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This chapter makes the case for theory-informed and critically-driven public policy and practice interventions to safeguard older people from abuse. The chapter’s first section sets out the case for ‘theory’, describing what this means and why it matters in social gerontology and adult protection. The second section calls for critical perspectives, critical thinking and critical practice in elder abuse, to create and sustain critically reflexive organisational cultures intolerant of ‘group think’, lazy reasoning, uncritical or poor practice. Overall the chapter argues that without critically informed and theory-driven policy and practice, adult safeguarding policy development and practice interventions run the risk of being ad hoc, at best without worth or at worst damaging to the older person.

The introduction chapter introduces the concept of theorising and argues that time has come for scholarship on the intersection between ethnicity/ race and ageing/ old age to engage on a theorising exercise of its own. In doing so, this chapter sets the stage for the idea engaging in a scoping review of the last twenty years of research on this intersection makes sense at this point in time since we need to make sense of which understandings of ethnicity and race inform this scholarship. By arguing for why it is that our imagination needs to be expanded in this regard, this chapter identifies the scholarly fields that work on this intersection (i.e. social gerontology, ethno-gerontology and ethnicity/ race scholarship), and the ways in which these fields have become interested on the intersection in question. Last but not least (and as it is customary), this introduction chapter ends with a description of, and rationale for, how the book is structured.

The aim of much gerontological research is to understand the lived experience of growing older and being old. In this chapter, classic approaches to research in social gerontology and, in particular, four strains which have featured in its history: the relationship with clinical practice, the study of needs in old age, the distinction between old age and ageing, and the development of theory are reviewed. Three primary sources of data that social research draws upon are considered: interviews, observations and documentation. Alternative research methods that might uncover the ways in which age figures in the course of life, paying particular attention to the use of diaries and correspondence, and the abstracting of material from literature are also discussed. ‘How old are you?’, this simple question is easily understood but not necessarily easily answered. This and other related questions are examined at the latter part of this chapter.

This chapter introduces the rationale and background, and sets the context to the study of intergenerational relations, drawing analysis from a wide range of expertise within and beyond social gerontology. It offers a global perspective that reflects the wide-ranging geographic locations examined. It describes the macro-level domestic and global changes which are likely to shape interpersonal relationships within families. It notes that this volume draws on both theoretical perspectives and empirical analysis in relation to contemporary exchange rationales and practices of family support, and the changing nature and patterns of intergenerational relations. It addresses these issues in diverse national and cultural contexts. It identifies some of the driving forces — external opportunities and pressures — contributing to the transformation of family forms, ideologies, and functions.

This chapter provides an introduction to the topic of human rights and dementia. It briefly traces the history of the human rights movement and discusses the significance of the UN Declaration on Human Rights (1948) and how the latter has helped shape other human rights treaties including the UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities. The latter is a tool which will be used as a compass for analysis throughout the book. The chapter differentiates between human rights and human needs. It critically reviews negative and positive rights in the context of people living with dementia and describes the three generation of rights all people possess by virtue of being human. It argues for the application of a rights based framework to be used by practitioners in dementia care and points to the usefulness of using a social justice /rights based lens to interrogate dementia, extend the contemporary debate and ultimately attempt to improve quality of life and quality of care for all those living with dementia. The main aim of the book, the critical perspectives informing it and some of its distinctive features are highlighted.