Synopsis

This comprehensive volume examines the gradual reduction of mobility in the elderly. The authors first review the physiological and psychological changes that occur as we age, and go on to illustrate how this gradual decrease in adequate mobility can lead to an increase in automotive accidents. They also review the limitations that mass transportation systems and driving individual vehicles present for the elderly, and discuss different assistive devices that have been and should be implemented to help improve mobility. Each chapter ends with insightful commentaries by specialists in the gerontology field. This book is a must read for gerontologists as well as policy makers and educators on courses in organizational structures of social policy.

Biography

K. Warner Schaie, PhD, is an Evan Pugh Professor of Human Development and Psychology and director of the Gerontology Center at Pennsylvania State University. He has previously held professional appointments at the University of Nebraska, West Virginia University, and the University of Southern California. Dr. Schaie received his BA from the University of California - Berkeley and his MS and PhD degrees from the University of Washington, all in psychology. He is the author or editor of 26 books and over 200 journal articles and chapters related to the study of human aging. Dr. Schaie is the recipient of the Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award of the American Psychological Association and of the Robert W. Kleemeier Award for Distinguished Research Contributions from the Gerontological Society of America. He was awarded the honorary degree of Dr. phil. h.c. by the Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena, Germany.

Martin Pietrucha received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He also holds a Master of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in civil engineering from the University of Maryland. He has over twenty years experience in transportation engineering specializing in highway traffic operations, highway safety, and human factors issues for a variety of public and private institutions.

He is currently an associate professor with the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University Park Campus of the Pennsylvania State University where he teaches courses in highway operations and highway safety. He has been Principal Investigator or Co-principal Investigator on several research projects for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) dealing with topics such as delineation devices, pavement markings, and object markers for older drivers, older pedestrians, roadway signing, highway geometric design, and road safety audits.

Dr. Pietrucha is a member of Chi Epsilon, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the Transportation Research Board, ITS America, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the American Society for Engineering Education. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer in New Jersey and Virginia.