Kathrin Komp

Introduction: Older People under the Magnifying Glass

Foreword: Alan Walker.- 1: Introduction: Older People under the Magnifying Glass: Kathrin Komp and Marja Aartsen.- 2: Bio- and Health Gerontology: How Ageing Changes our Bodies: Joel Ankri and Bernard Cassou.- 3: Gerontopsychology: Ageing is all in your Head: Mike Martin, Nathan Theill and Vera Schumacher.- 4: Social Gerontology: Older People and Everybody Else: Christina Victor.- 5: Political Gerontology: Population Ageing and the State of the State: Kathrin Komp.- 6: Economic Gerontology: Older People as Consumers and Workers: Jolanta Perek-Bialas and Joop J. Schippers.- 7 Gero-Technology: Old Age in the Electronic Jungle: Harald Kunemund and Nele Tanschus.- 8: Cultural Gerontology: Valuing Older People: Ricca Edmondson.- 9: Conclusion: The Future of Greying Europe: Marja Aartsen and Kathrin Komp.- Glossary.- Annex: Answers to the Quizzes.Although Europe’s population is greying, the future of Europe does not look grey. What can be learned from this book is that old age is not necessarily characterized by frailty and decline, but ins ...Europe is greying. In the beginning of the twenty first century, Europe already was the oldest continent of the world, with every sixth European being 65 years or older. Researchers predict that older Europeans will become even more numerous in the future, with every fourth European being 65 years or older in 2050. This development has far-reaching consequences for the citizens of Europe and for European societies. For example, when we sit in cafes, we will see older people at the tables next to us more often. Shop-keepers will include more products for seniors in their assortments, and public transportation will have to be even more accessible to handicapped individuals. Moreover, pension schemes and long-term care schemes might have to restructure their financial basis, considering that there will be an increasing number of individuals benefiting from these schemes. Those few examples already show that Europe’s face is changing. This change raises a number of fundamental questions, such as: What will Europe look like in the future? Which European countries and which parts of society are most affected by population ageing? And how can we best react to the demographic change? The scientific discipline of gerontology provides answers to these questions.

Old age in Europe: A textbook of gerontology

Foreword: Alan Walker.- 1: Introduction: Older People under the Magnifying Glass: Kathrin Komp and Marja Aartsen.- 2: Bio- and Health Gerontology: How Ageing Changes our Bodies: Joel Ankri and Bernard Cassou.- 3: Gerontopsychology: Ageing is all in your Head: Mike Martin, Nathan Theill and Vera Schumacher.- 4: Social Gerontology: Older People and Everybody Else: Christina Victor.- 5: Political Gerontology: Population Ageing and the State of the State: Kathrin Komp.- 6: Economic Gerontology: Older People as Consumers and Workers: Jolanta Perek-Bialas and Joop J. Schippers.- 7 Gero-Technology: Old Age in the Electronic Jungle: Harald Kunemund and Nele Tanschus.- 8: Cultural Gerontology: Valuing Older People: Ricca Edmondson.- 9: Conclusion: The Future of Greying Europe: Marja Aartsen and Kathrin Komp.- Glossary.- Annex: Answers to the Quizzes.Although Europe’s population is greying, the future of Europe does not look grey. What can be learned from this book is that old age is not necessarily characterized by frailty and decline, but ins ...Europe is greying. In the beginning of the twenty first century, Europe already was the oldest continent of the world, with every sixth European being 65 years or older. Researchers predict that older Europeans will become even more numerous in the future, with every fourth European being 65 years or older in 2050. This development has far-reaching consequences for the citizens of Europe and for European societies. For example, when we sit in cafes, we will see older people at the tables next to us more often. Shop-keepers will include more products for seniors in their assortments, and public transportation will have to be even more accessible to handicapped individuals. Moreover, pension schemes and long-term care schemes might have to restructure their financial basis, considering that there will be an increasing number of individuals benefiting from these schemes. Those few examples already show that Europe’s face is changing. This change raises a number of fundamental questions, such as: What will Europe look like in the future? Which European countries and which parts of society are most affected by population ageing? And how can we best react to the demographic change? The scientific discipline of gerontology provides answers to these questions.

Conclusion: The future of greying Europe

Although Europe’s population is greying, the future of Europe does not look grey. What can be learned from this book is that old age is not necessarily characterized by frailty and decline, but instead can be a time of self-fulfillment, activity, and social participation. Moreover, we now know that population ageing does not need to threaten extant social and welfare state-related institutions, but instead opens up potentials for restructuring and reinvention. Life expectancy is longer than ever before and living conditions that enhance healthy ageing have very much improved. New technologies and Information and Communication Technologies may assist older people to stay in their homes longer. The growing possibilities to reach a good old age may have given rise to what is sometimes called ‘a silver economy’: an economy with all kinds of new products and services, particularly aimed at the growing share of healthy and wealthy senior citizens. The greying of Europe might, thus, ultimately lead us into a bright and colourful future.

Political Gerontology: Population Ageing and the State of the State

Political gerontology reflects on the role of older people in the state. It considers older people in their roles as, for example, voters who shape the state in elections, and as welfare citizens who benefit from and contribute to welfare states. These roles differ between European countries, e.g. because of differences in welfare state provisions. Finally, this chapter discusses what possibilities governments have to encourage active ageing.

The future of greying Europe : Conclusion

Foreword: Alan Walker.- 1: Introduction: Older People under the Magnifying Glass: Kathrin Komp and Marja Aartsen.- 2: Bio- and Health Gerontology: How Ageing Changes our Bodies: Joel Ankri and Bernard Cassou.- 3: Gerontopsychology: Ageing is all in your Head: Mike Martin, Nathan Theill and Vera Schumacher.- 4: Social Gerontology: Older People and Everybody Else: Christina Victor.- 5: Political Gerontology: Population Ageing and the State of the State: Kathrin Komp.- 6: Economic Gerontology: Older People as Consumers and Workers: Jolanta Perek-Bialas and Joop J. Schippers.- 7 Gero-Technology: Old Age in the Electronic Jungle: Harald Kunemund and Nele Tanschus.- 8: Cultural Gerontology: Valuing Older People: Ricca Edmondson.- 9: Conclusion: The Future of Greying Europe: Marja Aartsen and Kathrin Komp.- Glossary.- Annex: Answers to the Quizzes.Although Europe’s population is greying, the future of Europe does not look grey. What can be learned from this book is that old age is not necessarily characterized by frailty and decline, but ins ...Europe is greying. In the beginning of the twenty first century, Europe already was the oldest continent of the world, with every sixth European being 65 years or older. Researchers predict that older Europeans will become even more numerous in the future, with every fourth European being 65 years or older in 2050. This development has far-reaching consequences for the citizens of Europe and for European societies. For example, when we sit in cafes, we will see older people at the tables next to us more often. Shop-keepers will include more products for seniors in their assortments, and public transportation will have to be even more accessible to handicapped individuals. Moreover, pension schemes and long-term care schemes might have to restructure their financial basis, considering that there will be an increasing number of individuals benefiting from these schemes. Those few examples already show that Europe’s face is changing. This change raises a number of fundamental questions, such as: What will Europe look like in the future? Which European countries and which parts of society are most affected by population ageing? And how can we best react to the demographic change? The scientific discipline of gerontology provides answers to these questions.

Older people under the magnifying glass : Introduction

Foreword: Alan Walker.- 1: Introduction: Older People under the Magnifying Glass: Kathrin Komp and Marja Aartsen.- 2: Bio- and Health Gerontology: How Ageing Changes our Bodies: Joel Ankri and Bernard Cassou.- 3: Gerontopsychology: Ageing is all in your Head: Mike Martin, Nathan Theill and Vera Schumacher.- 4: Social Gerontology: Older People and Everybody Else: Christina Victor.- 5: Political Gerontology: Population Ageing and the State of the State: Kathrin Komp.- 6: Economic Gerontology: Older People as Consumers and Workers: Jolanta Perek-Bialas and Joop J. Schippers.- 7 Gero-Technology: Old Age in the Electronic Jungle: Harald Kunemund and Nele Tanschus.- 8: Cultural Gerontology: Valuing Older People: Ricca Edmondson.- 9: Conclusion: The Future of Greying Europe: Marja Aartsen and Kathrin Komp.- Glossary.- Annex: Answers to the Quizzes.Although Europe’s population is greying, the future of Europe does not look grey. What can be learned from this book is that old age is not necessarily characterized by frailty and decline, but ins ...Europe is greying. In the beginning of the twenty first century, Europe already was the oldest continent of the world, with every sixth European being 65 years or older. Researchers predict that older Europeans will become even more numerous in the future, with every fourth European being 65 years or older in 2050. This development has far-reaching consequences for the citizens of Europe and for European societies. For example, when we sit in cafes, we will see older people at the tables next to us more often. Shop-keepers will include more products for seniors in their assortments, and public transportation will have to be even more accessible to handicapped individuals. Moreover, pension schemes and long-term care schemes might have to restructure their financial basis, considering that there will be an increasing number of individuals benefiting from these schemes. Those few examples already show that Europe’s face is changing. This change raises a number of fundamental questions, such as: What will Europe look like in the future? Which European countries and which parts of society are most affected by population ageing? And how can we best react to the demographic change? The scientific discipline of gerontology provides answers to these questions.