Baby Boomers: Can My Eighties Be Like My Fifties? (Springer Series on Lifestyles and Issues in Aging) (Lifestyles & Issues in Aging)

Is the United States prepared for the Baby Boomers to grow old? This book seeks to answer these questions. It also suggests strategies to make sure that the answer to these questions becomes 'Yes'. Much has been written about the Baby Boom generation, but this is the first book to address current issues they face, while simultaneously projecting ahead to challenges and benefits that are likely to characterize this next generation of older persons. It is based on keynote presentations by noted leaders in the field of aging, who discuss their expectations of their old age. Thus, it is both an introductory primer to aging today, as well as a book that raises questions, suggests solutions, and indicates avenues of planning for the future. The book takes a close look at the state of readiness of health and social service providers for the large numbers of older persons in society's future. A careful look is taken at what is and what might be in the areas of income security, health security and health care, long-term care, housing and living arrangements. The importance of this book lies in the fact that it addresses the lack of planning by both the Baby Boomers and services providers, and identifies steps to be taken, with particular emphasis given to needed changes in the education of health and social service professionals to prepare them for what lies ahead.

M. Joanna Mellor, D.S.W., is Assistant Professor at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University, New York. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Mellow was Vice President for Information Services at Lighthouse International, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Executive Director of the Hunter/Mount Sinai Geriatric Education Center. She has been an Adjunct Instructor at the Hunter School of Social Work since 1984. Dr. Mellor is author of several articles and editor/co-editor of five books, including Special Aging Populations and Systems Linkages and Advancing Gerontological Social Work Education. She is co-editor of the Journal of Gerontological Social Work and a past president of the State Society of Aging of New York.