Population aging, which is touted as the humanity’s greatest triumph, is also one of the greatest challenges of our time. Prolongation of life span does not imply that the extra years bring about continued health and prosperity. Ageing, marked by these trends, is said to put an increased burden on the social, economic, and health care demands in all countries, especially the developing countries, such as India. When considering the demographic inversion and associated challenges, it becomes evident that investments in ageing and health are necessary to ensure human rights and sustainable development. Given that people are living longer and the proportion of older adults in our society is higher, understanding the ageing process and facilitating healthy ageing are critically important. The book seeks to inform the public on a variety of topics related to ageing, with the ultimate aim of promoting good health for elderly people.
C. Shanthi Johnson, PhD, is a professor at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada and an adjunct professor at the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, School of Kinesiology, University of Western Ontario in Canada. Earlier, she was at the School of Nutrition and Dietetics at Acadia University in Nova Scotia. She is also a registered dietitian and has been awarded fellow status with Dietitians of Canada (FDC) as well as the American College of Sports Medicine (FACSM). Her research interest involves health promotion and fall prevention among older adults with a multidisciplinary perspective. While aging and health has been the main focus of Dr. Johnson’s research, she has also been involved in research in the areas of population health, rural health, health services research, and global health.
S. Irudaya Rajan, PhD, is Chair Professor of the Research Unit on International Migration set up by the Ministry of Indian Overseas Affairs, Government of India at the Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He has more than two decades of research experience in demographic issues in Kerala, has published extensively, and has contributed seminally to debates on the demographic aspects of the ‘Kerala Model’ of development in national and international forums. Dr. Rajan has been involved in several projects on ageing funded by the United Nations, South Asian Network of Economic Institutes, Indo-Dutch Program on Alternatives in Development, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and International Development Research Centre.
