Elderburbia: Aging with a Sense of Place in America - Hardcover

by Philip Stafford (Author)

An informed and often moving account of the crucial role of place in the lives of elders and what researchers and city planners are doing--and need to do--to make communities more age-friendly.

Elderburbia: Aging with a Sense of Place in America argues that aging is not about time and the body, but about place and relationships. Drawing on the fascinating, multidisciplinary field of ethnography, it gives readers a deeper understanding of how the aging experience is shaped by where people call home, as well as a look at what makes a place well-suited for post-retirement living.

Elderburbia combines cutting-edge scholarship with practical advice. The book provides an introduction to pivotal research on the broad subject of aging and place, including studies of migration and relocation. It also takes readers inside innovative elder-friendly community planning around the United States, particularly AdvantAge--an initiative to help counties, cities, and towns prepare for the growing number of older adults who are "aging in place," as opposed to moving to retiree-only communities. Everyone from individuals and families to social workers, activists, and city officials will find this a helpful, enlightening resource.

Author Biography

Philip B. Stafford, PhD, is the director of the Center on Aging and Community and the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community and adjunct professor in the Department of Anthropology at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.