Pat Chambers is a senior lecturer in Social Work at Keele University, teaching on undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in social work and social gerontology. Her research interests focus on 'ordinary lives' in the context of growing older and the application of this knowledge to social work with older people.Chris Phillipson is Professor of Applied Social Studies and Social Gerontology, at Keele University. His disciplinary background is sociology where he has specialised in the field of ageing. Mo Ray is a registered social worker and has spent many years in practice as a social worker for older people. Currently Mo works as a lecturer in Social Work at Keele University and is postgraduate Director of the Masters in Social Work programme. Graham Allan is Professor of Sociology at the University of Keele. His research has focused principally on the sociology of informal relationships, including friendships, family ties, and community sociology.

• Introduction; Family practices and family relationships; Families in later life; Older parents and their adult children; Long-lasting relationships; Brothers and sisters; Grandparenting; Later life widow(er)hood; Globalisation and transnational communities: implications for family life in old age; Changing times: older people and family ties.

"As both an academic social gerontologist and great-grandfather I can thoroughly recommend this ground-breaking book. It opens up a much needed new perspective by confronting outdated stereotypes, revealing a world where family doesn't simply mean parents and young children." Professor John Vincent, Department of Sociology and Philosophy, University of Exeter

Pat Chambers is a senior lecturer in Social Work at Keele University, teaching on undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in social work and social gerontology. Her research interests focus on 'ordinary lives' in the context of growing older and the application of this knowledge to social work with older people.Chris Phillipson is Professor of Applied Social Studies and Social Gerontology, at Keele University. His disciplinary background is sociology where he has specialised in the field of ageing. Mo Ray is a registered social worker and has spent many years in practice as a social worker for older people. Currently Mo works as a lecturer in Social Work at Keele University and is postgraduate Director of the Masters in Social Work programme. Graham Allan is Professor of Sociology at the University of Keele. His research has focused principally on the sociology of informal relationships, including friendships, family ties, and community sociology.

• Introduction; Family practices and family relationships; Families in later life; Older parents and their adult children; Long-lasting relationships; Brothers and sisters; Grandparenting; Later life widow(er)hood; Globalisation and transnational communities: implications for family life in old age; Changing times: older people and family ties.

"As both an academic social gerontologist and great-grandfather I can thoroughly recommend this ground-breaking book. It opens up a much needed new perspective by confronting outdated stereotypes, revealing a world where family doesn't simply mean parents and young children." Professor John Vincent, Department of Sociology and Philosophy, University of Exeter

Pat Chambers is a senior lecturer in Social Work at Keele University, teaching on undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in social work and social gerontology. Her research interests focus on 'ordinary lives' in the context of growing older and the application of this knowledge to social work with older people.Chris Phillipson is Professor of Applied Social Studies and Social Gerontology, at Keele University. His disciplinary background is sociology where he has specialised in the field of ageing. Mo Ray is a registered social worker and has spent many years in practice as a social worker for older people. Currently Mo works as a lecturer in Social Work at Keele University and is postgraduate Director of the Masters in Social Work programme. Graham Allan is Professor of Sociology at the University of Keele. His research has focused principally on the sociology of informal relationships, including friendships, family ties, and community sociology.

• Introduction; Family practices and family relationships; Families in later life; Older parents and their adult children; Long-lasting relationships; Brothers and sisters; Grandparenting; Later life widow(er)hood; Globalisation and transnational communities: implications for family life in old age; Changing times: older people and family ties.

"As both an academic social gerontologist and great-grandfather I can thoroughly recommend this ground-breaking book. It opens up a much needed new perspective by confronting outdated stereotypes, revealing a world where family doesn't simply mean parents and young children." Professor John Vincent, Department of Sociology and Philosophy, University of Exeter