Continuity and change revisited

This concluding article summarizes key points about continuity and change in gerontology as described in the four previous articles. Synthesis and discussion is focused on five major areas in which gerontological continuity and change are evidenced: 1) transformation of basic themes over time; 2) gerontology's identity crisis; 3) the social ideology of gerontology; 4) evolution and refinement of gerontological ideas and methods; and 5) temporal frameworks. The author raises questions about unsolved issues and suggests the eventual need to examine the roles of individuals in shaping the field of study called gerontology.