Understanding Well-Being in the Oldest Old - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521113911 ISBN 13: 9780521113915

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2011

Synopsis

The demographic and social structure of most industrialized and developing countries are changing rapidly as infant mortality is reduced and population life span has increased in dramatic ways. In particular, the oldest-old (85+) population has grown and will continue to grow. This segment of the population tends to suffer physical and cognitive decline, and little information is available to describe how their positive and negative distal experiences, habits, and intervening proximal environmental influences impact their well-being, and how social and health policies can help meet the unique challenges they face. Understanding Well-Being in the Oldest Old is the outcome of a four-day workshop attended by U.S. and Israeli scientists and funded by the U.S.-Israel Bi-National Science Foundation to examine both novel and traditional paradigms that could extend our knowledge and understanding of the well-being of the oldest old. This volume engages social scientists in sharing methods of understanding, and thereby possibly improving, the quality of life of older populations, especially among the oldest old.

About this title

Book Description

The oldest-old (85+) population of most industrialized and developing countries has seen rapid growth in recent years. This segment of the population tends to suffer physical and cognitive decline, and little information is available to describe how their positive and negative distal experiences, habits, and intervening proximal environmental influences impact their well-being. This volume examines both novel and traditional paradigms that could extend our knowledge and understanding of the well-being of the oldest old.

About the Author

Leonard W. Poon is University of Georgia Distinguished Research Professor and Professor of Public Health and Psychology. He is also Director of the Institute of Gerontology and the Georgia Geriatric Education Center, Chair of the Faculty of Gerontology and Executive Director of the International Centenarian Consortium. He was Director of the National Institute of Health's funded Georgia Centenarian Study from 1988 to 2009. Dr Poon's primary research interests are longevity and survival of the oldest old by using a multidisciplinary approach to examine the contributors and predictors of functional capacities, life satisfaction, quality of life, personality and ability to cope, as well as genetics, environment and neuropathological contributions to longevity. His other research interests are on normal and pathological changes in memory and learning, the impact of exercise on cognition, and clinical diagnosis of early dementia. He has more than 33 research grants and has published more than 160 articles and books.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0521113911
• ISBN 13: 9780521113915
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 408
• Editor: Poon Leonard W., Cohen-Mansfield Jiska