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Understanding, Supporting and Safeguarding Self-Determination as We Age

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Development of Self-Determination Through the Life-Course

Abstract

The proportion of the population who is aging or elderly is rapidly growing. The health of older adults has improved over the past 30 years with declines in mortality and late onset disability and with disease in old age less likely to result in death or loss of physical or mental functions. However, improved ability to treat diseases and chronic conditions also means increased prevalence of chronic conditions challenging the very independence that medical improvement was designed to increase. Understandings of quality of life concerns and markers of success or decrements in aging or successful aging are increasingly expressed in terms of independence and self-determination. This chapter considers theoretical perspectives on independence and self-determination as people age by examining the positive support of aging in place and the challenges experienced when dementia, self-neglect or abuse, and the approaching of end of life become part of older age. A particular consideration will be both the compromises and the opportunities presented by being the recipient of caregiving.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Albany, Albany, NY, USA

    Philip McCallion & Lisa A. Ferretti

Authors
  1. Philip McCallion
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  2. Lisa A. Ferretti
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Correspondence to Philip McCallion .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Special Education, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

    Michael L. Wehmeyer

  2. Special Education, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

    Karrie A. Shogren

  3. Educational Psychology and Leadership, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA

    Todd D. Little

  4. Gallup and The Clifton Strengths School, Omaha, Nebraska, USA

    Shane J. Lopez

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McCallion, P., Ferretti, L.A. (2017). Understanding, Supporting and Safeguarding Self-Determination as We Age. In: Wehmeyer, M., Shogren, K., Little, T., Lopez, S. (eds) Development of Self-Determination Through the Life-Course. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1042-6_11

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