Overview

Gerontological Practice for the Twenty-first Century meets the need for state-of-the-art information on practice approaches with older patients that are age-specific and empirically based, blend micro and macro views, and reflect current themes in the aging and social work fields. The book is designed as a text for students and as a professional resource for practitioners. Clearly written, the book offers an expert and comprehensive review of the current literature and focuses on issues relating to the most vulnerable older people. This book also features case illustrations throughout and brief end-of-chapter questions for review. Gerontological Practice for the Twenty-first Century is divided into four parts. Part 1 reviews current and classic theories of aging and proposes an original framework for an integrative approach to practice with older people that incorporates both individual and policy-level interventions. The approach is based on current themes such as a life course perspective, heterogeneity, diversity, and inequality. Part 2 covers such common and important psychological problems among older individuals, as anxiety, depression, suicide, substance abuse, and dementia, and describes appropriate, evidence-based interventions. Part 3 considers the social psychological picture by discussing working with older families, end-of-life care, bereavement, and work and retirement. Part 4 focuses on core sociopolitical issues in the lives of older people: economic policy, poverty, health policy, quality-of-life concerns, and social services. Current, authoritative, and original, this single-volume gerontology resource will be of valuable use to graduate students and practitioners.

Full Product Details

9781322352473

Table of Contents

Reviews

Infusing a multidisciplinary life course and diversity perspective, Gerontological Practice for the Twenty-first Century offers a comprehensive and practical resource for understanding the contemporary needs of elders and their family members in social psychological and sociopolitical contexts. The authors give thoughtful attention to the historical and contemporary factors contributing to the experience of aging and their implications for gerontological social work practice and policy.--Betty J. Kramer, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Social Work

Author Information

Virginia E. Richardson is a professor at the Ohio State University College of Social Work. She is the author or coauthor of several books, including Retirement Counseling: A Handbook for Gerontology Practitioners. Amanda S. Barusch is a professor at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. She is the author of several books, including Foundations of Social Policy: Social Justice in Human Perspective.

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