Foreword by Evacheska deAngelis
Preface
Acknowledgments
Note: The Stories Herein Are Our Stories
Stories List
Introduction
Story #1: Dan W., Age 59
I TOUCHING THE TENDER ISSUE OF AGING
Story #2: Nona M., Age 27
Story #3: Millicent D., Age 30
Story #4: Andrea M., Age 34
Story #5: Burton G., Age 29
Story #6: Steven L., Age 32
Story #7: Sharon J., Age 39
Commentary
1. Growing Up and Up and Up
2. When Is Getting Older Aging?
3. The Desire Not to See Aging
4. What Aging Is (Or Is It?)
5. Companionship and the Prospect of Aging
II BEING ALONE BEFORE BEING OLDER
Story #8: Esmirelda Y., Age 38
Story #9: Patricia V., Age 45
Story #10: Devin P., Age 39
Story #11: Greg T., Age 44
Story #12: Barbara H., Age 38
Story #13: Emily W., Age 47
Story #14: Jeff B., Age 45
Commentary
6. Midlife Looks at Aging
7. Divorce and Being Alone
8. Welcome to the Delicious Sandwich Generation Years
9. Worklife, Career Loss, and Not Feeling Needed
10. Empty Nests
III SOCIAL PATTERNS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND AGING
Story #15: Peter S., Age 49
Story #16: Katy B., Age 45
Story #17: George L., Age 51
Story #18: Mark R., Age 56
Story #19: Sally S., Age 52
Story #20: Sandra M., Age 55
Story #21: Geraldo H., Age 54
Commentary
11. The Aging Self within Surrounding Networks
12. Families, Patterns, Networks, and Aging
13. Intimate Partner Relationship Patterning and Aging
14. Patterns of Behavior that Continue
15. Hollowing to Patterns
IV AGING ON AGING
Story #22: Marcia G., Age 64
Story #23: Linda B., Age 62
Story #24: Tom M., Age 56
Story #25: Anton Y., Age 58
Story #26: Ben D., Age 66
Story #27: Jane Z., Age 60
Story #28: Cristie S., Age 60
Commentary
16. Mind-Brain Living through Aging
17. Social Isolation in Aging
18. Loneliness and Aging
19. Living Environments, Health, and Well-Being in Aging
20. Older Persons' Thoughts on Social Contact
V THE MIND, LEARNING, AND MENTAL FUNCTIONING IN AGING
Story #29: Arle H., Age 65
Story #30: Arisha T., Age 65
Story #31: Sten O., Age 68
Story #32: Carla B., Age 67
Story #33: Giselda A., Age 73
Story #34: Rene M., Age 78
Story #35: Walt M., Age 68
Commentary
21. The Brain Does Age
22. Inner Thinkings and Age
23. Problem-Solving Strategies and Aging
24. Rethinking through Things and Mental Aging
25. Learning to Learn Again, in Later Years
VI WILL YOU STILL NEED YOU?
Story #36: Stanton Q., Age 89
Story #37: Ida J., Age 84
Story #38: Louis E., Age 87
Story #39: Derrick G., Age 80
Story #40: Lisa Lynn C., Age 77
Commentary
26. Youth for Sale: The Distraction of Anti-Aging Consumption
27. Thinking Positive: Prescription for Aging Well?
28. Longevity, Spirit, and Quality of Life
29. Addiction to Reality
30. You Can Make It Through
VII EXPERIENCING AGING IN NEW WAYS
31. Toward a New Paradigm for Aging
32. A New Adventure in the Life Cycle
33. Recommendations for an Emerging Social Force: Older People and Those Who Will One Day Be Older People
APPENDICES
A Interview Questionnaire
B Problem-Solving Steps Explained
C Trauma, Aging, and Closure
D Long-Term Intimate Partner Violence and Trauma Moving into Aging
E Emotional Abuse and Sadomasochism in Aging
F Elder Living Environment Checklist Suggestions with Sample Elder Living Environment Checklist
G Resources
H Religious and Spiritual Perspectives on Aging and Resources
Bibliography
Index

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.