Living longer - Peter Lloyd-Sherlock

Accelerated population ageing, long a significant issue for developed countries, is now becoming important in the developing world too. Population ageing is one of the great achievements of the past century - although it brings its own social, economic, political and cultural challenges. The quality of life of older people is strongly conditioned by their capacity to manage opportunities and risks. Social protection, both formal and informal, can be critical.This book examines the links between well-being and development, drawing on examples from low, middle and high-income countries. It examines ageing in a number of very different development contexts - Argentina, Brazil, China, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, Ukraine, UK and USA. It highlights the complexity of relationships between development and the way later life is experienced, identifies key priorities for policy-makers, and maps out an urgent research agenda.

Peter Lloyd-Sherlock is a Senior Lecturer in Social Development, School of Development Studies, University of East Anglia, Norwich. His publications include Old Age and Poverty in the Developing World (1997) and he is editor of Healthcare Reform and Poverty in Latin America (2000).

'An impressive range of authors discuss the major issues raised by population ageing in less developed and transition countries. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the critical contemporary global topics of ageing and development and deserves to be read widely.'Alan Walker, University of Sheffield'In examining current knowledge on ageing and development, this important book challenges some pervasive stereotypes. The bases for believing that ageing populations are only a feature of the "developed world", and that growing numbers of older people will undermine existing systems of care and social protection, are questioned.'Mark Gorman, HelpAge International