The Futures of Old Age

Prepared by the British Society of Gerontology, The Futures of Old Age brings together twenty-one leading UK and US gerontologists, drawing on their expertise and research. The book's seven sections deal with key contemporary themes, including population aging, households and families, health, wealth, pensions, migration, inequalities, gender, and self and identity in later life. The Futures of Old Age is thought-provoking reading for anyone studying aging, especially for those attending courses in gerontology and related areas, as well as for those concerned with the development of social and economic policy.

"The greatest strengths of this book are its breadth of aging-related topics and its ability to provoke thought in the reader. The presentation of both British and American perspectives on elder issues will aid researchers in developing broader perspectives for their work and more sophisticated research questions"                                 
                                                                                    --CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOLOGY

What is the future of old age? How will families, services, and economies adapt to an older population? Such questions often provoke extreme and opposing answers: some see aging populations as having the potential to undermine economic growth and prosperity; others see new and exciting ways of living in old age. The Futures of Old Age places these questions in the context of social and political change, and assesses what the various futures of old age might be.

Prepared by the British Society of Gerontology, The Futures of Old Age brings together twenty-one leading UK and US gerontologists, drawing on their expertise and research. The book's seven sections deal with key contemporary themes, including population aging, households and families, health, wealth, pensions, migration, inequalities, gender, and self and identity in later life.

am currently working on ‘anti-ageing medicine', death and immortality and the insights they provide for the cultural construction of old age . These studies identify a crisis in understanding ‘old age' which stems from significant advances in the control and manipulation of biological ageing. Claims to the technical ability to control the human ageing process are far from new but challenging issues about the meaning of old age arise with the prospect of significantly enhanced longevity claimed by contemporary bio-gerontology. I have written journal articles, chapters and given seminars on the significance of the biologisation of old age many of which can be accessed from this page.

Chris Phillipson has held the post of Professor of Applied Social Studies and Social Gerontology, at the University of Keele since 1988. He currently serves as one of the three Pro-Vice Chancellors for the University, with a portfolio covering learning and teaching. Professor Phillipson established the Department of Applied Social Studies and Social Work in 1988 and headed the Department until 1996. He subsequently served as Dean of Research for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Dean of Postgraduate Affairs before taking up his present post in 2006. He was also founding Director (1986-1997) of the Centre for Social Gerontology.