Ageing in Developing Countries

About the Book

This study is concerned with the problems of increasing life expectancy which have become acute in developing countries in the 1980s. Dr Tout sets out forecasts of increases in longevity, outlines the ways in which potential problems of ageing can be met and describes programmes which have already been successfully adopted in a number of countries. He highlights the lesser-known difficulties, such as the responsibility grandmothers may have to assume for family and community survival in the face of heterosexually transmitted AIDS, and the consequences of the disintegration of the traditional extended family in countries too poor to provide pension schemes. He concludes that in order to build structures for the future, public awareness of problems like these must be stimulated, and local communities must be provided with the resources to tackle them. This text is aimed at gerontologists, practicing care workers and administrators, academics and researchers in ageing/Third World problems, government officials, interested students and volunteer workers.

Table of Contents:
List of tables; abbreviations; Introduction; What is ageing?; Population forecasts; Socio-economic factors; Regional studies of ageing; Selected studies of ageing; Existing services; Pilot methods of response; A programme critique; National strategies; Special groups of elderly; Questions that remain; References; Further sources of information and additional reading

Review :
'This is an important book, whose realism does not destroy hope.' John Pritchard, Methodist Recorder 'this is an excellent tour d'horizon of a phenomenon which is only now beginning to penetrate the consciousness of people in this country ... it graphically outlines the demographic background which alone must ensure increased focus on elderly people'' Michael Palmer, Help the Aged, Today 'This mine of information is enriched by a broad-ranging overview of the variety of national strategies and local initiatives which have already been adopted with lessons for future practice readily drawn. There is plenty of material here to support the author's all-out action on all fronts approach.' Martin Albrow, University of Wales, People 'Ken Tout has written an original, engaging and authoritative praxis, informed by a happy combination of the author's deep experience of and perception into practical service developments, and his awareness of broader demographic, socioeconomic and political economy issues.' Tony Warnes, King's College, University of London, Ageing and Society 'The book is crammed with well organised information and reflects his warmth and humanity ... a book which can be strongly recommended to anyone concerned with development and the old.' John Saunders, United Nations Development Programme News 'This is a very thought-provoking and in places disturbing book. A good read!' Alan Rogers, University of Reading. Journal of Educational Gerontology 'full of information about projects and research presently being undertaken ... It is written by an enthusiast who has a lot of first-hand knowledge. As a consequence it is one of those rare books that one keeps picking up and dipping into. Ken Tout has provided us all with an invaluable resource, an exemplary model for those who might similarly attempt to review an international field of activity of enormous variety.' Bill Bytheway, University College of Swansea 'This book ... has a rightful place among the thickening sections of library shelves dealing with ageing.' Gavin W. Jones, Australian National University, Population Studies 'a sound statistical source book with a humanitarian perspective' Laura Sutton, Moorgreen Hospital, Southampton, Journal of International Development 3:1 'on applied development issues it is informed, positive and stimulating ... It is a template and catalyst for those concerned to improve elderly people's lives in the Third World.' Tony Warnes, King's College, London, International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 6:9 'In Ageing in Developing Countries. Tout sustains the ... note of urgency struck at the World Assembly by presenting an updated overview of projections for dramatic future increases in the percentages of people over the age of 60 ... Tout's book stretches the temporal boundaries of the subject matter by virtue of its diachronic depth and texture.' Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology 7: 1992 `a classic, with anecdotal evidence to support the arguments' New Internationalist