In western countries, the rising tide of population aging took 100 years to alter the face of societies, but Asia is experiencing comparable changes in not much more than a quarter of a century. Contributors to "The Handbook of Aging" describe the magnitude of these changes and their effects on the aged and on societies attempting to adapt to the dramatic improvements in life expectancy brought on by rapid economic and social transformations. Asia encompasses a vast reach from Pakistan and India to Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia, and in this book including Australia. "The Handbook of Aging" provides a framework for making sense of the meeting between reverential views of the elderly and contemporary priorities as Asia arrives at the crossroads. The need for innovative approaches to social policy and personal practices is nowhere more evident than in Asian countries, where modern marketing economies have forced hard political choices. The economic tigers of the Asian-Pacific region experienced the aging of their populations ahead of other Asian countries, but solutions reached during times of financial boom are being re-examined as economies come back to earth, with soft or hard landings. "The Handbook of Asian Aging" provides an atlas of the far-reaching changes that are afoot and that will become even more pronounced in the near future.
Introduction: The Sweep of Asian Aging: Changing Mores, Changing Policies Jon Hendricks and Hyunsook Yoon
Part I: Asian Aging in Social Context
Demography of Aging Across Asia Andrew Mason, Sang-Hyop Lee, and Gerard Russo
Economic Resources: Implications for Aging Policy in Asia Yung-Ping Chen and John Turner
The Politics and Policies of Aging, Asian Style Laura Katz Olson
Culture as the Context of Aging John van Willigen and Densie C. Lewis
Part II: Economic Status, Work, and Retirement
Economic Status, Work, and Retirement in China Peng Du
Economic Resources of the Elderly Within the Japanese Family Nobuko Nagase
Empowering Older Adults as Key Resources in Development in Malaysia Poo Chang Tan and Nai Peng Tey
Economic Status, Work, and Retirement Among Korean Elders Sung-Jae Choi
Part III: Living Arrangements, Family Caregiving, and Social Support
Living Arrangements and Social Support for Older Adults in India Phoebe Liebig and P. V. Ramamurti
Living Arrangements and Social Interaction of the Elderly in Taiwan Te-hsiung Sun and Ming-cheng Chang
Intergenerational Support Mechanisms for Filipino Elderly Mercedes B. Concepcion and Aurora E. Perez
Welfare Policy for Older Adults and Caregiving Burden in South Korea Ka-Oak Rhee
Part IV: Health and Long-Term Care
Health Insurance in South Korea Sang-soo Bae and Tae-jin Lee
Long-Term Care Insurance in Japan Koichi Hiraoka
Healthcare and Long-Term Care Financing in Singapore Kai Hong Phua
Part V: Community Social Services
Family Support and Community Services for Older Adults in China: Integration and Partnership Joe C. B. Leung
Community Services for Older People in Australia Hal Kendig and Susan Quine
Community-Care Services in Japan Daisaku Maeda and Hisanori Ishikawa
Meet the Contributors
Index
Biography
Hyunsook Yoon, Jon Hendricks
