
Aging and Later Life
Growing Old in Modern Society
"Dr. Aiken's primary purpose in writing this book is to identify and review what is known about aging and maturity and the methods by which such information and the resulting practical guidelines for dealing with the problems and possibilities of later life are obtained. The author accomplishes this through a nontechnical approach to the subject matter, although a certain amount of specialized language is included. In order to facilitate one's understanding of concepts and ideas, the reader may refer to the "Suggested Readings" at the end of each chapter, in addition to the glossary, subject index, and appendices containing relevant organizations and web sites. There is a "Questions and Activities" section at the end of each chapter for the reader to experience the physical, psychological, and social development and the problems and possibilities of older adulthood. The book will also be of interest to young adults who are interested in careers in gerontology, geriatrics, geropsychology, and related fields. Suggestions and guidelines for acting and interacting with older adults have also been provided. Topics include: longevity and life expectancy; physical structure and functioning; illness and health care; cognitive abilities; personality theory; sex and marriage; social status; employment and retirement; living environments and activities; crime and legal affairs; and a discussion on death and bereavement. This book will be a valuable resource for geriatric professionals, gerontologists, psychologists, sociologists, and undergraduate college students."--BOOK JACKET.
Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.
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What the reading experience may hold
A fuller profile for choosing with more confidence—not just another copy of the preview.
Nonfiction
Use these as starting points rather than limits; the most memorable books often stretch beyond their catalog labels.
Catalog signals suggest violence, death, or criminal harm, grief and loss, sexual material. These notes may not be complete; consult a publisher or reader-supplied guide when detailed warnings matter.
These notes are inferred from available catalog information and may not be complete. Check a publisher or reader-supplied guide if you need comprehensive warnings.
Dark tone · Steady pace
A comfortable full-length choice for steady daily reading.
A good fit if…
Readers who want a thoughtful experience and enjoy noticing the connections beneath a book’s surface story.
This book's DNA
A visual estimate based on this edition's categories, description, and length. Select a star to explore the signals.
This signal is descriptive, not a rating. It helps compare the kind of reading experience this edition may offer.
Spoiler-Free Emotional Arc
A broad estimate of the book’s emotional rhythm, shown without story events or outcomes.
This visualization is an interpretive estimate based on catalog description, categories, tone, pace, and content signals. It does not describe specific scenes.
A quick reading snapshot
Edition facts and catalog signals to help you decide whether this book fits what you want to read next.
- ISBN-13
- 978-0-3980-7176-9
- Language
- English
- Edition record
- OL9610561M
A more thoughtful way into this book
This guide uses the edition details and category signals above to help you choose deliberately. It does not replace the author's work or a full review.
A comfortable full-length choice for steady daily reading.
Begin with its place in Nonfiction, then notice where the book resists that label.
Read for connection, not completion.
Mark one passage that sharpens the book's central concern and one that complicates it. That tension often reveals more than a quick summary.
Three questions to carry with you
- Whose perspective organizes the story, and whose perspective remains outside it?
- Which sources or lived experiences carry the author’s central argument?
- How does the book change the way you understand its larger subject?
Editorial framework by Wesley Bryan, BookenDeX Founder and Editor.







