Aging in the Family

With a rapidly aging population throughout the world, the issue of larger percentages of older adults has repercussions for both policy and the job market. Whether a university student about to seek a full-time job or a caregiver for an older person, Aging in the Family should enhance the reader’s knowledge and skills.

The main topics covered in this volume include marital status of older adults, support systems within families, crises with older adults within families, the resilience of older adults entering the latter stages of life, practical information involving caregiving, aging in place, and various social services for an aging population. The reader will be made aware of intergenerational interactions between older adults and other family members in various cultures. The role of ethnicity and socio-economic status in health issues of older adults will be discussed, as will the application of technology to an aging population. Though problems certainly exist as one ages, the overall thrust of the book is toward the positive aspects of growing old.

Numerous theories exist to probe research and understanding of older adults in families. The relation between theory and research will be helpful to many students of aging in the family. Older adults are generally married, yet cohabitation and other options are alive and well too. Ageism, death, and abuse, unfortunately, are issues affecting aging. Yet, most older adults in the US and Western Europe report living independently and being satisfied with their lives.

Aging in the Family will be an interesting read for anyone wanting to learn about older adults and family relationships, as it exhibits a blend of both theoretical and practical matters.

George E. Dickinson is Professor of Sociology at the College of Charleston (USA). Since the 1970s, his teaching and research interests have been on end-of-life issues, aging, and the family. He and Brenda Sanders team-teach a course entitled "Aging in the Family." His current research involves euthanasia and hospice with veterinarians in the US and the UK. He is the co-author of Understanding Families: Diversity, Continuity, and Change, 2nd edition (Harcourt Brace).

Brenda S. Sanders is a Senior Instructor of Sociology at the College of Charleston (USA). Her teaching interests focus on aging and helping students to better understand aging in society both in the classroom and through service learning and internship options. She holds a Master of Science in Gerontology from Baylor University.