The United States is in the midst of a major demographic shift. In the coming decades, people aged 65 and over will make up an increasingly large percentage of the population: The ratio of people aged 65+ to people aged 20-64 will rise by 80%. This shift is happening for two reasons: people are living longer, and many couples are choosing to have fewer children and to have those children somewhat later in life. The resulting demographic shift will present the nation with economic challenges, both to absorb the costs and to leverage the benefits of an aging population. Aging and the Macroeconomy: Long-Term Implications of an Older Population presents the fundamental factors driving the aging of the U.S. population, as well as its societal implications and likely long-term macroeconomic effects in a global context. The report finds that, while population aging does not pose an insurmountable challenge to the nation, it is imperative that sensible policies are implemented soon to allow companies and households to respond. It offers four practical approaches for preparing resources to support the future consumption of households and for adapting to the new economic landscape.

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What is the lived experience of previously healthy older adults as they face disability in late life, and how is disability assimilated in their identity? How do prevailing practices facilitate¿or limit¿options for elders living with new disabilities? To address these questions, Jeffrey Kahana and Eva Kahana uniquely synthesize disability and gerontological perspectives to explore both the unfolding challenges of aging and the practices and policies that can enhance the lives of older adults. Jeffrey S. Kahana is associate professor of history and codirector of the Center on Aging and Policy at Mount Saint Marry College. Eva Kahana is Distinguished University Professor and Pierce T. and Elizabeth D. Robson Professor of the Humanities at Case Western Reserve University, where she also is director of the Elderly Care Research Center.

Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and its proprietor, Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s premier lady detective. In this charming series, Mma Ramotswe—with help from her loyal associate, Grace Makutsi—navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, good humor, and the occasional cup of tea. In Morality for Beautiful Girls, Precious Ramotswe, founder and owner of the only detective agency for the concerns of both ladies and others, investigates the alleged poisoning of the brother of an important “Government Man,” and the moral character of the four finalists of the Miss Beauty and Integrity Contest, the winner of which will almost certainly be a contestant for the title of Miss Botswana. Yet her business is having money problems, and when other difficulties arise at her fiancé’s Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, she discovers the reliable Mr J.L.B. Matekoni is more complicated then he seems.

As the global population ages, disability demographics are shifting. Societal change and global health inequities have changed who is likely to live to old age, who is likely to live with disability, and the relationship between aging and disability in different sociocultural and geopolitical contexts. One thing is clear: aging is a pressing issue across the Western world, and will become more so in the years ahead. Yet scholarship that focuses on the disciplinary nexus of disability studies and aging studies has not been considered comprehensively. The Aging-Disability Nexus breaks new ground by bringing gerontology and disability studies into dialogue with each other. This thoughtful examination of competing narratives about aging and disability employs a variety of empirical, conceptual, and pedagogical approaches. Contributors explore the tensions that shape how disability and aging are understood, experienced, and responded to at both individual and systemic levels, while avoiding the common tendency to conflate these overlapping elements and map them onto a normative, faulty notion of the human life trajectory. This perceptive work analyzes the distinction between aging with a disability and aging into disability, and reveals how multiple identities, socio-economic forces, culture, and community give form to our experiences.

Independent living with smart technologies Smart Technology for Aging, Disability, and Independence: The State of the Science brings together current research and technological developments from engineering, computer science, and the rehabilitation sciences, detailing how its applications can promote continuing independence for older persons and those with disabilities. Leading experts from multiple disciplines worldwide have contributed to this volume, making it the definitive resource. The text begins with a thorough introduction that presents important concepts, defines key terms, and identifies demographic trends at work. Using detailed product descriptions, photographs and illustrations, and case studies, subsequent chapters discuss cutting-edge technologies, including: * Wearable systems * Human-computer interactions * Assisted vision and hearing * Smart wheelchairs * Handheld devices and smart phones * Visual sensors * Home automation * Assistive robotics * In-room monitoring systems * Telehealth After considering specific high-technology solutions, the text examines recent trends in other critical areas, such as basic assistive technologies, driving, transportation and community mobility, home modifications and design, and changing standards of elder care. Students and professionals in the rehabilitation sciences, health care providers, researchers in computer science and engineering, and non-expert readers will all appreciate this text's thorough coverage and clear presentation of the state of the science.

Paying special attention to the feelings, attitudes, and needs of people with disabilities--three chapters are written by authors who have a disability--Aging with a Disability gives students and clinicians a reliable and compassionate handbook for the treatment of this growing population.