Older Americans, Vital Communities

W. Andrew Achenbaum is a professor of history and social work at the University of Houston.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: A New Demographic Revolution Demands Novel Structural Responses1. The New Faces of Individual Aging2. The New Age of Production and Consumption3. (Re)Creating Networks for Lifelong Learning and Sharing Talents4. Reforming the U.S. Health System to Care for an Aging Population5. Renewing Religious Experiences and Spiritual Practices for a New Age6. Extending the Civic Engagement of Senior CitizensEpilogueReferencesIndex

Achenbaum brings a historian's sensibility to his analysis... [His] treatment of religion, spirituality, and aging is one of the most informed and sophisticated that I have read. -- Larry Polivka, Ph.D. The Gerontologist 2006 A well-referenced and clearly, engagingly written account. -- Marshall B. Kapp, JD, MPH Care Management Journals 2006 Achenbaum's book makes a useful contribution to knowledge. His long experience in the field of aging allows him to provide important policy insights. -- Sarah Ruiz Journal of Marriage and the Family 2006 A well-researched historical overview of trends in societal aging over the past century. -- Allison Kabel Anthropology and Aging Quarterly 2006 If the six main chapters alone were not enough to recommend this book, the 30-page reference list that wraps up the volume certainly would be. As textbook or professional reference, Older Americans, Vital Communities would be a worthy investment. -- Christina Butler The Older LEARNer 2007 Achenbaum's study provides a powerful and superbly written starting point for what will be a key area of research within gerontology over the next decade. -- Chris Phillipson Ageing and Society 2007 Researchers, scholars, and graduate students will find that Achenbaum has written a useful, current overview of the literature and history for the field of aging. -- Naomi Eden Educational Gerontology 2008