Ageing Well Nutrition, Health, and Social Interventions Society for the Study of Human Biology Series

Many current public health actions and policies aimed at older people revolve around the often prevailing view that failing health is a consequence of ageing. It is now clear that it is possible to postpone or even prevent much of the age-related decline in health that was once thought inevitable. Future policies must recognise this changing paradigm, and, using a multi-disciplinary approach, integrate fully the changing needs of older people into all areas of public policy including health, nutrition, social support, housing, and economic security.

Derived from the 47th Annual Symposium of the Society for the Study of Human Biology in November 2005, Ageing Well: Nutrition, Health, and Social Interventions highlights important health and social factors affecting quality of life in older age, and reviews possible interventions aimed at the prevention or amelioration of problems that reduce the potential for ageing well. Covering a wide range of topics, contributors address the nutritional vulnerability and specific nutritional needs of older adults and confirm the necessity of appropriate diet and exercise in order to maintain both physical and cognitive health. Reminiscence, social interaction and support are highlighted as crucial for the preservation of identity, health and emotional well-being. Other chapters are concerned with socio-economic differences in the extent of age-related changes in health, resulting particularly from poor quality housing and lack of family support networks. The book includes an examination of the economic consequences for health care systems and pension schemes of ageing populations, provides insight into the methodology of evaluating the cost-effectiveness of interventions, and outlines how the minimum cost of healthy living for the 65+ population can be estimated.

Bringing together the very latest information on successful ageing, Ageing Well: Nutrition, Health, and Social Interventions presents an up-to-date synthesis of the current evidence of nutrition, public health and social interventions aiming to ensure health and good quality of life in older age.

Introduction, Nutritional Concerns in Old Age, Regular Exercise—the Best Investment For Our Old Age, Major Eye Diseases of Later Life: Cataract and Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Reminiscence in Everyday Talk Between Older People and Their Carers: Implications for the Quality of Life of Older People in Care Homes, Retention of Cognitive Function in Old Age: Why Initial Intelligence is Important, Health Inequalities in Old Age in Britain, Demographic Change, Family Support, and Ageing Well: Developed Country Perspectives, Energy Efficiency and the Health of Older People, Ageing, Health, and Welfare: An Economic Perspective, Methodological Issues in Assessing the Cost Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve the Health of Older People, Minimum Income for Healthy Living: Physical Activity, Anti-ageing, Autonomy, Responding to Increasing Human Longevity: Policy, Practice, and Research, Index