Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Introduction Ian Stuart-Hamilton; 2. The biology of ageing: a primer João Pedro de Magalhães; 3. Fostering resilience, promoting health, and preventing disease in older adults Sharon Ostwald and Carmel Dyer; 4. Ageing and health: managing co-morbidities and functional disability in older people Carmel Dyer and Sharon Ostwald; 5. Social care and older people Raymond Ngan; 6. Cognitive processes and ageing Paul Verhaeghen; 7. The psychology of atypical ageing Bob Woods; 8. Sociological perspectives on ageing Kate Davidson; 9. Retirement Lynn McDonald; 10. Sexuality and ageing Rebecca Flyckt and Sheryl A. Kingsberg; 11. Policies on ageing Suzanne Wait; 12. Cross-cultural differences in ageing Sandra Torres; 13. Technology and ageing Anthea Tinker; 14. Literary portrayals of ageing Diana Wallace; 15. Palliative care for older adults Lynn O'Neill and Sean Morrison; 16. Conclusions Ian Stuart-Hamilton.

"With the world's population getting increasingly older, there has never been a more pressing need for the study of old age and ageing. An Introduction to Gerontology provides a wide-ranging introduction to this important topic. By assuming no prior expert knowledge and avoiding jargon, this book will guide students through all the main subjects in gerontology, covering both traditional areas, such as biological and social ageing, as well as more contemporary areas, such as technology, the arts, sexuality and education of older adults. An Introduction to Gerontology is written by a team of international authors with multidisciplinary backgrounds who draw evidence from a variety of different perspectives and traditions"--$cProvided by publisher.