This volume is a practical resource for all those responsible for caring for older people across health and social care. It provides a comprehensive and holistic approach helping nurses, therapists and social care professionals to better understand the impact of ageing upon the person and wider society. A unique feature of this text is the focus upon positive ageing and the attempt to dispel and challenge some of the myths, prejudices and negative attitudes that still prevail towards ageing and older people. A key objective of the book is to introduce practitioners to some of the neglected or under-addressed aspects of ageing such as spirituality, sexuality, and LGBT.Chapters are written in an engaging and interactive style and where appropriate draw upon case  studies and scenarios to maximize engagement developing competence, by informing knowledge, attitudes and skills.  The text introduces the practitioner to key dimensions of what it is to be a person, physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually and how these contribute to the ageing process and can enhance the quality of life of older people.Irrespective of whether one cares for older people in an acute hospital setting or domiciliary, home care, this text will be of relevance. The material and content transcend health and social care boundaries, providing valuable, contemporary evidence that can inform and shape practice. Above all this text will encourage reflection, dialogue and engagement with some fundamental aspects of ageing, challenging, attitudes, values and behaviour so that a more positive and balanced insight towards ageing is fostered. This book will ensure that self-awareness and professional practice are enriched and informed and the practitioner has a holistic understanding of ageing that will enable them to care for older people with compassion, dignity and respect.

Dr. Wilfred McSherry is Professor in Nursing in a joint appointment between Department of Nursing, School of Health and Social Care, Staffordshire University and the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust in the UK and part-time Professor at VID Specialized University, Norway. His previous post was as Professor in Dignity of Care for Older People, he has written extensively on the concepts of spirituality and dignity in care. He has a keen interest in how we care for older people, especially those living with dementia. 

Dr. Linda Rykkje is Associate professor at VID Specialized University, Faculty of Health Studies in Bergen, where she is responsible for the continuous education in advanced gerontology. She has a PhD from Åbo Akademi University, Finland. Her thesis focused upon the relationship between spirituality and dignity within a Caring Science framework as well as an empirical focus upon older people care. Her interest is to improve care for older people in municipal health care settings. 

Susan Thornton is a registered nurse and a qualified nurse lecturer with over 25 years' experience in nurse education. Her clinical background includes experience in medicine, haematology, infectious diseases and care of the older person at ward management level. She originally trained in North Lincolnshire and following her move into nurse education worked initially in the Scunthorpe and Grimsby localities, moving to the University of Hull in 1995. During this period, she was involved in the development and delivery of a wide range of pre- registration and post registration nursing programmes in addition to coordinating the implementation of local projects and initiatives, for example the introduction of the Single Assessment Process across a range of localities.