Renowned experts in adult development and aging, Manfred Diehl and Hans-Werner Wahl synthesize decades of psychological research into a comprehensive volume that considers later life in the context of lifespan development, social and physical environmental factors, and historical-cultural influences. In so doing, they review important research on cognitive functioning, behavioral processes, personality and identity development, and overall well-being in middle to late adulthood. Diehl and Wahl's three-part framework helps readers better understand that the development process is influenced by multiple factors and can take many different trajectories. Through this contextualized perspective, they examine the influence that previous life experiences, beginning in early childhood, can have on the aging process in older adults. This includes social relations, technological advances, societal perspectives on aging, and education. The authors also examine the challenges and opportunities of aging, using a strength-based approach to promote a diverse, nuanced understanding of successful, healthy aging. Chapters also conclude with dialogues from other experts in the field, offering multiple different perspectives on the research.

THE STORY: Austin has spent his entire life convinced that something terrible is bound to happen to him. One night, at a party, overlooking Boston harbor, he has the pleasure of rekindling a romance begun almost thirty years ago with Ruth. Now a mu

A stunning portrait of community, identity, and sexuality by the critically acclaimed author of The Narrow Door When Paul Lisicky arrived in Provincetown in the early 1990s, he was leaving behind a history of family trauma to live in a place outside of time, known for its values of inclusion, acceptance, and art. In this idyllic haven, Lisicky searches for love and connection and comes into his own as he finds a sense of belonging. At the same time, the center of this community is consumed by the AIDS crisis, and the very structure of town life is being rewired out of necessity: What might this utopia look like during a time of dystopia? Later dramatizes a spectacular yet ravaged place and a unique era when more fully becoming one’s self collided with the realization that ongoingness couldn’t be taken for granted, and staying alive from moment to moment exacted absolute attention. Following the success of his acclaimed memoir, The Narrow Door, Lisicky fearlessly explores the body, queerness, love, illness, community, and belonging in this masterful, ingenious new book.

This first truly comprehensive interdisciplinary, international critique of theory and practice in lifelong learning as it relates to later life is an absolute tour de force. Alexandra Withnall, Universities of Warwick and Leicester, UK. This is a book that needed to be written: it provides a most thorough and skilful analysis of a comprehensive range of contemporary literature about learning in later life from many localities and countries of the world. Peter Jarvis, Professor Emeritus, University of Surrey Impressive in its scope this handbook seeks to describe older learning critically within the lifelong learning literature at the same time that it makes a strong and persuasive case for taking older learning seriously in our postmodern world. Kenneth Wain, University of Malta Lifelong learning in later life is an essential handbook for a wide range of people who work alongside older adults in varied contexts. This handbook brings together both orthodox approaches to educational gerontology and fresh perspectives on important emerging issues faced by seniors around the globe. Issues discussed include the social construction of ageing, the importance of lifelong learning policy and practice, participation in later life learning, education of marginalised groups within older communities, inter-generational learning, volunteering and ‘active ageing’, the political economy of older adulthood, learning for better health and well-being, and the place of seniors in a learning society. Brian Findsen is a professor of adult education, Faculty of Education, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. His writings are usually constructed within a social justice framework such as The Fourth Sector: Adult and Community Education in Aotearoa New Zealand (edited with John Benseman and Miriama Scott in 1996) and Learning later (2005). Marvin Formosa is a lecturer in the European Centre for Gerontology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta. In addition to various articles focusing on critical educational gerontology, recent and forthcoming books include Social Class Dynamics in Later Life (2009) and Social Class in Later Life: Power, Identity and Lifestyle (with Paul Higgs, 2012).

Drawing on interdisciplinary, cross-national perspectives, this open access book contributes to the development of a coherent scientific discourse on social exclusion of older people. The book considers five domains of exclusion (services; economic; social relations; civic and socio-cultural; and community and spatial domains), with three chapters dedicated to analysing different dimensions of each exclusion domain. The book also examines the interrelationships between different forms of exclusion, and how outcomes and processes of different kinds of exclusion can be related to one another. In doing so, major cross-cutting themes, such as rights and identity, inclusive service infrastructures, and displacement of marginalised older adult groups, are considered. Finally, in a series of chapters written by international policy stakeholders and policy researchers, the book analyses key policies relevant to social exclusion and older people, including debates linked to sustainable development, EU policy and social rights, welfare and pensions systems, and planning and development. The book’s approach helps to illuminate the comprehensive multidimensionality of social exclusion, and provides insight into the relative nature of disadvantage in later life. With 77 contributors working across 28 nations, the book presents a forward-looking research agenda for social exclusion amongst older people, and will be an important resource for students, researchers and policy stakeholders working on ageing.

The geriatric population, defined as men and women 65 years and older, is the fastest growing population in the world. While gerontology, the study of the aging process in human beings, has brought insights about the physical, emotional, and social needs of this population, little attention has been given to the mental health of the aging, and often treatable disorders are overlooked entirely. Depression is one of the leading mental disorders in any age group, but among the elderly it is often viewed as a normal part of aging. But it’s not. Depression at any age requires attention and treatment. For sufferers and their families and caregivers, this go-to guide introduces readers to depression among the aging and elderly. It looks at both sufferers who’ve been diagnosed in their younger years as well as those with a new diagnosis, and reviews the symptoms, the diagnostic process, treatment options including alternative and holistic approaches, and long term care for those experiencing mild, moderate, or severe depression. With real stories throughout, the book illustrates the many forms depression can take, and Serani offers a compassionate voice alongside practical advice for sufferers, caregivers, and families. An extensive resource section rounds out the book. Anyone suffering from depression in later life, and anyone who cares for someone suffering, will want to read this important guide to living well with depression in the golden years.

Physical problems and emotional stresses, such as bereavement, health conditions, pain, concerns about the future, side effects of medications, and the accumulated effects of lifestyle choices, may lead to depression or anxiety in older people. However, as Drs. Mark D. Miller and Charles F. Reynolds III know, these mental disorders are not a natural or an inevitable part of aging. In Depression and Anxiety in Later Life, these psychiatrists show how depression and anxiety can be avoided or minimized by adapting to changing circumstances while controlling risk factors and getting help when it's needed. This reassuring book balances discussions of the causes, symptoms, and treatments of mental illness with descriptions of successful adaptive aging. Case studies illustrate the less obvious depression symptoms of irritability, disorganization, and social withdrawal. Readers will find information about memory loss, pain, sleep, nutrition, and end-of-life issues particularly helpful. Aging can be challenging, but it doesn’t always lead to depression or anxiety. Depression and Anxiety in Later Life will help older people, their family members, and caregivers make positive changes to take control of their own individual situations.

Depression is a leading mental health concern in aging individuals. Written to be used in collaboration with a qualified mental health professional, Treating Later-Life Depression: Workbook is designed to address and alleviate depression and related concerns (chronic pain, sleep problems, anxiety, brain health, family caregiving and grief) in middle-aged and older adults. This practical Workbook, along with its companion Clinician Guide, reflects the latest scientific and clinical advances in cognitive-behavioral therapy for age-related problems, in individual, group, and telehealth formats. Along with learning how to re-engage in a meaningful daily life, individuals will build skills using personalized change strategies such as problem solving, relaxation training, self-compassion, reframing unhelpful thoughts and effective communication practices, among others. The Workbook closes with resources to support middle-aged and older adults' ongoing efforts at achieving and maintaining a greater sense of wellbeing.

This volume provides insightful analysis and theoretical interpretation of factors that contribute to a range of adjustment patterns among bereaved persons in late life. It places the experience of widowhood in late life squarely within the context of contemporary society and explores a remarkable range of associated issues. The volume is destined to become a classic; it will set the standard for future empirical investigation of the experience of bereavement among older adults. For Further Information on the CLOC Study, Please Click on CLOC

Thanks to advances in technology, medicine, Social Security, and Medicare, old age for many Americans is characterized by comfortable retirement, good health, and fulfilling relationships. But there are also millions of people over 65 who struggle with poverty, chronic illness, unsafe housing, social isolation, and mistreatment by their caretakers. What accounts for these disparities among older adults? Sociologist Deborah Carr’s Golden Years? draws insights from multiple disciplines to illuminate the complex ways that socioeconomic status, race, and gender shape the nearly every aspect of older adults’ lives. By focusing on an often-invisible group of vulnerable elders, Golden Years? reveals that disadvantages accumulate across the life course and can diminish the well-being of many. Carr connects research in sociology, psychology, epidemiology, gerontology, and other fields to explore the well-being of older adults. On many indicators of physical health, such as propensity for heart disease or cancer, black seniors fare worse than whites due to lifetimes of exposure to stressors such as economic hardships and racial discrimination and diminished access to health care. In terms of mental health, Carr finds that older women are at higher risk of depression and anxiety than men, yet older men are especially vulnerable to suicide, a result of complex factors including the rigid masculinity expectations placed on this generation of men. Carr finds that older adults’ physical and mental health are also closely associated with their social networks and the neighborhoods in which they live. Even though strong relationships with spouses, families, and friends can moderate some of the health declines associated with aging, women—and especially women of color—are more likely than men to live alone and often cannot afford home health care services, a combination that can be isolating and even fatal. Finally, social inequalities affect the process of dying itself, with white and affluent seniors in a better position to convey their end-of-life preferences and use hospice or palliative care than their disadvantaged peers. Carr cautions that rising economic inequality, the lingering impact of the Great Recession, and escalating rates of obesity and opioid addiction, among other factors, may contribute to even greater disparities between the haves and the have-nots in future cohorts of older adults. She concludes that policies, such as income supplements for the poorest older adults, expanded paid family leave, and universal health care could ameliorate or even reverse some disparities. A comprehensive analysis of the causes and consequences of later-life inequalities, Golden Years? demonstrates the importance of increased awareness, strong public initiatives, and creative community-based programs in ensuring that all Americans have an opportunity to age well.