A Journey Called Aging: Challenges and Opportunities in Older Adulthood

by Simmons; Henry

• ISBN13: 9780789033833
• ISBN10: 0789033836
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-03-04
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

A Journey Called Agingpresents an insightful exploration of the years between the entry into older adulthood and death. This text examines the significant changes and major landmarks of older persons between 60 and 90. Grounded by a developmental framework based on empirical research, this book presents a new way of looking at older adulthood, describing the older adult years in intensely human terms through both anecdotes and research-based findings to engage the reader as both guide and traveler. Using a series of sequential stages as a framework, A Journey Called Aging discusses the experiences of older adults addressing the challenges and opportunities presented at each stage. This clear analysis can be used as a guide to help persons plan their own odyssey through the older years. Topics in A Journey Called Aginginclude: research and results of the study entering older adulthood the long stable stage of Extended Middle Age Early Transition Older Adult Lifestyle Later Transition the stable stage near the end of life the final transition A Journey Called Agingis crucial reading for professionals who work with older adults, including pastors, attorneys, facilities managers, and program directors; gerontology educators and students; and older adults themselves, their families, and those who care for and about them.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xi
Introduction	p. 1
Audience	p. 2
Individual Experience of Age	p. 3
Overview	p. 12
Mapping the Journey	p. 13
Landmarks on the Road Ahead	p. 14
The Research	p. 18
The Tasks on the Road Ahead	p. 23
Conclusion	p. 37
Entering Older Adulthood	p. 39
Retirement	p. 39
Time of Retirement	p. 41
Postretirement Employment	p. 42
Retirement Variations	p. 46
Other Gateways	p. 48
What About Homemakers?	p. 50
The Core	p. 52
Moving Out, Letting Go	p. 54
The Challenge of Looking Ahead	p. 57
Extended Middle Age	p. 59
Length of Days	p. 59
Giving Time New Meaning	p. 65
A Season in Search of a Purpose	p. 69
A Substitute for Work	p. 72
Relationships and Solitude	p. 77
Aloneness and Independence	p. 79
Balancing Gains and Losses	p. 80
The Role of the Helping Professions	p. 81
The Early Transition	p. 83
Voluntary and Involuntary Approaches	p. 85
Betwixt and Between	p. 88
Naming the Realities	p. 91
Consequence of an Illness	p. 94
Death and Loss in Later Life	p. 98
Loss and Recovery	p. 102
Meaning and Relationships	p. 105
Differences and Similarities	p. 108
Preparing for the Early Transition	p. 112
An Older Adult Lifestyle	p. 115
Who Survived?	p. 115
Reinventing the Self	p. 120
The Others in Life	p. 130
Freedom	p. 137
Purposes and Priorities	p. 140
Old Age Is Not for Sissies	p. 142
The Later Transition	p. 143
The Role of Professionals and Support Persons	p. 145
Beginning the Journey	p. 148
Timing the Transition	p. 151
The Journey to Care	p. 154
While the Light Lasts	p. 165
The Environment of Care	p. 167
The Challenge for the Professional	p. 174
Being Okay Amid Dependency and Frailty	p. 177
The Blessing of Care	p. 181
Engaging and Disengaging	p. 182
Is Autonomy a Contradiction?	p. 185
What's the Point?	p. 186
Journeying On	p. 190
Dying Well	p. 191
The Beginning	p. 192
The Medicalization of Dying	p. 194
The Professional and the Process of Dying	p. 197
Landmarks and Developmental Tasks of Dying	p. 199
Dying and Relationships	p. 201
Dying and Meaning	p. 203
Preparation	p. 205
The Need to Improve Care at the End of Life	p. 208
Epilogue: Prevailing: A Challenge and a Vision	p. 211
References	p. 215
Index	p. 229
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