Social Policies And Programs On Aging

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.

Learn how public policies can help families provide the care their elderly relatives need Family and Aging Policy examines how public initiatives to assist the elderly in the United States, Canada, Singapore, Denmark, and Sweden can impact families who provide them with long-term care. For the majority of older people, the aging experience involves their families directly and indirectly, affecting income security, housing, and health care. This unique book addresses the aging issues that matter most to families struggling to deal with the demands of care giving and provides answers on how the public sector can help. As the traditional nuclear family becomes a memory and the notion of extended family disappears, the need for public interventions to help the elderly increases. A significant number of people grow old without families they can depend on. Others have families who want to help, but lack the financial means or the housing needed to provide care. Family and Aging Policy offers options on how families and formal services can share responsibilities, including how families can juggle jobs and care giving, the effects of the Family and Medical Leave Act, consumer-directed service options, community-based care programs, accessory dwelling units and zoning ordinances, and provisions for caregiver support in each of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Family and Aging Policy examines: extensive welfare programs in Sweden publicly funded home care programs in Denmark family-oriented social policies in Singapore shared responsibilities of families and formal services in Canada the Administration on Aging’s National Family Caregiver Support program in the United States California Caregiver Resource Centers and much more! Family and Aging Policy is an invaluable tool for researchers and policy analysts working in family policy issues and as an essential supplemental text for course work in gerontology, sociology, family relations, and social work.

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).

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.]

"The eighth edition of Aging Networks is particularly well-suited for use in the classroom, and can be used or adapted for a wide variety of disciplines including gerontology, social work, public health, public administration, nursing and other health professions... This small volume is not only an excellent learning tool, but also a ìmust-haveî handbook for aging professionals in many fields." --Noreen A. Shugrue Research Associate, University of Connecticut Center on Aging Farmington, CT Educational Gerontology As our population ages, the need for comprehensive, up-to-date knowledge about aging services in the United States becomes more and more crucial. This highly accessible and concise text about such resources provides students and practitioners of gerontologyóalong with all professionals whose work concerns the well-being of older adultsówith a current, detailed description and analysis of federal, state, local, and global programs and services for older people with or without cognitive, physical, and social needs. Thoroughly updated to encompass the new information available concerning later life, it reflects critical changes to legislation, health care, and current trends, and focuses on the strengths of older adults, their diversity, and the role our multilayered aging network plays in advocacy, community independence, and engagement. Commentary and critical thinking challenges from policymakers, program directors, and educators facilitate high-level thinking and independent analysis of the aging networks, past, present, and future. The eighth edition underscores recent policy changes and how these changes will impact the lives of older adults. "Perspectives" boxes throughout the text highlight complex themes addressed by experts, and "Critical Thinking" topics and questions encourage reflection and discussion. The new edition also describes initiatives that highlight best-practice approaches and model projects designed to facilitate positive change. Along with a vast amount of new and revised information reinforced with a variety of perspectives in historical and current contexts, the book features an international perspective highlighting the collaborative efforts driving many aspects of aging network programming. Additionally, the book focuses on the unique issues of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population along with programs designed to address them. NEW TO THE EIGHTH EDITION: Expert analyses and insights into complex themes Reflects reorganization of the aging network under the Administration for Community Living, and policy changes affecting practice International perspectives such as the World Health Organization's Age-Friendly Cities Project Innovative and model projects and programs Expanded focus on issues unique to the LGBT population The influence of social determinants on older adults and the aging networks Caregiving issues Disaster and emergency preparedness Effects of economic downturn on the aging population Elder mistreatment Changes in employment and retirement patterns Supporting "aging in place" New and expanded educator's ancillary packet

First published in 1993. This present volume, co-edited by two sociologists, Jon Hendricks of the United States and Carolyn Rosenthal of Canada, focuses on a comparative, cross-national discussion of social policies of the United States and Canada, especially those related to health care. The uniqueness o f this work lies in the fact that it views family experiences from both a Canadian and an American perspective. In addition, this book not only fills a gap in our know ledge of social policies, but contributes to our understanding of how these policies shape and effect the lives o f older fam ilies in both countries.