Gerontological Practice for the Twenty-first Century meets the need for state-of-the-art information on practice approaches with older patients that are age-specific and empirically based, blend "micro" and "macro" views, and reflect current themes in the aging and social work fields. The book is designed as a text for students and as a professional resource for practitioners. Clearly written, the book offers an expert and comprehensive review of the current literature and focuses on issues relating to the most vulnerable older people. Gerontological Practice for the Twenty-first Century also features case illustrations throughout and brief end-of-chapter questions for review.

The book has four parts. Part 1 reviews current and classic theories of aging and proposes an original framework for an integrative approach to practice with older people that incorporates both individual and policy-level interventions. The approach is based on current themes such as a life course perspective, heterogeneity, diversity, and inequality. Part 2 covers such common and important psychological problems among older individuals, as anxiety, depression, suicide, substance abuse, and dementia, and describes appropriate, evidence-based interventions. Part 3 considers the social psychological picture by discussing working with older families, end-of-life care, bereavement, and work and retirement. Part 4 focuses on core sociopolitical issues in the lives of older people: economic policy, poverty, health policy, quality-of-life concerns, and social services.

Current, authoritative, and original, this single-volume gerontology resource will be of valuable use to graduate students and practitioners.

Virginia E. Richardson is a professor at the Ohio State University College of Social Work. She is the author or coauthor of several books, including Retirement Counseling: A Handbook for Gerontology Practitioners.Amanda S. Barusch is a professor at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. She is the author of several books, including Foundations of Social Policy: Social Justice in Human Perspective.

Preface
Acknowledgments
Overview and Theoretical Perspectives
Social Work Practice in the Twenty-first Century
Theories of Aging
Integrated Gerontological Practice
Stages in Gerontological Practice
Psychological Problems and Interventions
Anxiety Reactions Among Older People
Depression Among Older People
Suicide Among Older People
Substance Abuse Among Older People
Dementia
Social Psychological Problems and Interventions
Social Workers and Aging Families
Social Work Practice and End-of-Life Care
Bereavement in Later Life
Work and Retirement
Sociopolitical Issues
Economic Policies and Aging
Poverty and Aging
Health Policies and Aging
Improving the Quality of Life: Social Services and Aging
References
Subject Index
Name Index