With increasing age the individual risk of suffering from one or more diseases and health-related impairments grows, therefore population aging, as an increase in the number and proportion of older people, represents a major challenge for public health in western countries. This affects several areas of life, especially in the fields of public health and health care (e.g., rising demand for health care services and nursing care, prevention, etc.). In addition, living in ones own home as long as possible (aging in place) represents one of the challenges of population aging. The “baby boomer” generation are a unique aspect of population aging. In Germany, this generation is in the last third of its working life, retiring soon. Therefore, health care for baby boomers is a challenge when it comes to their earning capacity and the maintenance of qualified employees and their healthy aging.

The increases in global wealth and the developments in the field of health have led to decreases in mortality rates, increases in life expectancy, and decreases in fertility rate, leading to a population that is rapidly consisting more and more of older individuals. The demographic changes affect nearly all parts of society including economics, education, health, social security systems, socio-cultural activities, and more. Thus, it is essential to study the impacts that an aging population will have on society. The Handbook of Research on Economic and Social Impacts of Population Aging analyzes the economic and social impacts of population aging from a multidisciplinary perspective. Covering topics such as life expectancy, social welfare, health, social security, and more, this book is essential for social scientists, sociologists, demographers, economists, medical professionals, government officials, policymakers, professionals, researchers, managers, students, and academicians looking to understand the effects of an aging population on modern society.

The continuous growth of older populations, as a consequence of demographic changes, is a huge global challenge. The growing proportion of older adults not only burdens the healthcare system, specifically, in developing countries but also posits a challenge at the household level, specifically, in nuclear and one-person households. For societies as a whole to avoid costly and negative effects, it is crucial to increase their knowledge of how to promote good health among older adults, so that they can live longer and enjoy a better quality of life. Active aging is the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. An active and healthy life has remained one of the most important aspirations for all people, both young and older adults alike. This ambition has become a genuine possibility for many due to a rising life expectancy among people of diverse attributes across the world. While celebrating longer life and more financial security in later life than ever before, we need to challenge how these aspirations can be sustained, through our own behavioral responses and through public policy, institutional reforms, and innovations. The challenge is to identify, recommend, and promote strategies and interventions that stimulate and sustain the activity, independence, and health of people of all ages, especially older adults, and, in the process, promote the well-being and quality of life of people and make public welfare systems more sustainable.

This book discusses how digital technology and demographic changes are transforming the patient experience, services, provision, and planning of health and social care. It presents innovative ergonomics research and human factors approaches to improving safety, working conditions and quality of life for both patients and healthcare workers. Personalized medicine, mobile and wearable technologies, and the greater availability of health data are discussed, together with challenges and evidence-based practice. Based on the Healthcare Ergonomics and Patient Safety conference, HEPS2019, held on July 3-5, 2019, in Lisbon, Portugal, this book offers a timely resource for graduate students and researchers, as well as for healthcare professionals managing service provision, planners and designers for healthcare buildings and environments, and international healthcare organizations.

Quality of life (QoL) is a broad concept that has many definitions and meanings depending on the context under consideration. It can be perceived as the overall enjoyment of life, and a multidimensional concept which emphasizes the self-perceptions of an individual’s current state of mind, which is affected in a complex way by the person’s physical health, psychological state, personal beliefs, social relationships, and their relationship to salient features of their environment. On the other hand, demographic data suggests an increased need for workers worldwide and a rapid aging trend in the active workforce as well as in general. This trend of workforce deficit and population aging will be even more prominent in the future. Therefore, in order to have and sustain a healthy, motivated, and productive workforce, but also healthy, independent, and active elderly adults, one must improve their QoL, and vice versa. Improving QoL will improve general public health, and in turn create communities who can contribute in diverse and positive ways to both promote and sustain health for future generations.

Molecular Aspects of Aging: Understanding Lung Aging covers recent research in the mechanisms that contribute to cellular senescence. Covering universal themes in aging, such as the exhaustion of stem cells and subsequent loss of the regenerative refueling of organs as well as immunosenescence, this text illuminates new directions for research not yet explored in the still poorly investigated area of molecular mechanisms of lung aging. The molecular nature of general aging processes is explored with targeted coverage on how to analyze lung aging through experimental approaches.