Praise for the first edition:

“This book is exemplary in amassing demographic, policy, and sociopsychological data from around the world… The content of the book is rich with current information seldom accumulated into one sourceI recommend this volume to gerontologists, aging studies undergraduate and graduate students… demographers, and global studies scholars.”

Dr. Carol A. Gosselink, PsycCritiques

Written by leading scholars, this esteemed text on global aging is distinguished by its unique perspective on universal similarities and sociocultural differences across nations. Fully revised, updated, and reorganized, the second edition presents comprehensive coverage of major topics in social gerontology and expands its treatment of health behavior, health care, families, caregiving, older workers, and retirement. It delivers new information on living environments, religious beliefs and practices; environmental threats; cross-cultural views of dementia; ageism in advertising; age-friendly communities; global immigration and cultural assimilation, and end-of-life caregiving.

The second edition also offers additional case studies, first-person narratives and focused essays to enhance core material and a greater number of non-Western contributors. The topical essays reflect changing mores and current issues affecting societies and the aging experience. Discussion questions conclude each chapter, and an Instructor’s Manual and PowerPoint slides are available to instructors. Print version of the book includes free, searchable, digital access to entire contents.



New to the Second Edition:Expanded content on health beliefs and health behavior, religious belief and practice, environmental threats, housing and living environments, physical security, consumer control of health care, family life, and more
Additional topics on global immigration and cultural assimilation, age portrayals in advertising, voluntarism, and the use of social media in caregiving
Abundant new and expanded essays
New case studies and first-person narratives
Many more non-Western contributors



Key Features:Delivers comprehensive coverage of major topics in gerontology
Uses a unique comparative, cross-national perspective
Authored by world-renowned aging scholars
Includes case studies/essays/personal narratives to enliven core information
Provides the most comprehensive demographic data on aging around the world