Please read the report on inequalities later in life by the Centre for Aging Better. As you read, think about how not only the physical declines of aging confer health disadvantages, but also the social stigmas associated with it. Additionally, think about how aging intersects with socioeconomic position (and you might even want to pair this lesson with the one on social class above). Can you think of other social factors that might also intersect with aging in ways that confer either health advantages or disadvantages? How might you use these insights in the care of patients in the clinical setting?

Please read the book chapter by Mary F. Wyman and colleagues, which explores how the social inequalities and stigmas associated with aging manifest in the health care system specifically. As you read, think about times you've seen this play out in clinical care (in your roles as a patient, a student, or a practitioner). Think about how you might both lead systemic change within your institution or unit, but also how you might alter your clinical practice in light of these insights?

Please read the essay by Tia Powell on aging, dementia, and concepts of the "good life." As you read, think about how stigmas of aging, including focus on declines and the way that it is often inherently medicalized, might be reframed, even in the face of illness. Are there insights in this for clinical practitioners dealing with aging patients and their illnesses?

Please read the essay by Michael Dunn. As you read, think about the implications of Dunn's attempt to shift the discourse on aging and later life from a medical to a social paradigm. What are the implications of seeing "later life as a social project" for clinical practice? Are there insights in that shift that could inform better, more humanistic care?