GrendellBRfDEC


 

 

 
 
 

Book$Review$

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Prendergast,!David!and!Garattini,!Chiara.!(editors).!Aging!and!the!Digital!Life!Course.!Berghahn!
Publishers,!New!York.!!2015.!ISBN:!978K1K78238K691K9.!300pp,!$120.00!(Hardcover)!!ISBN:!978K1K78238K
692K6.!(ebook).!

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Ruth$N.$Grendell,$DNSc,$R.N.$

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Anthropology & Aging, Vol 37, No 1 (2016), pp.48 

 ISSN 2374-2267 (online) DOI 10.5195/aa.2016.147 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 United States License. 
 

This journal is published by the University Library System of the University of Pittsburgh as part of its 
D-Scribe Digital Publishing Program, and is cosponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Press. 



Anthropology$&$Aging$

Vol$37,$No$1$(2016)$$$$ISSN$2374H2267$(online)$$$$DOI$10.5195/aa.2016.147$$http://anthroHage.pitt.edu$
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$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Grendell!|!Book!Review!48!

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Book$Review$ $

Prendergast,!David!and!Garattini,!Chiara.!(editors).!Aging!and!the!Digital!Life!Course.!Berghahn!Publishers,!New!
York.!!2015.!ISBN:!978K1K78238K691K9.!300pp,!$120.00!(Hardcover)!!ISBN:!978K1K78238K692K6.!(ebook).!

Ruth$N.$Grendell,$DNSc,$R.N.$

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 Dr.$David$Prendergast$is$a$social$anthropologist$and$Principal$Investigator$in$the$Intel$Collaborative$
Research$Institute$for$Sustainable$Connected$Cities$with$Imperial$College$and$University$College$London.$

His$research$over$the$last$fifteen$years$has$focused$on$later$lifeHcourse$transitions.$$$Dr.$Chiara$Garattini$is$

an$anthropologist$working$as$part$of$the$Health$&$Life$Sciences$group$at$Intel.$She$has$a$particular$interest$

in$exploring$the$way$in$which$people$understand$and$interact$with$technologies,$and$the$challenges$faced$

when$technology$is$translated$from$the$lab$to$the$real$world.$

The$twentyHseven$contributors$have$advanced$degrees$and$hold$positions$as$researchers,$professors,$

lecturers,$authors,$consultants$and$directors$of$organizations$on$global$aging$issues.$

The$ purpose$ of$ the$ text$ is$ to$ convey$ global$ research$ findings$ that$ address$ the$ “complexities$

surrounding$ the$ emergent$ technologies$ and$ socioHtechnical$ practices$ encountered$ within$ the$ later$ life$

course”.$$The$collection$of$studies$explores$a$wide$range$of$topics$including$social$media,$robotics,$chronic$

disease$selfHcare$management,$caregiving,$gaming,$migration$and$data$inheritance.$$The$guiding$themes$

were:$“People$want$to$focus$on$what$they$can$do,$not$what$they$cannot;$Aging$in$$place$means$more$than$

staying$at$home;$Health$perception$is$not$an$objective$quality;$People$often$make$the$progression$of$aging$

by$watershed$events;$Healthy$aging$is$inextricably$linked$to$social$participation;$and$Health$care$networks$

are$large$and$increasingly$complex”.$$

The$chapters$are$grouped$under$three$sections$that$designate$topics$on$(1)$Connections,$Networks$

and$Interactions;$(2)$Health$and$Wellbeing;$and$(3)$Life$Course$Transitions.$$The$emphasis$of$chapters$in$

section$one$is$on$the$use$of$technologies$for$maintaining$social$contact$with$family$and$friends.$$The$findings$

indicated$that$engagement$in$the$use$of$complex$technology$by$older$adults$depends$upon$the$context$

where$learning$takes$place.$Unless$people$had$previous$contact$with$computers$in$the$workplace$prior$to$

retirement,$only$basic$technology$was$used.$$Informal$peerHpeer$learning$and$games$are$more$effective$than$

formal$classes$in$building$confidence$in$using$the$devices.$$Barriers$to$using$computers,$tablets$and$smart$

phones$were$unsatisfactory$past$experiences$and$dissatisfaction$with$inadequate$technical$support.$$Costs$

for$purchasing$and$maintaining$the$equipment$were$also$cited.$

The$ chapters$ related$ to$ health$ and$ wellbeing$ centered$ on$ maintaining$ social$ connections$ and$

remaining$ independent.$ $ Technical$ devices$ that$ aid$ people$ with$ behavioral$ change$ and$ selfHcare$

management$ of$ chronic$ diseases$ and$ telehealth$ monitoring$ are$ currently$ focused$ on$ longHdistance$

physiological$monitoring.$$Attention$to$the$psychological$and$social$factors$is$needed$to$avoid$the$‘Iceberg$

Effect’$that$fails$to$develop$an$effective$relationship$when$the$technologies$are$viewed$as$‘companions’$in$

the$selfHmanagement$process.$$$

The$chapters$related$to$Life$Course$Transitions$provide$information$on$a$global$trend$of$moving$

away$from$familiar$settings$to$other$more$economical$areas$and$countries;$the$development$of$digital$social$

networks;$motivation$and$engagement$in$digital$games;$and$using$technology$for$creating$and$sharing$

personal$content$that$is$important$about$their$lives$to$pass$on$to$family$and$others.$

The$text$provides$critical$information$on$the$global$aging$population$and$the$use$of$technology$in$

the$TwentyHfirst$century.$$$Research$findings$demonstrate$excellent$material$for$application$in$a$variety$of$

settings,$and$for$further$research.$$It$will$be$interesting$to$discover$the$differences$in$the$use$of$digital$

technologies$by$the$next$older$generation.$$$$$

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