Synonyms
Aging; Later Life
Introduction
The elderly of today differ in many significant ways from those of previous generations. As the baby-boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, moved into the categories of middle and old age, they brought with them new ways of thinking about and behaving relative to aging. Retirement no longer necessarily indicates the end to productivity and involvement in the outside world but now often signals the beginning of a meaningful second half of life. Rather than consigning themselves to rocking chairs and a slowing down of their faculties and activities, retirees tend to see themselves as younger longer, confident, engaged, and active, as well as excited about what lies ahead.
The context within which this shift has occurred is that of our aging* society. That is, between 2003 and 2013, the 65+ population increased from 35.9 million to 44.7 million, a 24% increase. By 2060, this number is expected to reach 98 million, or to double. In 2013, the 85+...
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Becvar, D. (2019). Elderly in Couple and Family Therapy. In: Lebow, J.L., Chambers, A.L., Breunlin, D.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49425-8_431
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49425-8_431
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