Aging And Milieu

Aging and Milieu: Environmental Perspectives on Growing Old is a collection of essays that presents insight into the area of aging-environment research. The book focuses primarily on the physical, phenomenological, cultural, social, and clinical environmental context of an old person. Part I explores alternative conceptions of aging and milieu. The second part discusses the old-person-environment transaction. Part III covers the social context of milieu or the notion of how social relationships mediate and condition the symbiotic relationships between the old person and the physical environment. Gerontologists, sociologists, psychologists, architects, and urban planners will find this book interesting.

"[This book] addresses issues on both sides of the Atlantic; examines the theoretical underpinnings of environmental gerontology...; and provides useful practical applications and guiding principles....Recommended."--Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries The environments in which people live out their later lives have a strong impact on their identity and provide opportunities for nourishing social interactions. This volume translates the insights derived from contemporary research on residential environments and public spaces that enhance well-being into practical recommendations for the design of such beneficial community environments. The text is grounded in the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of current research on place attachment, environmental meaning, and community living in later life. Emphasis is placed on how to design residential spaces that facilitate the development of a sense of place or home, and investigation is made into the kinds of lifestyles such spaces foster and support. A major theme pervading the text is the juxtaposition of private and public space. The book also addresses such themes as the transformation of spaces into places of personal identification and attachment, the need for shared intergenerational spaces, and consideration of diverse populations when designing public spaces. The book also considers how emerging public policy agendas affect the development and management of environments for the elderly. Environmental Gerontology includes the contributions of scholars in anthropology, architecture, economics, education, geography, gerontology, planning, psychology, sociology, and numerous health sciences, who hail from North America, Europe, and Asia. With its strong interdisciplinary focus, this text offers innovative and judicious recommendations for the creation of community environments that are truly beneficial for older adults. Key Features: Provides an up-to-date synthesis of the latest research on the meaning of place to older people and its relationship to well-being Offers fresh insight and critical perspectives on community planning and environmental design Considers private residences, retirement communities, long-term care facilities, and public and private community spaces Includes guiding principles for environmental design and practice relevant to the documented needs of older people Synthesizes contributions from international scholars in many disciplines

Examines the issues confronting global aging through the prism of three multicultural nations: the United States, Israel and Australia. This book discusses international achievements in meeting the challenge of aging well, as well as limitations and unmet needs, focusing on the art of coping with growing old, and adapting to health challenges.

Processes of Aging: Social and Psychological Perspectives is based on a monumental series of studies on the psychological and social aspects of aging in relation to mental health. This effort gives scientists from North America and Europe an opportunity to explore the concepts, methodological problems, and conclusions of their researches in the rapidly growing field of gerontology. Much work has been done in an attempt to present this material in sequential and systematic fashion. Original work of sixty-six research workers from twelve countries is represented in this two-volume set. They offer an inventory of principal fields of gerontological research, in advanced countries. Human aging, in its many ramifications, is becoming one of the major areas of research interest among an increasing number of students in the biological, behavioral, and social sciences. Although the phenomena of aging were largely overlooked as subject matter for research during the early stages in the development of all basic sciences, it was inevitable that students would eventually become curious about the final processes of maturation. Events of recent years have hastened the need for social action on behalf of older people and, consequently, the need for scientific knowledge about their characteristics, circumstances, and requirements. Processes of Aging: Social and Psychological Perspectives will be of interest to research workers, teachers, and advanced students concerned with the psychological, psychiatric, psychosocial, and socioeconomic aspects of aging. Many of the theoretical and analytical discussions and the specific studies offer guidance for top-level planners and policy administrators in public agencies and voluntary organizations. This volume is highly sensitive to older people as such: how they feel about themselves and the world, and in the way they behave in relation to others. It is must reading in the health and welfare of aging.