The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America

by Ai-jen Poo Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller

Overview

By 2035, 11.5 million Americans will be over the age of eighty-five, more than double today's 5 million, living longer than ever before. To enable all of us to age with dignity and security in the face of this coming Age Wave, our society must learn to value the care of our elders. The process of building a culture that supports care is a key component to restoring the American dream, and, as Ai-Jen Poo convincingly argues, will generate millions of new jobs and breathe new life into our national ideals of independence, justice, and dignity.



At the intersection of our aging population, the fraying safety net, and opportunities for women and immigrants in the workforce, The Age of Dignity maps an integrated set of solutions to address America's new demographic and economic realities.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"A big-hearted book [that] seeks to transform our dismal view of aging and caregiving."
—Ms. Magazine

"This book is a starter for conversations that are long overdue. If you are someone's child, a spouse, or concerned about yourself someday, The Age of Dignity will give you food for thought."
—The Philadelphia Tribune

"Poo's positive and inclusive approach is particularly appealing…[O]ffers a critical and complementary perspective on this important issue."
—The New York Times

"[P]rovides an accessible and heartfelt look at a major problem looming for the United States—how we will care for baby boomer generation as it rapidly ages."
—Colorlines

"This book fills a crucial gap in existing literature: it is now the foremost writing that demonstrates the interconnectedness of elder care issues with the rights of women, immigrants, and all workers."
—Feministing

"This can-do book by an activist seeking to rouse the public into action has a lot to say to anyone who plans on getting old."
—Kirkus Reviews

“Thoughtful, moving, and relatable, with numerous personal and professional anecdotes, Poo delivers a concise discussion recommended for readers interested in the social sciences or elder care.”
—Library Journal

"A strong argument for a cultural and governmental shift toward valuing older citizens and providing them with opportunities for rich, full lives."
—Publishers Weekly

"People getting older is not a crisis, it's a blessing. That is the message of The Age of Dignity, an urgent and irresistible book by Ai-jen Poo. To benefit from this blessing of experience that comes with longer life expectancy, we'll need more well-paid and expert home care workers. In just the next four years, that demand will increase by more than 90 percent. This gives you some idea why every American should read this slender book. With luck, it will be the future for all of us."
—Gloria Steinem

From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY

"This can-do book by an activist seeking to rouse the public into action has a lot to say to anyone who plans on getting old." —Kirkus

OCTOBER 2015 - AudioFile

An articulate author and home-care labor spokesperson says more caregivers will be needed for the huge increase in aged people we’ll soon have. Narrating with clarity and compassion, Emily Woo Zeller pulls listeners into the audiobook’s personal stories and invites them to consider the challenges and detailed solutions offered. Sounding concerned and knowledgeable, she connects in a special way with the author’s message: American society doesn’t have the culture or administrative infrastructure to deal with the home-care needs of the 11.5 million Americans who will be over 85 two decades from now. Attention is needed now to prepare for preserving their independence and dignity, and tending to the welfare of typically underpaid home-care workers. This powerful audio will awaken listeners’ sensibilities and shake up institutional lethargy about this looming social need. T.W. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2014-11-04
A fierce advocate for the rights of domestic workers examines two phenomena—a booming aging population in need of long-term care and the rising tide of undocumented immigrants—and finds not two problems but one great opportunity.National Domestic Workers Alliance director Poo is surprisingly optimistic in the face of what would seem to be tough problems for American society. With reams of statistics, she presents the facts about the coming increase in our aging population, and she points out that we can learn from other countries, namely Japan and Germany, that have already faced this situation and have been finding ways to cope with it. We can become a more caring nation by making certain cultural, behavioral and structural changes in our society, and Poo offers some specific models of change to build on. Some are technological developments; some are community-based projects; some are government programs currently being tested in a number of states. The author argues that just as the nation has built an infrastructure of roads and electricity, so can it build an infrastructure of care. The caregivers that the elderly must frequently most rely on are immigrants, "the invisible infrastructure" of our economy and our social fabric. Poo claims that we must create a way for undocumented caregivers to attain legal status, provide the training needed to raise the quality of care and improve their wages. She even outlines how the money could be raised to accomplish these goals. Her narrative is filled with stories of the lives and struggles of individual caregivers for the elderly that she has interviewed, and she provides photographs of her grandmother and other elderly women with their devoted caregivers. Three appendices provide further information on resources. This can-do book by an activist seeking to rouse the public into action has a lot to say to anyone who plans on getting old.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170818075
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	04/28/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged

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