Download or read book Aging and Social Policy in the United States written by Nancy Kusmaul and published by . This book was released on 2021-10-26 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aging and Social Policy in the United States guides students through an exploration of social policies and policymaking that address the needs of older adults and their families. It situates the experiences of older adults in the context of their environment, examining social welfare policies that affect the rights and interests of older adults. The book begins with an introductory unit, providing a foundation for the book, defining key terms, describing how to analyze the impacts of a policy on a population, and examining the ways in which policy is positioned within societal assumptions. Utilizing the life course perspective, the middle three units of this book situate individual biological and psychological challenges of aging in the context of how they are addressed by individuals, families, and societies, identifying the strengths and challenges of existing and proposed social policies at each of these levels. The concluding unit provides comparative insights as to how aging issues are addressed in a sample of countries around the world. Aging and Social Policy in the United States provides undergraduate and graduate students with critical knowledge and perspectives on the complexities of addressing the needs of an aging population.
Download or read book Aging and Social Policy in the United States written by Nancy Kusmaul and published by Cognella Academic Publishing. This book was released on 2021-10-26 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aging and Social Policy in the United States guides students through an exploration of social policies and policymaking that address the needs of older adults and their families. It situates the experiences of older adults in the context of their environment, examining social welfare policies that affect the rights and interests of older adults. The book begins with an introductory unit, providing a foundation for the book, defining key terms, describing how to analyze the impacts of a policy on a population, and examining the ways in which policy is positioned within societal assumptions. Utilizing the life course perspective, the middle three units of this book situate individual biological and psychological challenges of aging in the context of how they are addressed by individuals, families, and societies, identifying the strengths and challenges of existing and proposed social policies at each of these levels. The concluding unit provides comparative insights as to how aging issues are addressed in a sample of countries around the world. Aging and Social Policy in the United States provides undergraduate and graduate students with critical knowledge and perspectives on the complexities of addressing the needs of an aging population.
Download or read book Social Policy and Aging written by Carroll L. Estes and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2001-03-30 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This groundbreaking book provides a comprehensive treatment of the political economy of aging. From the founder and key thinker in the field comes a work that aims to contribute to the understanding of old age and aging in the context of problems and issues of the larger social order in America. Since Carroll Estes' first writing on the political economy of aging in 1979, there has been growing recognition and incorporation of her critical perspective as one of the major paradigms in the field of aging. The only comprehensive book-length treatment of the subject, Social Policy and Aging addresses the globalization of capital and developments in health care restructuring. Combining social gerontological theory and major theoretical advances in work on the welfare state, this text keeps readers abreast of the new development within the discipline. Students and researchers alike will appreciate this critical perspective, widely acknowledged as one of the major paradigms in the field of aging. [Ed.]
Download or read book Families Caring for an Aging America written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-11-08 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.
Download or read book Aging Social Policies written by Robbyn R. Wacker and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2010-12-07 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our population is aging. What will we do about it? Due to population explosion and a global increase in average life expectancies, an unprecedentedly high percentage of the world′s population is aging. By the middle of this century there will be up to 2 billion individuals over the age of 65, a demographic shift never before experienced in our human history. In addition, declining birth rates in industrialized countries means a decrease in the number of adults under 64. In Aging Social Policies: An International Perspective the authors consider how policy – domestic and international – affects and will continue to affect the lives of our aging population.
Download or read book Social Policy for an Aging Society written by Carole B. Cox, PhD and published by Springer Publishing Company. This book was released on 2015-01-16 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As people age, they are at increased risk of having their basic human rights threatened or violated. When age is perceived as incompetence, it can easily lead to discrimination that impacts human rights. Based on the premise that social policy must reflect human rights principles, this graduate-level textbook views the challenges associated with aging as opportunities for policy development that stresses the rights of older adults rather than needs. The text distinguishes between “needs” and “rights” and describes those policies and services that best ensure that the rights of older adults are actually met—particularly programs that enable people to remain in their own communities so they can benefit from continued integration and participation in society. Issues and challenges surrounding such efforts, and gaps in social policies faced by specific subsets of older people, are critically examined. The book first analyzes current aging policies and rights and considers the Older Americans Act as a basic policy framework. With an eye to promoting independence, the book discusses issues of income, housing, transportation, health, and home care and what constitutes a “livable community,” along with policies that promote wellbeing and focus on preventing senior abuse and exploitation. Challenges faced by older workers are covered, as are issues particular to family caregivers, older women, and grandparents as caregivers. Gaps in social policies for LG BT seniors and older members of specific ethnic groups are discussed. Particular attention is given to global issues and aging policies in diverse countries and the ways in which they reflect human rights concerns. Each chapter concludes with probing discussion questions for classroom use. KEY FEATURES: Presents a human rights framework for aging policy Distinguishes between needs and rights of older persons Focuses on policies and programs that can help older people to remain in the community Explores the issues and challenges of specific older populations Discusses global responses and concerns with regard to older persons and human rights Carole B. Cox, MSW, PhD, is professor at the Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University. She is a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and a Fulbright scholar. She is the author of more than 50 journal articles and chapters dealing with various aspects of aging and caregiving, with extensive research on caregivers for persons with dementia, their needs, and their use of services. Her recent work includes a study of the impact of dementia on the workplace. Her caregiving research also includes that of grandparents raising grandchildren, leading to the development of a curriculum, Empowering Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: A Training Manual for Group Leaders (Springer Publishing Company, 2000). She is the editor of To Grandmother’s House We Go and Stay: Perspectives on Custodial Grandparents (Springer Publishing Company, 2000). Her other books include Home Care for the Elderly: An International Perspective, coauthored with Abraham Monk (1991); The Frail Elderly: Problems, Needs, and Community Responses (1993); Ethnicity and Social Work Practice, coauthored with Paul Ephross (1998); Community Care for an Aging Society: Policies and Services (Springer Publishing Company, 2005); and Dementia and Social Work Practice (Springer Publishing Company, 2007).
Download or read book Aging America and Transportation written by Joseph F Coughlin, PhD and published by Springer Publishing Company. This book was released on 2012-01-20 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Recommended."--CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries "Coughlin and DíAmbrosioís edited volume is a welcome contribution to highlighting this issue for gerontologists. The collection is an informative and useful reference for students, researchers, practitioners, planners, and policy analysts"--The Gerontologist This solution-focused volume fills a gap in the literature by addressing the key issues around mobility and transportation for the aging Baby Boomer generation--issues that will be significantly different than those of previous generations of older adults. This new generation, many of whom will continue to work past the traditional retirement age and expect to pursue an active lifestyle, may have to confront new transportation technology, the need to use public transportation, and ways to continue driving safely as their eyesight fades and reaction time slows down. This volume examines many of the issues faced by policymakers, transportation officials, vehicle manufacturers, health and human services professionals, and aging adults themselves as the largest generation prepares to enter late adulthood. The volume's editors are both at the MIT AgeLab, whose multi-disciplinary team designs, develops and deploys innovations to enhance quality of life for aging populations. Through the contributions of a diverse group of theorists and practitioners, including recommendations from the National Older Driver Safety Advisory Council, a collaboration between AARP's Driver Safety Program and the MIT AgeLab, the book discusses several key topics pertinent to Aging America and transportation. Among them are the changing demographics of the population, how this generation's lifestyle choices affect mobility, technology trends in private vehicles, changes in the infrastructure and transportation system, the "new" older driver, and issues of safety and education among older drivers. This book also explores practical solutions and strategies, such as new transportation options and innovations that will significantly impact the future of mobility for older adults, for keeping these seniors active and mobile well into their later years. Key Features: Focuses on the unique mobility needs of the aging Baby Boomer generation Provides practical solutions and strategies for policy changes to enhance the mobility of older adults Examines issues faced by policymakers, transportation officials, vehicle manufacturers, health and human services professionals, and aging adults Discusses strategies for updating the infrastructure and transportation system, driving safety education for older drivers, and trends in private vehicle innovations
Download or read book Age in the Welfare State written by Julia Lynch and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2006-06-05 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book asks why some countries devote the lion's share of their social policy resources to the elderly, while others have a more balanced repertoire of social spending. Far from being the outcome of demands for welfare spending by powerful age-based groups in society, the 'age' of welfare is an unintended consequence of the way that social programs are set up. The way that politicians use welfare state spending to compete for votes, along either programmatic or particularistic lines, locks these early institutional choices into place. So while society is changing - aging, divorcing, moving in and out of the labor force over the life course in new ways - social policies do not evolve to catch up. The result, in occupational welfare states like Italy, the United States, and Japan, is social spending that favors the elderly and leaves working-aged adults and children largely to fend for themselves.
Download or read book Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences written by Linda George and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2010-11-26 with total page 407 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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
Download or read book Aging Social Policies written by Robbyn R. Wacker and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2010-12-07 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Due to population explosion and a global increase in average life expectancies, an unprecedentedly high percentage of the world's population is aging. By the middle of this century there will be up to 2 billion individuals over the age of 65, a demographic shift never before experienced in our human history. In addition, declining birth rates in industrialized countries means a decrease in the number of adults under 64. In Aging Social Policies: An International Perspective the authors consider how policy – domestic and international – affects and will continue to affect the lives of our aging population.
Download or read book Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2020-05-14 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish.
Download or read book Aging Welfare and Social Policy written by Tian-kui Jing and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-04-16 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This perceptive volume presents conceptual, theoretical, and empirical approaches to social policy analysis comparing China and Nordic countries in their treatment of the elderly. An international panel of experts offers valuable policy insights into issues of housing, community care, family care, pensions and social security, and mental health as China translates and adapts Western examples, particularly those set by Norway, Sweden, and Finland. The book contrasts shared issues in the contexts of economic history, accountability and service improvements, and sustainability while also examining specifically Chi nese problems such as care gaps between urban and rural elders. Coverage also considers the centrality of aging policy in China as the nation works toward its long-term goal of eradicating poverty. Included among the topics: Building a welfare system with Chinese characteristics: from a residual type to moderate universalism. “Aging in community”: historical and comparative study of aging welfare and social policy. Sweden: aging welfare and social policy in the 21st century. Policy responses to aging: care services for the elderly in Norway. China’s elderly care policy and its future trends. Aging Welfare and Social Policy will interest professionals and researchers addressing questions of Chinese and comparative social policy, health psychologists, and sociologists focused on family, youth, and aging.
Download or read book Aging in the United States and Japan written by Yukio Noguchi and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2008-04-15 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Japanese and American economists assess the present economic status of the elderly in the United States and Japan, and consider the impact of an aging population on the economies of the two countries. With essays on labor force participation and retirement, housing equity and the economic status of the elderly, budget implications of an aging population, and financing social security and health care in the 1990s, this volume covers a broad spectrum of issues related to the economics of aging. Among the book's findings are that workers are retiring at an increasingly earlier age in both countries and that, as the populations age, baby boomers in the United States will face diminishing financial resources as the ratio of retirees to workers sharply increases. The result of a joint venture between the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Japan Center for Economic Research, this book complements Housing Markets in the United States and Japan (1994) by integrating research on housing markets with economic issues of the aged in the United States and Japan.
Download or read book Aging Nation written by James H. Schulz and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2008-05-15 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Schulz and Robert H.
Download or read book The Aging Population in the Twenty First Century written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1988-02-01 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is not news that each of us grows old. What is relatively new, however, is that the average age of the American population is increasing. More and better information is required to assess, plan for, and meet the needs of a graying population. The Aging Population in the Twenty-First Century examines social, economic, and demographic changes among the aged, as well as many health-related topics: health promotion and disease prevention; quality of life; health care system financing and use; and the quality of careâ€"especially long-term care. Recommendations for increasing and improving the data availableâ€"as well as for ensuring timely access to themâ€"are also included.
Download or read book Aging Policy and Politics in the Trump Era written by Edward Alan Miller and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-05-21 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The surprise election of Donald J. Trump to the presidency of the United States marks a singular turning point in the American republic – not only because of his idiosyncratic approach to the office, but also because the Republican Party now holds the presidency and both houses of Congress, presenting a historic opportunity for change. The role of older Americans has been critical in both shaping and reacting to this political moment. Their political orientations and behaviors have shaped it through their electoral support for Republican candidates. But, older Americans stand as highly invested stakeholders in the policy decisions made by the very officials they elected and as beneficiaries of the programs that Republicans have targeted for cuts or elimination. This comprehensive volume explores the ways in which Trump administration policies are likely to significantly undermine the social safety net for near-elderly and older Americans, including long-term care, housing, health care, and retirement. The authors also explore how the Trump administration might shape politics and political behavior through the policy changes made. The response of older voters, in upcoming elections, to efforts by the Trump administration and its Republican allies in Congress to draw back on the federal government’s commitment to programs and policies affecting them will shape the direction of aging policy and politics for years to come. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Aging & Social Policy.
Download or read book Golden Years written by Deborah Carr and published by Russell Sage Foundation. This book was released on 2019-01-22 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
