The Social Geography Of Healthy Aging

The healthy and successful transition to later life can be a difficult experience. This book will discuss the historical, cultural, and social psychological factors that shape the quality of life of older women and men. A central premise of the proposed book is that where we live is vital to how we age. Thus, the book has a look at stories of older women and men who are from different cultural backgrounds. Biographische Informationen Jasmin Tahmaseb McConatha is a developmental and cultural psychologist who has devoted fifteen years of her professional life to the study of the health and well being of older adults. The recipient of several research grants, Jasmin has written numerous articles and book chapters and one book on ageing. Karin Volkwein-Caplan is a professor of Kinesiology; she has been actively engaged in sociological and philosophical research on the benefits of physical activity for 15 years. She has published numerous articles and several books on the topic of health, fitness, and culture. Reihe Healthy Aging & Fitness - Band 1.

"The healthy and successful transition to later life can be a difficult experience. This book will discuss the historical, cultural, and social psychological factors that shape the quality of life of older women and men. A central premise of the book is that where we live is vital to how we age. Thus, the book has a look at stories of older women and men who are from different cultural backgrounds." Argumentaire de l'ouvrage.

Understanding where ageing occurs, how it is experienced by different people in different places, and in what ways it is transforming our communities, economies and societies at all levels has become crucial for the development of informed research, policy and programmes. This book focuses on the interdisciplinary field of study – geographical gerontology – that addresses these issues. With contributions from more than 30 leading geographers and gerontologists, the book examines the scope and depth of geographical perspectives, concepts and approaches applied to the study of ageing, old age and older populations. The book features 25 chapters organized into five parts that cover the field’s theoretical traditions and intellectual evolution; the contributions of key disciplinary perspectives from population geography, social and cultural geography, health geography, urban planning and environmental studies; the scales of inquiry within geographical gerontology from the global to the embodied; the thematic breadth of contemporary issues of interest that define the field (places, spaces and landscapes of ageing); and a discussion about challenges, opportunities and agendas for future developments in geography and gerontology. This book provides the first comprehensive foundation of knowledge about the state of the art of geographical gerontology that will be of interest to scholars of ageing around the world.

During recent years, an increasing amount of academic research has focused on older people with a particular emphasis on settings, places and spaces. This book provides a comprehensive review of research and the policy area of 'ageing and place'. An insightful book on an important topic, Andrews and Phillips have together edited a valuable information and reference source for those with interests in the spatial dimensions of ageing in the twenty-first century. Ranging from macro-scale perspectives on the distribution of older populations on national scales, to the meaning of specific local places and settings to older individuals, on the micro-scale, the book spans an entire range of research traditions and international perspectives.

This book presents a unique geographical perspective on issues of transport and mobility for ageing populations. Society is ageing across the globe. As well as living longer, older people are fitter, healthier and more active than previous generations were. There is both a desire and a need to be mobile in later life and mobility is clearly linked to older people’s health and wellbeing. Yet mobility can be hard for older people and we don’t always design our neighbourhoods, towns, cities and villages in an age friendly way. With case studies from across the globe, authors take a geographical lens to the important topic of transport and mobility in later life. Chapters examine how the relationships between mobility, modes of transport, place and technologies affect an aging population. This collection will be of interest to scholars and students in human geography, in particular those with interests in transport geography, mobilities, geographies of health and wellbeing, urban geographies and geographical gerontology. It will also appeal to practitioners and policy makers in urban design and planning, transport planning and engineering and public health who have interests in age-friendly cities and policy.

The supportive role of urban spaces in active aging is explored on a world scale in this unique resource, using the WHO’s Age-Friendly Cities and Community model. Case studies from the U.S., Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, and elsewhere demonstrate how the model translates to fit diverse social, political, and economic realities across cultures and continents, ways age-friendly programs promote senior empowerment, and how their value can be effectively assessed. Age-friendly criteria for communities are defined and critiqued while extensive empirical data describe challenges as they affect elders globally and how environmental support can help meet them. These chapters offer age-friendly cities as a corrective to the overemphasis on the medical aspects of elders’ lives, and should inspire new research, practice, and public policy. Included in the coverage: A critical review of the WHO Age-Friendly Cities Methodology and its implementation. Seniors’ perspectives on age-friendly communities. The implementation of age-friendly cities in three districts of Argentina. Age-friendly New York City: a case study. Toward an age-friendly European Union. Age-friendliness, childhood, and dementia: toward generationally intelligent environments. With its balance of attention to universal and culture-specific concerns, Age-Friendly Cities and Communities in International Comparison will be of particular interest to sociologists, gerontologists, and policymakers. “Given the rapid adoption of the age-friendly perspective, following its development by the World Health Organization, the critical assessment offered in this volume is especially welcome”. Professor Chris Phillipson, University of Manchester

Aging, Place, and Health: A Global Perspective examines the interplay of biological, social, and environmental factors affecting the health and well-being of aging individuals, their families, and communities. With a strong interdisciplinary focus, this book provides a clear, coherent structure to address the diversity of topics in this increasingly vital field. The second edition maintains the ecological approach using the same framework as in the first edition. The ecological model serves as a template for the organization of the book. The new edition provides a more global focus and introduces new topics such as the impact of technology. This edition also introduces a new co-editor as well as specific chapters prepared by leading experts in the field.