As we stand on the threshold of a new decade, we are faced with dramatic changes in the demography of the elderly population; in the political power of special interest groups; in the values of society; and in the economic realities of life in the United States. These changes will undoubtedly have profound effects on perceptions of old age and the elderly, their roles and functions, their needs and the services appropriate to meet these needs and to help them age successfully. Social gerontology, as a "professional discipline" can play an important role in refining methodologies for assessing needs of the elderly and in suggesting appropriate services, and simultaneously continue to

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