ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines some of the key theoretical perspectives on ageing that can inform social work practice. Social workers draw upon a wide range of theoretical knowledge to inform their practice, although it is commonly acknowledged that many practitioners find it difficult to articulate their theoretical understandings and explain how they draw upon them in their work. Gerontology draws somewhat eclectically on biological, psychological, social, cultural and political theories and, in this sense, it is multidisciplinary because it values and applies multiple bodies of knowledge simultaneously. Biological theories of ageing reflect some of the dominant theoretical perspectives in biology, including genetic theories, cellular theories and evolutionary theories. There are many more biological theories of ageing, including some that attempt to provide a more general theory. For social workers, psychological theories of ageing draw attention to a wide range of intrapersonal experiences, as well as to behaviours and relationships that occur within a social context.
