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This Strange Visible Air: Essays on Aging and the Writing Life
By Sharon Butala. 2021
A collection of essays on women and aging from Canadian legend Sharon Butala "What I didn't have a clue about…
was that I was soon to be old, or what being old would mean to my dreams and desires. While dreading old age with every fibre, I was at the same time in full denial that it would ever happen to me, and so, was shocked down to the soles of my feet when it did." In this incisive collection, Sharon Butala reflects on the ways her life has changed as she's grown old. She knows that society fails the elderly massively, and so she tackles ageism and loneliness, friendship and companionship. She writes with pointed wit and acerbic humour about dinner parties and health challenges and forgetfulness and complicated family relationships and the pandemic -- and lettuce. And she tells her story with the tremendous skill and beauty of a writer who has masterfully honed her craft over the course of her storied four-decade career. Butala gives us a book to be cherished -- an elegant and expansive look at the complexities and desires of aging and the aged, standing in stark contrast to the stereotyped, simplistic portrayals of the elderly in our culture. This Strange Visible Air is a true gift.
Late-Life Homelessness: Experiences of Disadvantage and Unequal Aging
By Amanda Grenier. 2021
Around the world and across a range of contexts, homelessness among older people is on the rise. In spite of…
growing media attention and new academic research on the issue, older people often remain unrecognized as a subpopulation in public policy, programs, and homeless strategies. As such, they occupy a paradoxical position of being hypervisible while remaining overlooked.Late-Life Homelessness is the first Canadian book to address this often neglected issue. Basing her analysis on a four-year ethnographic study of late-life homelessness in Montreal, Canada, Amanda Grenier uses a critical gerontological perspective to explore life at the intersection of aging and homelessness. She draws attention to disadvantage over time and how the condition of being unhoused disrupts a person’s ability to age in place, resulting in experiences of unequal aging. Weaving together findings from policy documents, stakeholder insights, and observations and interviews with older people, this book demonstrates how structures, organizational practices, and relationships related to homelessness and aging come to shape late life.Situated in the context of an aging population, rising inequality, and declining social commitments, Late-Life Homelessness stresses the moral imperative of responding justly to the needs of older people as a means of mitigating the unequal aging of unhoused elders.
No Regrets: Hope for Your Caregiving Season
By Rayna Neises. 2021
“Winsome, uplifting” personal stories and practical tips for walking your loved one through this season of life (Michele Howe, author…
of Giving Thanks for a Perfectly Imperfect Life).A coach and podcaster who specializes in support for caregivers, Rayne Neises knows from her own experience caring for two parents with Alzheimer’s disease that this role can take a toll. In this comforting book she offers practical tips and personal stories that help us walk our parents all the way to the end of their life while still having a life to walk back into. By being intentional throughout the process, she explains, we can hold on to faith, manage fear—and provide the best possible care for both ourselves and our loved ones. “By reading this book and learning from its rich stories, you will begin to exchange your heartaches for hope and memories to forever cherish.” —Debra Kelsey-Davis, coauthor of The Caregiver’s CompanionEssays examining the power of traditional arts and folklore in the lives of the elderly in the United States.Can traditional…
arts improve an older adult’s quality of life? Are arts interventions more effective when they align with an elder’s cultural identity? In The Expressive Lives of Elders, Jon Kay and contributors from a diverse range of public institutions argue that such mediations work best when they are culturally, socially, and personally relevant to the participants.From quilting and canning to weaving and woodworking, this book explores the role of traditional arts and folklore in the lives of older adults in the United States, highlighting the critical importance of ethnographic studies of creative aging for both understanding the expressive lives of elders and for designing effective arts therapies and programs. Each case study in this volume demonstrates how folklore and traditional practices help elders maintain their health and wellness, providing a road map for initiatives to improve the lives and well-being of America’s aging population.
An indispensable, comprehensive reference for family caregivers.Caregivers hold the key to the health, well-being, and happiness of their aging relatives,…
partners, or friends. The Caregiver's Encyclopedia provides you with all of the information you need to take the best care of your loved one—from making major medical decisions to making sure you don't burn out. Written by Muriel R. Gillick, MD, a geriatrician with more than 30 years' experience caring for older people, this book highlights the importance of understanding your friend's or family member's overall health. With compassion and expertise, this book will help you "think like a doctor." The content • helps you navigate the health-care system• shares important information about treating basic geriatric syndromes, including delirium, dementia, and falls• teaches you about preventive care options• enables you to manage medical decisions related to both acute and chronic conditions • discusses what Medicare covers—and what it doesn't• guides you through different approaches to care• weighs the risks and benefits of hospital vs. home, nursing home, or hospice care• provides a detailed list of medical supplies that you might want to keep on hand• offers you additional resources and emotional supportThroughout, Gillick provides helpful information and concrete concepts that caregivers can put into practice today. Authoritative, comprehensive, holistic, and highly illustrated, The Caregiver's Encyclopedia will help you figure out how to be the best caregiver you can be.
Through the Seasons: Activities for Memory-Challenged Adults and Their Caregivers (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)
By Cynthia R. Green, Joan Beloff. 2020
A collection of easy-to-follow activities, organized by seasons of the year, to help family members and caregivers engage with memory-challenged…
adults.Dementia and related disorders impact the lives of those affected in countless ways, making it difficult to remain independent at work, at home, and in the wider world. But recent studies have shown that structured activities can make a significant, positive difference by stimulating mental engagement while improving interactions between caregivers and memory-challenged adults.Fun and easy to use, this large-format, full-color picture book is divided into themes representing the four seasons. Each section describes several multisensory experiences—such as walking on the beach, making ice cream, or planting flowers—along with related topics for discussion and activities to elicit memories and encourage new positive associations. The topics and activities incorporate all five senses to facilitate connections and conversations.The book adopts a compassionate, person-centered approach and is designed so that two people can easily look together while sitting side by side. This latest edition, which has been thoroughly revised, • takes a multicultural approach• includes all-new images, as well as 14 completely new highlighted activities • integrates modern wellness concepts• features a new introduction and an updated resource section• offers guidance about activity planning and optimizing interactions between care partners and the individual with dementiaHelping you and your loved one make cherished new memories, Through the Seasons is an indispensable solution to the question of what to do together to maintain well-being and connection.
The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)
By Nancy L. Mace, Peter V. Rabins. 2017
After 35 years, still the indispensable guide for countless families and professionals caring for someone with dementia.Through five editions, The…
36-Hour Day has been an essential resource for families who love and care for people with Alzheimer disease. Whether a person has Alzheimer disease or another form of dementia, he or she will face a host of problems. The 36-Hour Day will help family members and caregivers address these challenges and simultaneously cope with their own emotions and needs.Featuring useful takeaway messages and informed by recent research into the causes of and the search for therapies to prevent or cure dementia, this edition includes new information on• devices to make life simpler and safer for people who have dementia• strategies for delaying behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms• changes in Medicare and other health care insurance laws• palliative care, hospice care, durable power of attorney, and guardianship• dementia due to traumatic brain injury• choosing a residential care facility• support groups for caregivers, friends, and family membersThe central idea underlying the book—that much can be done to improve the lives of people with dementia and of those caring for them—remains the same. The 36-Hour Day is the definitive dementia care guide.
A guide to help family and friends navigate the emotional and practical challenges they face when someone they love is…
living in community care.Life changes dramatically for the entire family when the decision is made to move a person who has dementia from home to community care. Rachael Wonderlin, a gerontologist, dementia care expert, and popular dementia care blogger, helps caregivers cope with the difficult behaviors, emotions, and anxieties that both they and their loved one may experience.Writing from her own practice and drawing on the latest research in gerontology and dementia, Wonderlin explains the different kinds of dementia, details the wide range of care communities available for people who have dementia, and speaks empathetically to the worry and guilt many families feel. "Do not let anyone make you feel like you have taken the 'easy way out' by choosing a dementia care community," she writes. "You are still going to deal with a lot of challenging behaviors, concerns, and questions regarding your loved one's care."When Someone You Know Is Living in a Dementia Care Community is an accessible guide offering answers to such questions as: How do I choose a place for my loved one to live? What can I find out by visiting a candidate memory-care community twice? What do I do if my loved one asks about going home? How can I improve the quality of my visits? What is the best way to handle conflict between residents, or between the resident and staff? How can I cope with my loved one's sundowning? What do I do if my loved one starts a romantic relationship with another resident?An indispensable book for family members and friends of people with dementia, When Someone You Know is Living in a Dementia Care Community touches the heart while explaining how to make a difficult situation better.
Redefining Aging: A Caregiver's Guide to Living Your Best Life
By Ann Kaiser Stearns. 2017
Myth-busting insights that will empower family members to cope with the challenges and blessings of caregiving while aging successfully themselves.Caring…
for an elderly family member can be overwhelming. But fulfilling life experiences are still possible for both caregivers and their loved ones, despite the stress and fatigue of caregiving.In this comprehensive book, best-selling author Ann Kaiser Stearns explores the practical and personal challenges of both caregiving and successful aging. She couples findings from the latest research with powerful insights and problem-solving tips to help caregivers achieve the best life possible for those they care for—and for themselves as they age. Topics include• Improving the quality of life for the one giving and the one receiving care• Distinguishing normal aging from early warning signs • Understanding caregiver sadness, resentment, guilt, and grief• Using strategies and skills to minimize an impaired elder's distress and emotional outbursts and the caregiver's own anxieties about growing old• Finding resources to aid in the care of the loved one and protect the caregiver from stress overload • Moving forward after the death of a loved one to have a meaningful life of one's own • Overcoming ageist stereotypes and deciding what kind of "old person" one will be• Making life easier for those who someday will care for usRedefining Aging will help readers think differently about caregiving and their own aging.
Care That Works: A Relationship Approach to Persons with Dementia
By Jitka M. Zgola. 1999
In her widely acclaimed Doing Things, Jitka M. Zgola offered practical and much-needed advice for those caring for persons with…
Alzheimer disease. Now, in Care That Works, Zgola shows how caregivers can better meet the demanding challenges of their job by building and improving their personal relationships with those in their care. Instead of simply prescribing approaches, Care That Works gives caregivers the information with which they can develop their own approaches, evaluate their effectiveness, and continue to grow in skill and insight.Zgola explains that optimal dementia care involves three elements: a good relationship between the caregiver and the person who has dementia, a safe and nurturing environment, and meaningful activities. Evident throughout the book is Zgola's gift for compassionately portraying the difficulties faced by people with dementia and then suggesting ways to act in a manner that accords such people the respect and dignity they deserve. Topics that receive special attention include communicating with persons who have language deficits and coping with problem behaviors—two critical problems in dementia care.
A medical expert answers your common questions about memory loss, causes of dementia, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and more.Perhaps someone in…
your family has been diagnosed with Alzheimer disease—or maybe you worry about developing memory loss yourself. In Is It Alzheimer's?, Dr. Peter V. Rabins, a top expert in the field, educates readers by answering 101 often-asked questions about memory loss and dementia.Written in a conversational, easy-to-use Q&A style, the book is organized into seven unique sections. A companion to the best-selling The 36-Hour Day, which Dr. Rabins coauthored, this book discusses• how to distinguish typical memory loss from early dementia• how dementia is diagnosed• what factors play a role in the progression of dementia• whether it's possible to lower your risk of developing Alzheimer disease or dementia• how to improve the quality of life of people with dementia• how to assess long-term care facilities and nursing homes• available treatments, including medication• how to explain the symptoms of Alzheimer disease and dementia to others• how to provide caregivers with psychological and emotional support• and much moreAimed at friends and family members of the estimated 5.1 million US adults with dementia, as well as adults who are concerned about developing dementia, the book offers helpful directions and comfort. Is It Alzheimer's? is a quick, accessible, and essential reference for anyone who hopes to navigate the confusion of dementing illnesses.
Guiding Autobiography Groups for Older Adults: Exploring the Fabric of Life (Johns Hopkins Ser. In Contemporary Medicine And Public Health Ser.)
By James E. Birren, Donna E. Deutchman. 1991
"Guided autobiography," write the authors, "is ideally suited to foster in the older adult a belief that his or her…
life is meaningful and something of which to be proud." This book helps professionals—at senior centers, community centers, and other service facilities—guide older adults and others in preparing their autobiographies.Many older adults, the authors explain, have limited social networks. Widowhood, retirement, and other "involuntary transitions" create a loss of roles, which can damage the older adult's sense of identity and self-worth. Guided autobiography can be used very effectively with such persons—to promote their general well- being, develop friendships, and create increased feelings of self-sufficiency.The book's chapters treat such topics as eliciting themes from people's lives, promoting creative thinking, facilitating group interaction, and mastering obstacles in the group process. Based on the authors' fourteen years of experience leading groups in guided autobiography, this book will be of special interest to gerontologists, psychologists, social workers, and other professionals who conduct activity programs for older people.
Establishing a critical and interdisciplinary dialogue, this text engages with the typically disparate fields of social gerontology and disability studies.…
It investigates the subjective experiences of two groups rarely considered together in research – people ageing with long-standing disability and people first experiencing disability with ageing. This book challenges assumptions about impairment in later life and the residual nature of the ‘fourth age’. It proposes that the experience of ‘disability’ in older age reaches beyond the bodily context and can involve not only a challenge to a sense of value and meaning in life, but also ongoing efforts in response.
The Super Age: Decoding Our Demographic Destiny
By Bradley Schurman. 2016
A demographic futurist explains the coming Super Age—when there will be more people older than sixty-five than those under the…
age of eighteen—and explores what it could mean for our collective future. Societies all over the world are getting older, the result of the fact that we are living longer and having fewer children. At some point in the near future, much of the developed world will have at least twenty percent of their national populations over the age of sixty-five. Bradley Schurman calls this the Super Age. Today, Italy, Japan, and Germany have already reached the Super Age, and another ten countries will have gone over the tipping point in 2021. Thirty-five countries will be part of this club by the end of the decade. This seismic shift in the world population can portend a period of tremendous growth—or leave swaths of us behind. Schurman explains how changing demographics will affect government and business and touch all of our lives. Fewer people working and paying income taxes, due to outdated employment and retirement practices, could mean less money feeding popular programs such as Social Security and Medicare—with greater numbers relying on them. The forced retirement or redundancy of older workers could impact business by creating a shortage of workers, which would likely drive wages up and result in inflation. Corporations, too, must rethink marketing strategies—older consumers are already purchasing the majority of new cars, and they are a growing and vitally important market for health technologies and housing. Architects and designers must re-create homes and communities that are more inclusive of people of all ages and abilities.If we aren’t prepared for the changes to come, Schurman warns, we face economic stagnation, increased isolation of at-risk populations, and accelerated decline of rural communities. Instead, we can plan now to harness the benefits of the Super Age: extended and healthier lives, more generational cooperation at work and home, and new markets and products to explore. The choice is ours to make.
Self-Help Support Groups For Older Women: Rebuilding Elder Networks Through Personal Empowerment
By Lenard W. Kaye. 1998
This work is based upon a research study whose purpose was to collect new information about the special benefits and…
drawbacks of formal organizations' efforts at social network building for older women. In it, a two-tiered investigation was carried out: a national review of a select group of model self-help support programmes for older women throughout the United States; and an in-depth community case study of a nationally recognized model program of self-help support groups, leadership training, networking and community outreach/education for older women. It provides the research-oriented reader with scientific evidence to assess the relative efficacy of self-help group programming.
Ageing and Covid-19: Making Sense of a Disrupted World (Social Perspectives on Ageing and Later Life)
By Maria Łuszczyńska. 2021
This volume presents a range of research approaches to the exploration of ageing during a pandemic situation. One of the…
first collections of its kind, it offers an array of studies employing research methodologies that lend themselves to replication in similar contexts by those seeking to understand the effects of epidemics on older people. Thematically organised, it shows how to reconcile qualitative and quantitative approaches, thus rendering them complementary, bringing together studies from around the world to offer an international perspective on ageing as it relates to an unprecedented epidemiological phenomenon. As such, it will appeal to researchers in the field of gerontology, as well as sociologists of medicine and clinicians seeking to understand the disruptive effects of the recent coronavirus outbreak on later life.
As China has undergone rapid urbanization and population aging in the past few decades, improving the welfare of older people…
in rural areas has become an ever more pressing issue. This title is the first book-length work to examine the influence of urbanization on the mental health of China’s older population outside the city. Incorporating the theoretical framework of social ecology, the author analyzes the socio-cultural factors that have exerted an impact on participants’ mental health, such as their personal life course transition, changes to family living arrangements and community restructuring. Moreover, he introduces several elderly mental health intervention models in China, while evaluating the policy initiatives that have developed based on China’s local resource sufficiency, cultural customs, and older people's needs. The research findings not only facilitate a deeper understanding of China's welfare policy making, but also offers a useful reference for countries that are experiencing similar urbanization and population aging and that wish to formulate better social policies. Students and scholars of social policy, welfare, and gerontology will find this title to be essential reading.
An encouraging and compassionate guide for dementia caregivers.Caring for someone with dementia means devotedly and patiently doing a hundred little…
things each day. But few care providers are trained to meet the challenges of dementia—despite the fact that millions of people will struggle with it as they grow older. In A Loving Approach to Dementia Care, Laura Wayman, who is known professionally as the Dementia Whisperer, offers practical, compassionate advice on overcoming caregiving obstacles and maintaining meaningful relationships with loved ones who have dementia and memory loss. In this thoroughly revised third edition, Wayman includes • answers to common caregiver questions, such as "What is dementia?"• a detailed explanation of how to cope with and care for a spouse with dementia symptoms, including advice about communication • a new chapter on caring for someone who has dementia along with other health problems• recommendations about how to handle challenging situations and behaviors• dementia-aware activities that work for both family caregivers and professional care staff• fresh caregiving insights that emphasize the importance of taking time to care for oneselfEach chapter contains two sections—"Lessons Learned" and "Perceptions and Approaches"—which provide details about how readers can apply lessons from the stories Wayman tells to their own caregiving practice. Providing support for the numerous difficulties and disruptions that all caregivers face along the way, A Loving Approach to Dementia Care is an empathetic guide filled with respect, calm, and creativity. It will leave readers feeling empowered and inspired.
Functional Performance in Older Adults
By Bette R. Bonder, Vanina Dal Bello-Haas. 2018
Support the very best health, well-being, and quality of life for older adults! Here's the ideal resource for rehabilitation professionals…
who are working with or preparing to work with older adults! You'll find descriptions of the normal aging process, discussions of how health and social factors can impede your clients' ability to participate in regular activities, and step-by-step guidance on how to develop strategies for maximizing their well-being.
The Busy Caregiver's Guide to Advanced Alzheimer Disease (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)
By Jennifer R. Stelter. 2021
The only guide to caring for those with advanced Alzheimer disease.Caring for someone living with advanced Alzheimer disease is a…
challenge. It can make you feel like you're on a hamster wheel—running in circles, trying the same things over and over with no effect on your loved one. You may also find it difficult to connect with your loved one and to understand what those living with Alzheimer disease are going through. In The Busy Caregiver's Guide to Advanced Alzheimer Disease, Dr. Jennifer Stelter, a psychologist working in memory care, shares a new model designed to help caregivers understand, cope with, and handle some of the most challenging behaviors associated with the disease while encouraging and reinforcing independence and quality of life for their loved ones. Her Dementia Connection Model, which is based on current scientific research, will aid you in forging a positive bond with your loved one with less frustration. Win-win! Follow along, step by step, as Dr. Stelter outlines the three main elements of the Dementia Connection Model and learn how to put these elements into practice to help with • communication problems• eating difficulties• mobility concerns• memory deficits• behavioral issues• toileting trouble• and other common complications of Alzheimer disease.The evidenced-based, practical interventions and strategies in The Busy Caregiver's Guide will help you stay emotionally, mentally, and physically involved in your loved one's life. Special dedicated worksheets help you practice the skills and keep track of what is working. You'll also read stories about other caregivers who face the same struggles.