''Will 69 million baby boomers suddenly drop out of the workforce when they turn 65? It is difficult to imagine this generation, with its talent, education, and experience, idling away the last thirty years of life.''--From the Foreword, by Robert N. Butler, M.D., The Mount Sinai Medical Center Old age has been historically thought of as a period of frailty and dependence, yet studies show that with the help of advances in health and medicine, current populations will live longer and remain healthier than previous generations. As average life expectancies rise, traditional concepts of retirement need to be reconsidered on all levels--from government policy to business practice to individual life planning. In this volume, leaders in the field of gerontology explore these changing conditions through the concept of ''productive aging,'' which has been developed by leaders in the field to promote older adults' contributions to society in social and economic capacities. Productive Aging: Concepts and Challenges treats the implications of productive aging for the discipline of gerontology and for society in general. The first section defines the principles, historical perspectives, and conceptual frameworks for productive aging. The second section takes a disciplinary approach, treating the biomedical, psychological, sociological, and economic implications of a more capable older generation. The third section considers advances in theories of gerontology, and the fourth section suggests future directions in practice, theory, and research. Contributors: W. Andrew Achenbaum, University of Houston Scott A. Bass, University of Maryland-Baltimore Vern L. Bengtson, University of Southern California James E. Birren, UCLA Francis G. Caro, University of Massachusetts Boston Carroll L. Estes, University of California-San Francisco Marc Freedman, Civic Ventures (co-founder of Experience Corps) James Hinterlong, Washington University James S. Jackson, University of Michigan Jane L. Mahakian, Pacific Senior Services Harry R. Moody, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nancy Morrow-Howell, Washington University Philip Rozario, Washington University James H. Schulz, Brandeis University Michael Sherraden, Washington University Alvar Svanborg, University of Illinois-Chicago and Goteburg University, Sweden Brent A. Taylor, San Diego State University
Contents:
THE HISTORY AND CURRENT STATE OF PRODUCTIVE AGING 1 Productive Aging: Principles and Perspectives 2 Productive Aging in Historical Perspective 3 Productive Aging: A Conceptual Framework
DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES ON PRODUCTIVE AGING 4 Biomedical Perspectives on Productive Aging 5 Psychological Implications of Productive Aging 6 Sociological Perspectives on Productive Aging 7 Productive Aging: An Economist's View
EMERGENT THEORIES IN GERONTOLOGY 8 Productive Aging and the Ideology of Old Age 9 The Political Economy of Productive Aging 10 Changes Over the Life Course in Productive Activities: Comparison of Black and White Populations
FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN PRACTICE, THEORY, AND RESEARCH 11 Structural Lead: Building New Institutions for an Aging America 12 Productive Aging: Theoretical Choices and Directions 13 Advancing Research on Productivity in Later Life
