Health in aging : sociological issues and policy directions /

Health in Aging reports on a 1986 conference held at the State University of New York at Albany to address the social aspects of health and the implications of this knowledge for many older people living in communities rather than in institutional settings. A diverse group of contributors represent academic, health care, and related institutions. The volume is divided into four parts. Part 1, Age-Related Health Patterns, and Part 2, Dimensions of Informal and Formal Health Care, contain papers on stages of health, life extension and the quality of life, use of life services by the elderly, and informal and formal support systems. Part 3, Issues in Long-Term Care, consists of two chapters that consider the problems, frustrations, and confusion involved with meeting the long-term health needs of the elderly, including financial concerns and options. Part 4, Implications for the Future, reviews many of the items in the first three parts. Contributors to this last part also discuss changes in US society that affect life patterns of the elderly, e.g., changes in work experiences, family structure, and life-styles. They stress the current and future needs of this rapidly growing population. For a broad readership of students and practitioners.-D.J. Mase, University of Florida