This text is intended for courses on community services and programmes for the elderly, typically found in gerontology departments and departments of social work. Rather than simply focusing on building awareness of the various programmes and services available, the authors stress the importance of the theoretical knowledge that will assist in understanding the social and psychological dynamics of help-seeking behaviour. By understanding the social and psychological needs of the elderly and their families, as well as the services available to them, students will be better able to take advantage of resources available to help their clients. This new edition will update the key policy updates affecting older adults as well as the census data offered throughout the text. It will also update the many unique pedagogical features such as the sections titled FYI, best practices, case studies and the web and national resources. Increased attention will be focused on aging and diverse populations and the idea of cultural competency than previous editions, as this area has continued to become a critical part of delivering effective care. Also, international issues, faith-based services, services for LGBT elders, rural elders, immigrants, and other special populations will also be covered or expanded in the new edition.
Robbyn R. Wacker, Ph.D., is the Provost and Senior Vice President and Professor of Gerontology at the University of Northern Colorado. Her research interests include international aging social policy and psychosocial predictors of community service use among older adults. She has published over 65 refereed presentations, scholarly articles, books, and conference proceedings and has earned numerous university and professional awards, including UNC’s Academic Leadership Excellence Award.
Karen A. Roberto, Ph.D., is the Director of the Center for Gerontology, Founding Director of the Institute of Society, Culture, and Environment, and Professor of Human Development at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She also holds adjunct appointments in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. She has published over 150 scholarly articles and book chapters, is the editor/author of ten books, and has earned numerous university and professional awards, including the Gerontological Society of America Behavioral and Social Science Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award