PhD K. Warner Schaie – författare

This comprehensive volume examines the gradual reduction of mobility in the elderly. The authors first review the physiological and psychological changes that occur as we age, and go on to illustrate how this gradual decrease in adequate mobility can lead to an increase in automotive accidents. They also review the limitations that mass transportation systems and driving individual vehicles present for the elderly, and discuss different assistive devices that have been and should be implemented to help improve mobility. Each chapter ends with insightful commentaries by specialists in the gerontology field. This book is a must read for gerontologists as well as policy makers and educators on courses in organizational structures of social policy.

This volume provides a detailed examination of changes in technology that impact individuals as they age with an emphasis upon cultural contexts and person-environment fit from human factors, psychological, and sociological perspectives.

The editors take into consideration the role of macro-influences in shaping technological changes in industrialized societies that effect successful aging in terms of quality of life. Topics discussed include: human factors and aging; the impact of the internet; and assistive technology. As a special feature, each chapter is followed by two commentaries from experts in the same and neighboring disciplines.

This volume focuses on the ways in which religious institutions, religious practices, and religious organizations impact the health and well-being of older persons.

Topics examined include:

Contributors include L. Chatters, K. Ferraro, L. K. George, E. Idler, S. McFadden, and K. Meador.

[A] useful reference book. Readers will find themselves returning to chaptersagain and again..."

--PsycCritiques

This is the 20th and final volume in the "Societal Impact on Aging" series. It focuses on what has been learned over the span of the previous volumes regarding the continuing challenges for older persons in a rapidly changing society and tries to forecast what may be the next set of issues to lie at the intersection of social structures and the individual aging process. The editors therefore invited major organizers of, and contributors to, the 19 earlier volumes to review both the accomplishments and omissions of their efforts, discuss some timely new topics, and provide guidelines for future research and theoretical explanations.

The book is divided into five broad topics: health and wellbeing, including the role of religion; personality and cognition; the impact of changes in technology and the work place; issues of socio-cultural change and historical context; and the familial and societal contexts of aging.

This collection considers ways in which societal contexts influence aging by influencing self-regulatory processes. No one doubts that the social contexts in which individuals develop exert strong influence on life trajectories. Those born into environments that provide high quality education, supportive social relations, and economic assets do better in old age than those born into environments bereft of such resources. The extent of this influence, however, is only beginning to be revealed. Recent research shows that life experiences influence basic brain structures (e.g. the effect of musical training on neural organization) and functions (e.g. inflammatory processes), and that social embeddedness may even protect against Alzheimer''s disease. Similarly, education increasingly appears to have a "real" effect on neural integrity. Thus, societal contexts may not simply open or close doors for individuals, but may influence self-regulatory processes at the most basic levels of functioning.

Although social structures are generally seen as the independent variables that affect individual aging, it is also possible to think of a lifetime development of self-regulatory processes leading to behaviors in old age that can have impact on and modify societal structures. Two parts of this book consider self-regulation as the dependent variable, asking how social contexts influence cognitive, emotional, and self-regulatory processes. The third part reverses the question, treating self-regulation as the independent variable and retirement and physical health as dependent variables. In this part, consideration is given to how the effectiveness of self-regulation influences physical and economic outcomes in old age.

In what ways do health behaviors and societal mechanisms help or discourage individuals in assuming responsibility for their health? Highly-esteemed and diverse contributors examine the health behaviors of older adults and the ways in which these behaviors are affected by societal trends.

The volume begins with a discussion of the personal attributes affecting health behaviors and responsible health care choices in older adults. Additional topics explored include: Psychosocial factors in the prevention of cardiovascular disease; behavioral interventions such as the role of exercise in preventing chronic illness; and how societal structures such as reimbursement patterns and changes in health insurance affect initiation, change, and maintenance of health behaviors.

This is a valuable resource for professionals and students interested in individual development, the study of health behavior and chronic disease, health economics, and social policy.

This book focuses on the ways in which the life course of individuals is affected by the historical contexts in which they live. Editors Schaie and Elder, along with over twenty-five contributors, explore how historical events of varying degrees such as immigration, war, age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status can affect the immediate and long-term life course.