Social Gerontology
29 Social Gerontology Paul Higgs, James Nazroo Introduction Social gerontology, as the term suggests, is concerned with the study of the social aspects of aging and old age. These include…
Normal Cognitive Aging*
28 Normal Cognitive Aging* Jane Martin, Clara Li This chapter provides an overview of the principal features of cognitive functioning in normal aging adults. The first part of this chapter…
Aging and the Blood
24 Aging and the Blood Michael A. McDevitt Introduction Age-related changes to normal blood cell development and function remain poorly understood but measurably evident. In 1961, Hayflick and Moorhead described…
Aging of the Urinary Tract
22 Aging of the Urinary Tract Philip P. Smith, George A. Kuchel Introduction Although traditional classification considers the upper and lower urinary tracts as part of one system, each serves…
Aging and the Gastrointestinal System
21 Aging and the Gastrointestinal System Richard Feldstein, David J. Beyda, Seymour Katz More than 20% of our population is expected to exceed 65 years of age by 2030,1 with…
Neurologic Signs in Older Adults
18 Neurologic Signs in Older Adults James E. Galvin Neurologic disorders are a common cause of morbidity, mortality, institutionalization, and increased health care costs in the older adult population.1 Not…
Cellular Mechanisms of Aging
9 Cellular Mechanisms of Aging James L. Kirkland Introduction Aging changes are universal within a species and are intrinsic and progressive. They are universal; each true aging change should develop…
Age-Related Changes in the Respiratory System
17 Age-Related Changes in the Respiratory System Gwyneth A. Davies, Charlotte E. Bolton Respiratory Function Tests The commonly used respiratory function tests are presented in this chapter. In addition, patterns…
Successful Aging
4 Successful Aging The Centenarians Thomas T. Perls Demography of Centenarians According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, in 2010, approximately 51,000 people aged 100 years and older collected Social…
Evolution Theory and the Mechanisms of Aging
5 Evolution Theory and the Mechanisms of Aging Thomas B.L. Kirkwood The question “Why does aging occur?” calls for answers at the level of proximate physiologic mechanisms and at the…
