Even with baby boomers retiring and greater media and research attention being lavished on older people, most gerontologists have studiously avoided examining romance among the elderly. Love Stories of Later Life is an appealing and eye-opening remedy to this neglect, as leading gerontologist Amanda Smith Barusch presents original research into what love and romance mean in seniors' lives. The result is a glimpse into a world many people didn't know existed - that of romantic love in later life. Unlike superficial guidebooks that purport to help seniors find a new mate, Love Stories of Later Life integrates theory and the latest research on love and the aging process. Drawing on a wealth of personal narratives collected during a landmark five-year study, the book presents the lived experiences of older adults from all walks of life. It addresses the impact of common age-related changes, both emotional and physical, on romantic relationships, and argues that love continues to sculpt our personalities and our lives, even in life's later decades. Each chapter includes practical tools for the serious student of love, including exercises designed to increase self-awareness and relationship-building as well as annotated lists of suggested reading that are at once comprehensive and accessible. Barusch's fresh perspective, engaging voice, and in-depth qualitative research make Love Stories of Later Life an important contribution to the study of individual lives and the aging process. This book will guide gerontologists, social workers, and counselors as they in turn help their older clients navigate love's challenges. Visit the author's website: Amanda Barusch

The author presents original research into what love and romance mean in older people's lives. The result is a glimpse into a world many people didn't know existed, that of romantic love in later life.

“Charming. . . . A moving testament to the diversity and depths of love.” —Publishers Weekly You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be swept away—in less time than it takes to read this paragraph. Here are 175 true stories—honest, funny, tender and wise—each as moving as a lyric poem, all told in no more than one hundred words. An electrician lights up a woman’s life, a sister longs for her homeless brother, strangers dream of what might have been. Love lost, found and reclaimed. Love that’s romantic, familial, platonic and unexpected. Most of all, these stories celebrate love as it exists in real life: a silly remark that leads to a lifetime together, a father who struggles to remember his son, ordinary moments that burn bright.

“Winning [and] intelligent. . . . [An] impressive, often heartening addition to the literature of aging.” — Heller McAlpin, Wall Street Journal In this “unique blend of memoir and literary commentary” (Bookpage), acclaimed author and literary scholar Susan Gubar contemplates the beauty and strength of enduring love—both for her husband and for the literature that has shaped her life. Throughout the complications of devoted caregiving, her own ongoing cancer treatments, and a stressful move to a more manageable apartment, Gubar proves that love and desire have no expiration date—on the page or in life. Late-Life Love offers a resounding retort to ageist stereotypes, appraises the obstacles unique to senior couples, and celebrates second chances.

Is loving later life possible? In our youth-obsessed culture, nobody enjoys growing old. We normally fear our own aging and generally do not love old people -- they remind us that death is inescapable, the body frail, and social status transitory. In Loving Later Life Frits de Lange shows how an ethics of love can acknowledge and overcome this fear of aging and change our attitude toward the elderly. De Lange reframes the biblical love command this way: We must care for the aging other as we care for our own aging selves. We can encourage positive self-love by embracing life as we age, taking good care of our own aging bodies, staying good friends with ourselves, and valuing the last season of life. When we cultivate this kind of self-love, we are released from our aversion to growing old and set free to care about others who are aging -- our parents, our relatives, and others in their final season of life.

Inspiring stories of individuals—aged 46 to 97—who experienced a resurgence of passion in their lives when they least expected it. F. Scott Fitzgerald believed there are no second acts in American lives. Yet at least as far as love is concerned, the statistics indicate otherwise. These days, more and more people are falling in love and embarking on deep and fulfilling romantic relationships in the later part of their lives. At a time when the specter of spending one's final years alone can seem only slightly less intimidating than Internet dating, the subjects profiled in this book tossed their hearts up in the air with the hope that love just might spring eternal. And just how different is the game at age seventy-five than it was at age twenty-five? This book forms an engaging meditation on the ways that love itself alters and matures as we grow older. Organized around the distinct and often surprising themes that emerged from Gold's conversations with lovers from all walks of life—love suddenly appearing out of the shadows following a determination to find it at whatever cost; second-act relationships that represent 180-degree turns for the parties involved; a sense of finally coming home to the one you were meant to be with in the final stages of life—Love in the Second Act will remind anyone, young or old, that the quest for love is never-ending.

With improvements in the treatment of HIV disease, gay men in great numbers are surviving--and thriving--into middle and older age. While increased longevity brings new hope, it also raises unanticipated challenges, particularly for gay men who never thought they would live this long: How do I deal with all the physical changes? Who can I rely on as I get older? Is a relationship still in the cards for me? What about sex? How should I prepare for old age? A one-of-a-kind guide for gay men aging with HIV, Aging with HIV offers an upbeat, down-to-earth approach for adapting to change, whether driven by age, AIDS, or both. Psychotherapist James Masten and physician James Schmidtberger shed light on the many common assumptions and fears of aging with HIV. Aging with HIV provides concrete solutions for facing midlife with a positive outlook, offering a wealth of advice for breaking unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms. The book describes the nine changes common to gay men as they age with HIV, discusses the four challenges of aging, and offers a unique ten-step path to optimal aging with HIV, helping the reader to tailor the book's suggestions to the realities of their lives. Woven throughout the book are first-person narratives from men who recount what worked--and did not work--for them. In addition, Rapid Research, Fast Fact, and Self-Reflection boxes highlight the latest research and challenge readers to take stock of the present--and plan for the future. An invaluable tool to keep handy and to refer to often, Aging with HIV is an inviting, confident companion to navigating midlife and beyond with HIV.