Understanding Communication and Aging
Developing Knowledge and Awareness
(Third Edition)
©2025, 370 pages
Paperback list price: $84.95
Cognella Direct Ebook: $72.95
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This book explores communication in older adulthood, particularly in the areas of interpersonal, intercultural, and mass communication, and includes coverage of communication using new technology. The book synthesizes existing research and builds a case for more positive attitudes towards aging and for the power of communication to shape such attitudes.
A succinct mix of the conceptual and the practical, the authors acknowledge the importance of theory yet also emphasize that communication and aging is inherently an applied field of study. Chapters include profiles of older adults and their significant achievements, literary and artistic depictions of aging, and information boxes that discuss myths about aging and keys to aging successfully. There are also numerous exercises and activities to help engage readers.
While retaining the structure of previous editions, the content of this version has been substantially updated, including the addition of the Communicative Ecology Model of Successful Aging (CEMSA) in Chapter 4. The authors provide enhanced coverage of diversity of race, culture, age, and sexual orientation as well as more diverse ways of “doing aging.” There is also more focus in this edition on older adults’ romantic lives, spirituality, and their use of media and technology. Forward thinking in approach and coverage, this book is ideal for courses in communication, gerontology, nursing, and family studies.
A succinct mix of the conceptual and the practical, the authors acknowledge the importance of theory yet also emphasize that communication and aging is inherently an applied field of study. Chapters include profiles of older adults and their significant achievements, literary and artistic depictions of aging, and information boxes that discuss myths about aging and keys to aging successfully. There are also numerous exercises and activities to help engage readers.
While retaining the structure of previous editions, the content of this version has been substantially updated, including the addition of the Communicative Ecology Model of Successful Aging (CEMSA) in Chapter 4. The authors provide enhanced coverage of diversity of race, culture, age, and sexual orientation as well as more diverse ways of “doing aging.” There is also more focus in this edition on older adults’ romantic lives, spirituality, and their use of media and technology. Forward thinking in approach and coverage, this book is ideal for courses in communication, gerontology, nursing, and family studies.
Jake Harwood is a professor of communication at the University of Arizona, where he teaches courses in communication and aging, communication and music, research methods, and intergroup communication. He is the author of three books and over 150 journal articles and book chapters, including many on the topic of intergenerational communication.
Christine Kunkle is a professor at West Virginia University, where she teaches communication courses about families, aging, and intergroup dynamics. She works on an interdisciplinary team there, assisting academics in making colleges more just and inclusive.
Other Cognella titles by Jake Harwood:Formats and Bulk Order Pricing for Confirmed Adoptions
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Publisher Direct Paperback | These special, discounted paperback editions are sold exclusively through the Cognella Student Store (store.cognella.com) for confirmed adoptions. They are not available through other retailers. The books are printed on demand, do not have an ISBN, and are not intended for resale, which results in savings we pass along to students. Most Publisher Direct Paperbacks also come with free, immediate access to the first 30% of the ebook and shipping included. |
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"The textbook is ordered in a really logical way to take students from more general ideas of aging and how to think about different relationships, e.g., inter/intragenerational relationships, so that, by the time we get to consideration of different contexts, e.g., nursing homes, online, they have a good background on the multitude of factors that really come into play. I think, because the text is so accessible and logically ordered, the students don’t really struggle to understand the material. … I organized the course around the textbook."
Anna Pucilowski, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
"Understanding Communication and Aging is a textbook that provides students with a deep understanding of the culture of older adults and how they are perceived and treated in society. This textbook uncovers areas of communication, perception, stereotyping, media, culture, health and technology that have never been addressed in a communication textbook because of the specific focus on the older adult population. Older adults are seen as a valued and integral part of society, and their well-being and relationships are highlighted in a way to help students understand their families, and their futures. This is my go-to textbook for my course."
Victoria Leonard, College of the Canyons
"The book works well to achieve each of the objectives [in my course]. The chapters are ordered in a way that makes sense and build on each other, and there is a lot of information provided on aging attitudes and society. I appreciate the charts and activities recommended within and at the end of the chapters, and I often use those as starting points during discussion/lecture. …
I just really love how comprehensive the information is. There is SO much we can talk about aging, and the authors do a stellar job of covering it in a relatively short textbook. There are a lot of examples, and some really useful theories covered that make it excellent to teach. I love the use of self assessment in a few of the chapters. My students and I especially like the chapters with quizzes, charets, and models to help visualize the concepts being displayed.
[This is] a comprehensive overview of communication as it relates to aging, different age groups, assumptions and beliefs about aging, and media portrayals of aging. The book provides an in-depth description of how our attitudes and beliefs about aging are influenced by communication from others and how these beliefs impact how we communicate with people of different age groups."
Erin C. Wehrman, Missouri State University
This book helps guide our discussions and presents research that is interesting and thought provoking for students to engage the material. It is a book that students read and seem to be able to relate. Students are willing to do the research and seem to embrace the examples and the research.
[I was initially attracted to] the research and approach of the book that was well-written and easy to engage. … I really love the depth but interesting writing style. I love the focus on intergenerational communication which helps students engage in the material. Uses both physical and communication research which combines well my work on both communication disorders and speech communication research. It also aligns well with my health psychology background and health communication as well as my cognitive communication research. It covers it all. … It hits a wide range of students and in meaningful and thought-provoking ways.
Diane Ferrero-Paluzzi, Iona University
Praise for the Previous Editions:
“This is my go-to text for Communication and Aging. Harwood provides a compelling and thorough review of the important societal issues surrounding aging and how this impacts our interactions—whether among strangers or family members. This is a must read for anyone interested in the study of communication and aging.”
Allison R. Thorson, University of San Francisco
“Harwood examines message-centered behavior about and for older adults through his lifespan communication approach. Studying the aging process along with its opportunities and complexities has never been more engaging.”
Merry C. Buchanan, University of Central Oklahoma
Anna Pucilowski, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
"Understanding Communication and Aging is a textbook that provides students with a deep understanding of the culture of older adults and how they are perceived and treated in society. This textbook uncovers areas of communication, perception, stereotyping, media, culture, health and technology that have never been addressed in a communication textbook because of the specific focus on the older adult population. Older adults are seen as a valued and integral part of society, and their well-being and relationships are highlighted in a way to help students understand their families, and their futures. This is my go-to textbook for my course."
Victoria Leonard, College of the Canyons
"The book works well to achieve each of the objectives [in my course]. The chapters are ordered in a way that makes sense and build on each other, and there is a lot of information provided on aging attitudes and society. I appreciate the charts and activities recommended within and at the end of the chapters, and I often use those as starting points during discussion/lecture. …
I just really love how comprehensive the information is. There is SO much we can talk about aging, and the authors do a stellar job of covering it in a relatively short textbook. There are a lot of examples, and some really useful theories covered that make it excellent to teach. I love the use of self assessment in a few of the chapters. My students and I especially like the chapters with quizzes, charets, and models to help visualize the concepts being displayed.
[This is] a comprehensive overview of communication as it relates to aging, different age groups, assumptions and beliefs about aging, and media portrayals of aging. The book provides an in-depth description of how our attitudes and beliefs about aging are influenced by communication from others and how these beliefs impact how we communicate with people of different age groups."
Erin C. Wehrman, Missouri State University
This book helps guide our discussions and presents research that is interesting and thought provoking for students to engage the material. It is a book that students read and seem to be able to relate. Students are willing to do the research and seem to embrace the examples and the research.
[I was initially attracted to] the research and approach of the book that was well-written and easy to engage. … I really love the depth but interesting writing style. I love the focus on intergenerational communication which helps students engage in the material. Uses both physical and communication research which combines well my work on both communication disorders and speech communication research. It also aligns well with my health psychology background and health communication as well as my cognitive communication research. It covers it all. … It hits a wide range of students and in meaningful and thought-provoking ways.
Diane Ferrero-Paluzzi, Iona University
Praise for the Previous Editions:
“This is my go-to text for Communication and Aging. Harwood provides a compelling and thorough review of the important societal issues surrounding aging and how this impacts our interactions—whether among strangers or family members. This is a must read for anyone interested in the study of communication and aging.”
Allison R. Thorson, University of San Francisco
“Harwood examines message-centered behavior about and for older adults through his lifespan communication approach. Studying the aging process along with its opportunities and complexities has never been more engaging.”
Merry C. Buchanan, University of Central Oklahoma
Jake Harwood was named a 2023 International Communication Association (ICA) Fellow, a program that recognizes individuals’ scholarly contributions to the broad field of communication. Read the press release to learn more.
