Gerontology Resources: Introduction

SAGE Reference is proud to announce the Encyclopedia of Health and Aging. This one-volume encyclopedia presents state-of-the-art research and ready-to-use facts on health and aging. The 250 entries and relevant appendices cover: biological; psychological; social; and economic aspects of health and aging and impacts within health-care systems. As an ever increasing percentage of the population of western societies enters `old age′, health issues grow in importance in terms of the well-being of this population, economic impact within the health-care system, impacts on families and family relationships and in so many other ways. The Encyclopedia of Health and Aging covers issues including: - acute illness; - Alzheimer′s disease; - bereavement; - cataracts; - centenarians; - dementia; - economic; - dependency; - exercise; - health care costs; - health promotion; - hospice care; - long-term care; - managed care; - medications; - menopause; - nursing homes; - nutrition; - obesity; - optimal aging; - osteoporosis; - Parkinson′s disease; - public policy; - `quality of life′; - religiosity; - sexual function; - sleep disturbances; - smoking; - spousal care-giving; - stroke; - widowhood; - wisdom. Also included are landmark studies: Duke Longitudinal Study of Aging; Framingham Heart Study; MacArthur Study of Successful Aging; Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE); Health and Retirement Study (HRS); and National Long-Term Care Survey, as well as important social and health programmes including: social security, `meals on wheels′ and Medicaid/Medicare. The Encyclopedia of Health and Aging is cross-disciplinary, with contributions from the fields of: gerontology; epidemiology; health psychology; biology; sociology; health and medicine; and public policy.