Japan has the highest proportion of older adults in the world. Aging is not only an immediate personal issue but also a salient factor in crucial public policies, such as pensions, health, and long-term care. The Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant disaster of March 2011 has highlighted current and emerging issues of a…

The oldest of the baby boomers (boomers) were age 63 in 2009 and on the verge of retirement. This cohort has had a history of making societal changes throughout its life cycle, and it is unlikely that retirement, as we know it, will remain unscathed. This article highlights two events--the Stonewall Inn riots and two prominent professional…

There has been a substantial increase in the number of aging-related educational programs in the United States over the last two decades. Many of these programs utilize an experiential-learning approach, such as intergenerational service-learning, to train gerontology students to work effectively with older adults. This paper presents a model of…

This document contains the bases of lectures delivered in Florida by a visiting Stockholm University sociology professor. The first chapter, "Growing Old in Sweden," includes information on the income, standard of living, and quality of services available to the elderly in that country. That information is presented within the changing…

The ageing of the population in western societies has aroused great concern and interest in recent years as the so-called "baby-boomers" begin to retire, leaving a seemingly depleted workforce. Society and the individuals within it learn the "truths" of being aged or old through the normalizing of gerontological, demographic…

This document, examining transition to retirement from a sociological perspective, consists of four sections and a 14-item bibliography. The first section traces the evolution of West German retirement from what was considered a new phenomenon into what is now commonly assumed to be a normal or even natural life stage. The second section discusses…

The beginning phases of a preretirement program at San Jose State University, California, are described. The program, initiated through the interdisciplinary gerontology program, entailed group discussions and individual followup and counseling when appropriate. Discussion topics were housing, legal matters, leisure and volunteer work, health, and…

Preretirement education programs can help people (1) to develop an awareness of issues which influence retirement satisfaction, (2) to gain information relevant to retirement planning, (3) to explore options available after retirement, (4) to identify resources for implementing preretirement plans, and (5) to identify community services for…

This document consists of the following three papers: (1) "Aging in the People's Republic of China" (Liang), including a 22-item bibliography; (2) "The Reform of China's Social Security System for the Elderly" (Chuanyi); and (3) "Developing Research on Aging in China" (Jihui). The first paper briefly outlines the…

RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) is one program of ACTION--The Agency for Volunteer Service. ACTION, created in 1971, is a Federal agency which administers a number of volunteer programs. Its purpose is to provide a recognized role in the community and a meaningful life in retirement for older adults through significant volunteer service.…

This document contains papers delivered at a conference designed to highlight similarities and differences in the situation of the elderly in Sweden and in the United States. The papers are: (1) "Aging and Work" (Sheppard, Berglind); (2) "Services to the Elderly: An Emphasis on the United States" (Hokenstad); (3) "Notes on…

In the last two decades, problems associated with aging have caused increased public concern. As a result of recent research in the Federal Republic of Germany, the science of gerontology has revealed new information about the living conditions and living standards of the elderly. The image of older people is still a negative one and passing…

Making use of the talents of retired professors can benefit everyone in the university community. What is needed is an organization of retired faculty members that can invite participation in activities that benefit the university as well as the retired professors. The Emeritus College at Southern Illinois University is described.

Writers and artists near or in retirement need some device for keeping the creative forces alive. A project proposed by William Plater at the University of Illinois calls for a series of contemporary, or living, history courses by emeriti professors whose own contributions may have shaped their fields. (MLW)

There is a need to develop strategies for providing guidance and counseling services for the elderly. With increase in numbers and life span of older adults, counselors can help improve their quality of life through leisure counseling, group therapy, retirement, and educational programs. (JAC)