AGEING, CARE AND WELL-BEING: Reinventing Social Gerontology (Essays in Honour of Professor Jacob John Kattakayam)

Book Details:

• Editors: Antony Palackal and Nisha Jolly Nelson

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 2020

• ISBN: 9788131611272

• Pages: 372

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.3 x 7.9 inches

About the Book

This insightful volume presents a multidisciplinary collection of 25 scholarly essays addressing the diverse challenges, perspectives, and policy considerations associated with ageing and elderly care in developing societies. Curated as a Festschrift in honor of Professor John Kattakayam—an eminent sociologist and a pioneering advocate of gerontology—the book sheds light on the lived experiences of the elderly, particularly in South Asia and Africa, where rapid social transitions increasingly marginalize older populations.

Key themes include:

• Family as a support structure

• Gendered dimensions of ageing and caregiving

• Health and mental well-being in later life

• Intergenerational dynamics and social bonding

• Institutional care versus home-based care

• Social security and policy frameworks for elderly welfare

• Empowerment and dignity in old age

By bringing together top sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, demographers, and medical professionals, the book challenges conventional narratives and seeks to empower the aged rather than portray them merely as dependents. It reframes old age as a stage of potential, resilience, and wisdom, rather than decline.

This volume is an essential resource for students, researchers, social workers, and policy-makers engaged in the field of social gerontology, and it provides a comprehensive understanding of elderly issues from both global and regional lenses.