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Description
The experiences of both families and aging are changing in today’s society. Many of us are staying healthier and living longer. Because an unprecedented number of Americans will be over age 65 in the twenty-first century, the aging experience will be felt by many and permeate our family life and society.
Patricia Drentea’s Families and Aging examines how the changing lifestyles of Americans will play into aging well. It explores the life course transitions that occur as individuals and families age within the current U.S. context. The text is written from a sociological perspective, but it is interdisciplinary and can be used by many fields such as gerontology, social work, human development, and family studies.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction to Aging FamiliesData and MethodsStructure of the ChaptersOrganization of the book
Chapter 1. Introduction to Aging Families
Provides an overview of major social changes in aging Vignette-Older woman who is more what the face of the future will be than what is today
Chapter Objectives
Increase of older adult populationThe Baby Boomers
Life Expectancy in the United States
The past, present, and future
Box-How to become a centenarian
Changes in world populationBox about future world population
Box-What is a family?
Facts about families
Diverse Family Forms
More options
Trends in the Aging Family
Longer Life Span
More Needs for Caregiving
Changes In Diversity-Race And EthnicityCurrent Versus Future Population in the U.S.
The Changing Landscape of the Population
Changes in socioeconomic statusIncreased Standard of Living for Most
Continued Inequality
Changes in health Healthier than before
Chronic illness
Communicable Illness
Health Disparities
Summary Critical Thinking Questions
Chapter 2. Diversity in American Society
The story is one of diversity in the 21st century. Begins with postmodern theory about diversity of society etc. Diversity is about changing landscape of more common and visible types of families.
Chapter Objectives
Theory of postmodern complex lifeIncreasing diversity of families
Modern versus traditionalIncreasing diversity of realitiesMajor trends in intimate relationships: the impact on aging families
Divorce
Remarriage and stepfamilies
Single parenting
Cohabitation
Singlehood
Childlessness
Box-Childfree by Choice
DINKS
LGBTQ Families
Families of Choice
Biracial and Multiracial/Multiethnic Families
Religiosity
Traditional PullsSummaryCritical Thinking Questions
Chapter 3- Changing Gender Roles: Effects on Aging Experience
Women now are coming of age during time of more options, different family patterns, more work, more likely to have different expectations of men. For many older women, they came of age in the 1970s, during the women’s revolution, after the civil rights movement, and during a time when the world was opening up to them.
Chapter Objectives
Feminist Theory Six Propositions
Changes in Gendered Lives Over TimeSpouse
Parenting
Worker
Gender, Dating and SexualityDating
Sexuality in Later Life
STIs and Aging
WidowhoodSocial Roles, Sex Roles, and Mental HealthSummaryCritical Thinking Questions
Chapter 4. Parenthood Later In Life
Provides an overview of having children in later life, and issues relevant to all parents as they get older.
Chapter Objectives
The life course paradigm
increasing heterogeneity
Increasing Age at First BirthReproductive Medicine and TechnologyAdvanced maternal age-women 35 and over
chart- Risks and Benefits of Women Having Children Over 35
Down Syndrome
Table 5.1 Incidence of Down syndrome by age of mother
Box-World’s Oldest Moms
Twins and multiples
Older Parents and Psychosocial ImplicationsBoomerang children
Intergenerational linkagesThe Sandwich Generation
transfersDispossessionSummaryCritical Thinking Questions
Chapter 5.Work and Retirement
The story of how people interact with their cohort and the social structure. Each cohort is different because it is had different experiences. New cohorts will be different from before because women have worked, more educated population, rise of technology. How economic and family issues affect work careers, retirement etc.
Chapter Objectives
Theory-age stratificationChanges in the dependency ratioChanges in estimated work lifeEstimated Work Life
Work in later life
Work and Family in Later Life
Retirement
Duration and Reasons for Increase in retirement
BOX—Financial Planning for Retirement
Phased retirement
Savings in later life
The great recession and the effects on working
Debt
Unemployment
SummaryCritical Thinking Questions
Chapter 6. Activities in Later Life
The story to tell is about activities in later life, work, and retirement with trends in both early retirement and working later in life. Activities may center around things people liked to do their whole life, but also when an extra 30 years is appended to a life. One activity is increasing grandparenting. Discussion of where seniors live.
Chapter Objectives
Theory-activity theory and continuity theoryActivities in later lifeMore leisure time and opportunities
Consumerism: America’s favorite hobby-shopping?
The other side
Travel and adult education programsGrandparentingextended time grandparenting, quality and quantity
grandparenting as an identity
styles of grandparenting
Box-an example of custodial living
Divorce/reconstituted families and grandparents
Moving, activities and families in later lifeTechnologyConnectivity and social media
SummaryCritical Thinking Questions
Chapter 7. Health and Caregiving
Story is that we are living longer, and generally healthier. There’s been an expansion of morbidity, but also a compression. We can be healthier longer, but have new things to worry about such as wear and tear of joints, being kept alive artificially too long etc. Increasing need for caregiving.
Chapter Objectives
Theory-cumulative advantage and disadvantageImproved health overall, vitality and aging wellHealth
Activities of daily living
D. Expansion versus compression of morbidity
E. Socioeconomic status and health
F. Caregiving
caregiving measures
men’s caregiving
increase in male caregiving
Need for social supportAlzheimer’s disease-a special case in caregiving and social supportBox-warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
Living arrangementsAssistive technologyAssisted Care, Advanced Care Planning, and End-of-Life DecisionsSummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsChapter 8. Conclusion
Chapter Objectives
IntroductionSocietal ChangesDominant Social Changes: Future Directions for SocietyTechnology and CommunicationGlobalization and familiesIntercultural marriage and increasing heterogeneity of familiesIncreased distance from familiesIncreased choices for living arrangementsMore social roles for later life Elder MistreatmentSummaryCritical Thinking Questions
GLOSSARY
REFERENCES
INDEX
Product details
Published | 05 Nov 2018 |
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Format | Paperback |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 208 |
ISBN | 9781538104347 |
Imprint | Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |
Illustrations | 30 b/w photos; 7 tables; 20 graphs; 9 textboxes |
Dimensions | 256 x 176 mm |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |