classroom use, with discussion questions, classroom exercises and additional cases for your own analysis. It will be particularly useful to BSW and MSW students taking courses in international social work, practice, social welfare and human behaviour.




Introduction to Housing


Book Description

This foundational text for understanding housing, housing design, homeownership, housing policy, special topics in housing, and housing in a global context has been comprehensively revised to reflect the changed housing situation in the United States during and after the Great Recession and its subsequent movements toward recovery. The book focuses on the complexities of housing and housing-related issues, engendering an understanding of housing, its relationship to national economic factors, and housing policies. It comprises individual chapters written by housing experts who have specialization within the discipline or field, offering commentary on the physical, social, psychological, economic, and policy issues that affect the current housing landscape in the United States and abroad, while proposing solutions to its challenges.




The Encyclopedia of Elder Care


Book Description

"The information [in this book] is amazing. I reviewed topics in which I have expertise and was very satisfied. This is an excellent addition to my library and I will refer to it often, much like a medical dictionary. Score: 90, 4 Stars.--Doody's Medical Reviews "The third edition of this encyclopedia provides 273 comprehensive, yet succinct, entries on a variety of topics related to elder care. ... In addition, many of the entries include see also references that help readers easily navigate the book. Entries are written at an undergraduate level and would be useful for practitioners, students, and caregivers...Recommended."--Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries This interdisciplinary clinical reference encompasses more than 310 current entries on a broad range of topics related to geriatrics and geriatric care across multiple health care disciplines. 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




Independent for Life


Book Description

Do you want to age independently in your own home and neighborhood? Staying home, aging in place, is most people's preference, but most American housing and communities are not adapted to the needs of older people. And with the fastest population growth among people over 65, finding solutions for successful aging is important not only for individual families, but for our whole society. In Independent for Life, former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros and a team of experts on aging, architecture, construction, health, finance, and politics assess the current state of housing and present new possibilities that realistically address the interrelated issues of housing, communities, services, and financial concerns. Independent for Life covers a wide range of smart solutions, including remodeling current housing and building new homes for accessibility and safety, retrofitting existing neighborhoods to connect needed services and amenities, and planning new communities that work well for people of all ages. Case studies show how the proposals can be implemented. The authors offer action plans for working with policy makers at local, state, and national levels to address the larger issues of aging in place, including family financial security, real estate markets, and the limitations of public support. Lists of essential resources, including a detailed "to do" list of aging in place priorities and an individual home assessment, complete the volume.







Epidemiology of Women's Health


Book Description

With contributions from leading authorities in the field, this text explores the major health challenges & conditions that specifically affect women.




The SAGE Handbook of Social Gerontology


Book Description

This volume reflects the emergence of ageing as a global concern, including chapters by international scholars from Asia, Australasia, Europe and North America. It provides a comprehensive overview of key trends and issues in the field, drawing upon the full range of social science disciplines. The Handbook is organized into five parts, each exploring different aspects of research into social aspects of ageing: * Disciplinary overviews: summaries of findings from key disciplinary areas within social gerontology * Social relationships and social differences: topics include: social inequality, gender and ageing, the role of religion, inter-generational ties, social networks, and friendships in later life. * Individual characteristics and change in later life: chapters in this section examine different aspects of individual aging, including self and identity, cognitive processes, and biosocial interactions and their impact on physical and psychological aging. * Comparative perspectives and cultural innovations: topics in this section include: ageing and development, ageing in a global context, migration, and cross-cultural perspectives on grandparenthood. * Policy issues: The final section examines some of the main policy concerns affecting older people across the world. Topics include: developments in social policy, long-term care, technology and older people, end of life issues, work and retirement, crime and older people, and the politics of old age. This will be essential reading for all students, researchers and policy-makers concerned with the major issues influencing the lives of older people across the globe.