This is the first book to integrate the theory, design, and stability analysis of plates and shells in one comprehensive volume. With authoritative accounts of diverse aspects of plates and shells, this volume facilitates the study and design of structures that incorporate both plate and shell components.

This comprehensive, up-to-date guide to the rehabilitation care of persons with spinal cord injuries and disorders draws on the ever-expanding scientific and clinical evidence base to provide clinicians with all the knowledge needed in order to make optimal management decisions during the acute, subacute, and chronic phases. A wealth of information is presented on the diverse medical consequences and complications encountered in these patients and on the appropriate rehabilitative measures in each circumstance. The coverage encompasses all forms of spinal cord injury and all affected organ systems. Readers will also find chapters on the basics of functional anatomy, neurological classification and evaluation, injuries specifically in children and the elderly, and psychological issues. The book will be an invaluable aid to assessment and medical care for physicians and other professional personnel in multiple specialties, including physiatrists, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, internists, critical care physicians, urologists, neurologists, psychologists, and social workers.

This book discusses the state of the research and cutting-edge practice with regard to chronic illnesses and rehabilitation in older adults. It emphasizes biopsychosocial and culturally appropriate rehabilitation approaches to reduce the degree of disability and maximize independence in the activities of daily living among the burgeoning aging population. Organized in four sections—Introduction and Overview, Major Illnesses and Problems in Aging Populations, Evaluation of Functional Rehabilitation Approaches for Aging Populations, and Future Clinical Research Needs—the book includes chapters on the “graying” of the West with implications for increased chronic illnesses and disabilities; a review of biopsychosocial rehabilitation approaches; important “aging” issues such as slips-and-falls, musculoskeletal pain, chronic disabling conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, and work-related factors to maintain work engagement in older workers. The US Census Bureau projects that by the year 2030, about 20% of the U.S. population will be 65 or older, contributing to the increased concern about healthcare and rehabilitation issues among older adults. /div This work will be of interest to healthcare, rehabilitation, vocational, human resource and disability management professionals, policy makers as well as researchers in areas of aging, gerontology, chronic illness, disability, rehabilitation, social work, medicine and psychology.

Articles in this issue include: A Biopsychosocial Perspective; Aging with a Physical Disability: Maintainance and Transition in Employment, Benefits, and Insurance; Psychological Functioning; Exercise and Physical Activity; Communication Issues; Pain, Fatigue, and Sleep Dysruption; Assistive Technology; Mobility and Falls Cognitions; Aging and Disabilties: Conceptual Issues; Aging with a Physical Disability: Bridging the Aging and Disability Nexus; Aging with Spinal Cord Injury; Aging with Multiple Sclerosis; Aging with Post-Polio Syndrome and Muscular Dystrophy; Aging with Cerebral Palsy.

About 40% of all people with spinal cord injuries are now over the age of forty-five, and 25% have had their injury for twenty years or more. We now live at a time when medical advances have made it possible for those with spinal cord injuries to live an essentially normal life span, and to lead full, meaningful, and productive lives. As is true for their friends and colleagues, they work, raise families, and compete in sports. The wear and tear associated with aging and SCI means that these individuals must deal with the fact that the effects of normal aging are superimposed on those of the spinal cord injury, and activities that once might have been easy in many cases become increasingly difficult. Perhaps pushing a wheelchair up a hill or transferring in and out of a car is more challenging than it once was. Heart disease, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and pressure sores are common health ailments specific to those with SCI; declining financial resources and aging caregivers are common social problems. This is the definitive guide to dealing with the major challenges faced by those with spinal cord injuries, as related to health, finances, and their social support system. It is primarily designed to identify medical and nonmedical problems that individuals may face as they live with SCI for a number of years. Medical issues are considered by body system and include discussions of the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal system, the urinary system, the musculoskeletal system, the skin, and psychological issues. Following these discussions of common medical issues related to SCI is a section that deals with mobility and transportation issues, including wheelchairs, the selection of vans and minivans, and the usefulness of a fresh look at rehabilitation issues. A section on managing finances includes a chapter on dealing with home health attendants while appendices provide information for caregivers, a glossary of commonly used terms in SCI, and a helpful list of resources. A wealth of practical advice by other people with spinal cord injuries as well as experts in the field has also been provided to help tackle the daily challenges faced by those with SCI. This book will bring a better quality of life to the reader living with SCI. Through vigilance and planning, a person with spinal cord injury can age gracefully and have a good quality of life for many years.

With advances in medical care, technology, and rehabilitation, people with disabilities are now living longer. Many, in fact, have near-average life expectancies. Research has shown, however, that the changes and problems associated with aging often occur 10–20 years earlier in the lives of people with disabilities than in the lives of people without disabilities. These changes pose significant challenges for health care professionals. Because research in this field is relatively recent, few practitioners and students are aware of these findings. Aging with a Disability provides clinicians with a complete guide to the care and treatment of persons aging with a disability. Divided into five parts, this book first addresses the perspective of the person with a disability and his or her family. Chapters in the second section address the physiological and functional changes people will face as they grow older, and how these changes may affect quality of life and caregiver requirements. In the third part, contributors discuss treatment considerations such as maintaining employment and managing pain and fatigue. The book's fourth section focuses on specific conditions: spinal cord injury, polio, cerebral palsy, and developmental disabilities such as mental retardation. In the concluding section, the authors present research needs and discuss policy issues for future consideration. Paying special attention to the feelings, attitudes, and needs of people with disabilities—three chapters are written by authors who have a disability—Aging with a Disability gives students and clinicians a reliable and compassionate handbook for the treatment of this growing population.