This comprehensive and timely guide includes contributions from international gerontology scholars and illustrates both universal and socioculturally unique aspects of aging across nations. It is organized thematically for ease of use and includes an abundance of photographs and illustrations to highlight key points.

Table of Contents

• About the Authors
• Contributors
• Preface
• 1. Our Aging World - More, Less, and Least Developed Nations
• Culture, Population Aging, and Social Change
• China: One-Child Policy
• Germany: Inverted Pyramid
• Kenya: Health Challenges
• Aging and the Welfare State
• Development of the Welfare State
• The Welfare State and Role of the Family
• International Initiatives on Aging
• The Study of Global Aging
• 1. To Get Educated
• 2. Self-Interest
• 3. The Smart Move
• Summary
• Discussion Questions
• Key Words
• Essay: Gender, Aging, and Power in Rural Bangladesh:Getting Older as the Priming of Women - Fauzia E. Ahmed
• 2. The Study of Global Aging
• Types of Investigation
• Cross-National Comparative Research
• The Importance of Comparison: From Description to Explanation
• The Challenge and the Promise of Comparative Research
• Challenge #1: Unit of Analysis
• Challenge #2: Conceptualization and Measurement
• Challenge #3: Getting Valid Data
• Challenge #4: Respecting Participants
• Summary
• Discussion Questions
• Key Words
• Essay: An American in Havana: Observations About Aging in Cuba - Frank J. Whittington
• 3. The Welfare State and Global Aging
• Retired and Living the Good Life?
• Defining the Welfare State
• History of the Welfare State
• Program Types and Eligibility
• Distribution of Program Types
• The Recent Trend: Retrenchment
• The Future of the Welfare State and Global Aging
• Conclusion
• Discussion Questions
• Key Words
• Essay: Older Swedes: Living in the “Role Model of Welfare States” - Kathrin Komp
• 4. Demographic Perspectives on an Aging World
• Demographic Transition Theory
• Demographic Divide
• Speed of Population Aging
• Demographic Dividends
• Measures of Population Aging
• Population Pyramids
• Proportion Aged
• Median Age
• Life Expectancy
• Aging Index
• Dependency Ratios
• Prospective Age
• Interpreting and Using Demographic Data
• Summary
• Discussion Questions
• Key Words
• Essay: Income Inequality and Heterogeneity in Mortality ­Patterns - Scott M. Lynch
• 5. Disability and Active Life Expectancy
• Why Is Disability an Important Topic for Global Aging?
• Defining Disability for Global Comparisons
• Measuring Disability Comparatively
• The Difficulties of Data
• Disability Around the Globe
• The Developed World
• The Developing World
• Future Trends: Adding Years to Life and Adding Life to Years?
• Discussion Questions
• Key Words
• Essay: Methodological Problems Related to the Measurement of Psychiatric Disorders in International Surveys: An Example Comparing the United States and Nepal - Mark Tausig and Janardan Subedi
• 6. Health and Health Care Systems - Jasleen K. Chahal, Suzanne R. Kunkel, Janardan Subedi, Sree Subedi, and Frank J. Whittington
• Patterns of Health and Aging
• From Acute to Chronic Diseases
• Differences Within Older Populations—Does Age Matter?
• The Role of Culture in Health Patterns
• Health Systems: A Global Perspective
• Types of Health Care Systems
• Folk Medicine
• Traditional Medicine
• Modern Medicine
• Models of Organizing and Financing Modern Medicine
• The Bismarck Model
• The Beveridge Model
• The National Health Insurance Model
• The Out-of-Pocket Model
• Health Systems and Older People
• Health Behavior of Older People
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• CAM and Aging
• Health Promotion and Self-Care
• Health Literacy
• Self-Directed Care
• Summary
• Discussion Questions
• Key Words
• Essay: Palliative Care: A Global Public Health Initiative to Improve Quality of Life - Jasleen K. Chahal
• 7. Long-Term Services and Supports - Robert Applebaum, Emily Robbins, and Anthony Bardo
• Defining Long-Term Services and Supports
• Typologies of LTC Services and Supports
• A New Typology
• Group 1 166
• Group 2 171
• Group 3 173
• Group 4 177
• Group 5 179
• Cross-Cutting Issues for an Aging Planet
• Financing
• Support for Family
• Need to Develop an Efficient and Effective LTC System
• Need for Prevention
• Conclusion
• Discussion Questions
• Key Words
• Appendix A: Country List
• Appendix B: OECD Country List
• Essay: Aging in Nicaragua - Milton Lopez Norori, Carmen Largaespada Fredersdorff, and Keren Brown Wilson
• 8. Work and Retirement - Phyllis Cummins, J. Scott Brown, and Philip E. Sauer
• Defining Work and Retirement
• What Gives Rise to Retirement?
• What Drives Individual Retirement?
• Bureaucratic Rules
• Functional and Health Limitations
• Financial and Personal Reasons
• Private Pension Systems
• Different Forms of Retirement
• Early Retirement
• Delayed Retirement
• Partial Retirement and Return to Work
• Retirement in Developing Nations
• Conclusions
• Discussion Questions
• Key Words
• Essay: Retirement in China - Jiayin (Jaylene) Liang
• 9. Families, Caregiving, and Community Support Systems - Jennifer M. Kinney, Suzanne R. Kunkel, Jasleen K. Chahal, and Frank J. Whittington
• An American Family
• The Universal Concept of Family
• Evolving Definitions of the Family
• Kinship Ties
• What Do You Call Your Grandmother?
• Aging Families
• Household Structures and Living Arrangements
• Intergenerational Transfers
• Older Adults as Caregivers
• Cultural Values About Older Adults and Family Relationships
• Interdependence
• Filial Piety and Filial Responsibility
• Intergenerational Solidarity–Conflict
• Family Integrity
• Who Provides Care for Older People?
• Informal and Formal Systems of Support
• Variations in Systems of Support and Care
• Community Care: NGOs
• Expanding Role of NGOs: The Madrid Plan
• Families and Social Support Today: Updates to the Madrid Plan
• Conclusion
• Discussion Questions
• Key Words
• Essay: Social Support Systems for Rural Older Adults in Kenya - Samuel M. Mwangi
• 10. Global Aging and Global Leadership
• Themes Worth Remembering
• Becoming a Global Leader
• About the Expert Panel
• Web Resources for Further Information
• References