Discourses on Ageing

Contents: 1. Gerontological concepts and understanding. 2. Elderly: A world scenario. 3. Old age in India. 4. Elderly diaries. 5. Elderly life-care and social constructions. 6. Leisure moments. 7. Economic situation and aged populace. 8. Health concerns and senile population. 9. Elderly interactions in the world of ‘sacred’.

The present book is delving into the world of gerontology from a socio-cultural perspective. The book is a product of an intensive fieldwork-based research which inherently is a reaction to the increasing intolerance towards the elderly population and their consequent marginalization. Despite governmental measures towards the rising deplorable conditions of the aged people, the elderly population faces social exclusion, both from their own family who believe that they should become 'inactive entities' as well as from the society for whom their importance gradually diminishes. 

The book starts with a vivid detail of the concept of gerontology and various theoretical understandings related to the term. It covers an in-depth understanding of the world situation as well as Indian elderly scenario. The book deals with various issues of elderly which includes elderly depression, their social status and their position in family, their understanding of leisure, their economic position, their health concern and the role of religion in their life. It provides in-depth theoretical insights about various problems of the elderly population backed up with micro-level narratives and case studies of the elderly population. The book further attempts to relate the theories with narratives, henceforth the readers will get a visual feel of the elderly scenario and their understanding of their own reality.