This insightful and moving book looks at how people of various ages view the process of aging and the social and emotional perspectives it evokes.Will You Still Need Me?: Feeling Wanted, Loved, and Meaningful as We Age is a touching and incisive book organized around interviews with individuals of various ages who have responded to questions about aging. The interviewees offer their unguarded thoughts about aging with a significant other-or alone. They reveal their self perceptions, their feelings about the future, their self-image as it relates to aging, and their expectations and impressions of aging itself. They also share their concerns that with aging comes not only possible loneliness, but also meaninglessness and even uselessness.Psychotherapist Angela Browne-Miller weaves the findings into a philosophical, research-based overview of cross-generational concerns and feelings about aging. Her book opens a window into the hearts and minds of our parents, our peers, and our children as they look at the aging process and at how individuals, society, and families treat aging. Through the sensitive, up-close-and-personal, bird's-eye view of the people interviewed for this book, aging unfolds into a deeply moving experience, one we all share.

Presents a group of sensitive illustrations and photographs by the author

Foreword by Evacheska deAngelisPrefaceAcknowledgmentsNote: The Stories Herein Are Our StoriesStories ListIntroductionStory #1: Dan W., Age 59I TOUCHING THE TENDER ISSUE OF AGINGStory #2: Nona M., Age 27Story #3: Millicent D., Age 30Story #4: Andrea M., Age 34Story #5: Burton G., Age 29Story #6: Steven L., Age 32Story #7: Sharon J., Age 39Commentary1. Growing Up and Up and Up2. When Is Getting Older Aging?3. The Desire Not to See Aging4. What Aging Is (Or Is It?)5. Companionship and the Prospect of AgingII BEING ALONE BEFORE BEING OLDERStory #8: Esmirelda Y., Age 38Story #9: Patricia V., Age 45Story #10: Devin P., Age 39Story #11: Greg T., Age 44Story #12: Barbara H., Age 38Story #13: Emily W., Age 47Story #14: Jeff B., Age 45Commentary6. Midlife Looks at Aging7. Divorce and Being Alone8. Welcome to the Delicious Sandwich Generation Years9. Worklife, Career Loss, and Not Feeling Needed10. Empty NestsIII SOCIAL PATTERNS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND AGINGStory #15: Peter S., Age 49Story #16: Katy B., Age 45Story #17: George L., Age 51Story #18: Mark R., Age 56Story #19: Sally S., Age 52Story #20: Sandra M., Age 55Story #21: Geraldo H., Age 54Commentary11. The Aging Self within Surrounding Networks12. Families, Patterns, Networks, and Aging13. Intimate Partner Relationship Patterning and Aging14. Patterns of Behavior that Continue15. Hollowing to PatternsIV AGING ON AGINGStory #22: Marcia G., Age 64Story #23: Linda B., Age 62Story #24: Tom M., Age 56Story #25: Anton Y., Age 58Story #26: Ben D., Age 66Story #27: Jane Z., Age 60Story #28: Cristie S., Age 60Commentary16. Mind-Brain Living through Aging17. Social Isolation in Aging18. Loneliness and Aging19. Living Environments, Health, and Well-Being in Aging20. Older Persons' Thoughts on Social ContactV THE MIND, LEARNING, AND MENTAL FUNCTIONING IN AGINGStory #29: Arle H., Age 65Story #30: Arisha T., Age 65Story #31: Sten O., Age 68Story #32: Carla B., Age 67Story #33: Giselda A., Age 73Story #34: Rene M., Age 78Story #35: Walt M., Age 68Commentary21. The Brain Does Age22. Inner Thinkings and Age23. Problem-Solving Strategies and Aging24. Rethinking through Things and Mental Aging25. Learning to Learn Again, in Later YearsVI WILL YOU STILL NEED YOU?Story #36: Stanton Q., Age 89Story #37: Ida J., Age 84Story #38: Louis E., Age 87Story #39: Derrick G., Age 80Story #40: Lisa Lynn C., Age 77Commentary26. Youth for Sale: The Distraction of Anti-Aging Consumption27. Thinking Positive: Prescription for Aging Well?28. Longevity, Spirit, and Quality of Life29. Addiction to Reality30. You Can Make It ThroughVII EXPERIENCING AGING IN NEW WAYS31. Toward a New Paradigm for Aging32. A New Adventure in the Life Cycle33. Recommendations for an Emerging Social Force: Older People and Those Who Will One Day Be Older PeopleAPPENDICESA Interview QuestionnaireB Problem-Solving Steps ExplainedC Trauma, Aging, and ClosureD Long-Term Intimate Partner Violence and Trauma Moving into AgingE Emotional Abuse and Sadomasochism in AgingF Elder Living Environment Checklist Suggestions with Sample Elder Living Environment ChecklistG ResourcesH Religious and Spiritual Perspectives on Aging and ResourcesBibliographyIndex