This book brings together state-of-the-art research on successful aging
in Asian populations and highlights how the factors that contribute to
successful aging differ from those in the West. It examines the
differences between the Asian and Western contexts in which the aging
process unfolds, including cultural values, lifestyles, physical
environments and family structures. In addition, it examines the
question of how to add quality to longer years of life. Specifically, it
looks at ways to promote health, preserve cognition, maximize
functioning with social support and maintain emotional well-being
despite inevitable declines and losses. Compared to other parts of the
world, Asia will age more quickly as a result of the rapid socioeconomic
developments leading to rising longevity and historically low fertility
rates in some countries. These demographic forces in vast populations
such as China are expected to make Asia the main driver of global aging
in the coming decades. As a result, researchers, professionals,
policymakers, as well as the commercial sector, in both East and West,
are increasingly interested in gaining a deeper understanding of aging
in Asia.