Positive conceptions of "healthy aging" are rightly displacing negative ageist perceptions of older members of our society. Nevertheless, at some stage, most elderly citizens will require some form of assistance from other members of society. When, through the natural course of aging or due to illness or injury, the body or mind begins to fail, a legitimate need for intervention - and care - will arise. In such cases, the aging process can indeed lead one down the path toward vulnerability, or at the very least, reliance on some form of support. Scholars from a range of disciplines address some of the major issues in elder care facing modern nations: familial duties of care, the future of social welfare systems, housing, dementia, abuse and neglect.