Examines the contributions of the humanities to understanding of aging and the aged. Essays spanning history, the arts, religious and spiritual studies, and philosophy review humanistic perspectives on aging. This second edition has been updated to be more accessible and includes new chapters on Eastern and Western perspectives, Christian and Jewish traditions in aging, and spirituality and aging. Cole is professor and director of the graduate program at the Institute for Medical Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch. Kastenbaum is professor of gerontology in the department of communication at Arizona State University. Ray is associate professor of English at Wayne State University. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The Handbook of Models for Human Aging is designed as the only comprehensive work available that covers the diversity of aging models currently available. For each animal model, it presents key aspects of biology, nutrition, factors affecting life span, methods of age determination, use in research, and disadvantages/advantes of use. Chapters on comparative models take a broad sweep of age-related diseases, from Alzheimer's to joint disease, cataracts, cancer, and obesity. In addition, there is an historical overview and discussion of model availability, key methods, and ethical issues. - Utilizes a multidisciplinary approach - Shows tricks and approaches not available in primary publications - First volume of its kind to combine both methods of study for human aging and animal models - Over 200 illustrations

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; disability and aging; and stratification and inequality research. Part 3 includes chapters that examine socioeconomic position and racial/ethnic disparities in health at older ages; the role of social factors in the distribution, antecedents, and consequences of depression; and aspects of private wealth transfers and the changing nature of family gift-giving. Part 4 deals with pension reform in Europe; the political activities of older Americans; the future of retirement security; and gender differences in old age. The Handbook is intended for researchers, professional practitioners, and students in the field of aging. It can also serve as a basic reference tool for scholars, professionals, and others who are not presently engaged in research and practice directly focused on aging and the aged. - Contains all the main areas of social science gerontological research in one volume - Begins with a section on theory and methods - Edited by one of the fathers of gerontology (Binstock) and contributors represent top scholars in gerontology

The increases in global wealth and the developments in the field of health have led to decreases in mortality rates, increases in life expectancy, and decreases in fertility rate, leading to a population that is rapidly consisting more and more of older individuals. The demographic changes affect nearly all parts of society including economics, education, health, social security systems, socio-cultural activities, and more. Thus, it is essential to study the impacts that an aging population will have on society. The Handbook of Research on Economic and Social Impacts of Population Aging analyzes the economic and social impacts of population aging from a multidisciplinary perspective. Covering topics such as life expectancy, social welfare, health, social security, and more, this book is essential for social scientists, sociologists, demographers, economists, medical professionals, government officials, policymakers, professionals, researchers, managers, students, and academicians looking to understand the effects of an aging population on modern society.

A Handbook on Aging: A Multidisciplinary Perspective with Critical Readingspresents research and scholarly readings on the experiences of older adults and the challenges they face. The anthology includes works from a variety of disciplines that serve to highlight the diversity and complexity of these issues in contemporary society. The text is organized into seven broad units, each featuring multiple chapters on topics including general perspectives and concepts related to aging, the various dimensions of aging, family caregiver experiences and challenges, interpersonal relationships, sexuality, and gender dynamics in aging, health, and the future of aging. All units have original introductions and conclusions that place the readings in a broader context, and question sets to use for in-class discussions or as writing prompts. A portion of the book is devoted to solution-driven interventions and policies that focus on positive aspects of aging and improved well-being. Broad in scope, thoughtful in coverage, and highly illuminating, A Handbook on Agingis an excellent resource for scholars, advanced undergraduates, graduate students, policy-makers, and practitioners in the fields of gerontology, social work, psychology, and family science. Gregory J. Harris earned his Ph.D. in human development and family science at Florida State University. He is now the university's Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs in the College of Human Science and a faculty member in the Department of Family and Child Sciences. Dr. Harris has been published in Aging Today and the American Journal of Health Studies. His research has been supported by grants from the State of Florida Office of Drug Control, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Handbook of the Biology of Aging, Eighth Edition, provides readers with an update on the rapid progress in the research of aging. It is a comprehensive synthesis and review of the latest and most important advances and themes in modern biogerontology, and focuses on the trend of 'big data' approaches in the biological sciences, presenting new strategies to analyze, interpret, and understand the enormous amounts of information being generated through DNA sequencing, transcriptomic, proteomic, and the metabolomics methodologies applied to aging related problems. The book includes discussions on longevity pathways and interventions that modulate aging, innovative new tools that facilitate systems-level approaches to aging research, the mTOR pathway and its importance in age-related phenotypes, new strategies to pharmacologically modulate the mTOR pathway to delay aging, the importance of sirtuins and the hypoxic response in aging, and how various pathways interact within the context of aging as a complex genetic trait, amongst others. - Covers the key areas in biological gerontology research in one volume, with an 80% update from the previous edition - Edited by Matt Kaeberlein and George Martin, highly respected voices and researchers within the biology of aging discipline - Assists basic researchers in keeping abreast of research and clinical findings outside their subdiscipline - Presents information that will help medical, behavioral, and social gerontologists in understanding what basic scientists and clinicians are discovering - New chapters on genetics, evolutionary biology, bone aging, and epigenetic control - Provides a close examination of the diverse research being conducted today in the study of the biology of aging, detailing recent breakthroughs and potential new directions

The Handbook of Mental Health and Aging, Third Edition provides a foundational background for practitioners and researchers to understand mental health care in older adults as presented by leading experts in the field. Wherever possible, chapters integrate research into clinical practice. The book opens with conceptual factors, such as the epidemiology of mental health disorders in aging and cultural factors that impact mental health. The book transitions into neurobiological-based topics such as biomarkers, age-related structural changes in the brain, and current models of accelerated aging in mental health. Clinical topics include dementia, neuropsychology, psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, mood disorders, anxiety, schizophrenia, sleep disorders, and substance abuse. The book closes with current and future trends in geriatric mental health, including the brain functional connectome, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), technology-based interventions, and treatment innovations. - Identifies factors influencing mental health in older adults - Includes biological, sociological, and psychological factors - Reviews epidemiology of different mental health disorders - Supplies separate chapters on grief, schizophrenia, mood, anxiety, and sleep disorders - Discusses biomarkers and genetics of mental health and aging - Provides assessment and treatment approaches

The Handbook of the Psychology of Aging, Seventh Edition, provides a basic reference source on the behavioral processes of aging for researchers, graduate students, and professionals. It also provides perspectives on the behavioral science of aging for researchers and professionals from other disciplines. The book is organized into four parts. Part 1 reviews key methodological and analytical issues in aging research. It examines some of the major historical influences that might provide explanatory mechanisms for a better understanding of cohort and period differences in psychological aging processes. Part 2 includes chapters that discuss the basics and nuances of executive function; the history of the morphometric research on normal brain aging; and the neural changes that occur in the brain with aging. Part 3 deals with the social and health aspects of aging. It covers the beliefs that individuals have about how much they can control various outcomes in their life; the impact of stress on health and aging; and the interrelationships between health disparities, social class, and aging. Part 4 discusses the emotional aspects of aging; family caregiving; and mental disorders and legal capacities in older adults. - Contains all the main areas of psychological gerontological research in one volume - Entire section on neuroscience and aging - Begins with a section on theory and methods - Edited by one of the father of gerontology (Schaie) and contributors represent top scholars in gerontology

Aging has long been of interest to scholars and practitioners in a vast array of academic fields and professions. Thomas R. Cole, Ruth E. Ray, and Robert Kastenbaum have brought together leaders from a variety of academic realms to explore how aging is depicted in the modern era and the effect of these portrayals on individuals and society. --