The Aging Experience: Diversity and Commonality across Cultures

Assessment of the Selected Health Factors by Polonia in the Greater Toronto Area in the Relation to Their Quality and Standard of Living

“…Keith et al [82] conducted studies in Botswana, Ireland, the United States and Hong Kong. They did not directly assess quality of life; however, they described the available health services, morbidity, and mortality as well as physical and functional status in each culture.…”

The Ageless Self: A Relic or The Reliquary?

“…Another mode of discourse on diversity was visible at the comparative system level of cross-cultural and cross-national comparative studies in the time of The Ageless Self. Examples include Cultural Context of Aging: Worldwide Perspectives (Sokolovsky 1990) and The Aging Experience: Diversity and Commonality Across Cultures (Keith et al 1994). Many disciplines joined conversations about the 'delicate category' of self, experience, and personhood and especially the cultural boundedness of notions of the self was the site of great debate.…”

Developmental agenda.

“…Although Erikson called the life crisis of this stage "integrity versus despair" as the individual comes to terms with the successes and failures of life, it is likely that people in most cultures are not more preoccupied with self-evaluation at this point in their lives than they were earlier. Rather, cultural universals point to a recognition of elders as deserving recipients of increased respect as well as physical care (Keith et al, 1994). From this perspective, the developmental challenge for older adults is to manage a successful transition to greater dependence on others while maintaining their sense of authority and connection with family and community.…”