Biography

Short presentation

For some 15 years Lars Tornstam was one of the leaders of a nation wide gerontological research programme in Sweden, with sub-projects at the universities of Uppsala, Lund and Gothenburg. Besides numerous articles in scientific journals this research program also produced three monographs and 35 research reports, for which Lars Tornstam was the responsible editor.

Between the years 1987 and 1992, Lars Tornstam was appointed as professor of social gerontology at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Here he has developed and carried out the first Danish postgraduate courses in gerontology. At the Institute of Social Medicine in Copenhagen he has also started a gerontological research team. Between 1992 and 2010 Lars Tornstam was appointed as the first full professor in Social Gerontology at the Uppsala University, Sweden, where he launched the The Social Gerontology Group. Internationally Lars Tornstam is best known as the creator of the theory of gerotranscendcence.

In 2006 Lars Tornstam was awarded by the Swedish journal Äldreomsorg [Old Age Care] with a so called Value Ground Award for important contributions to a more balanced view on aged people and aging, and for his theory of gerotranscendence. In 2006 he also was awarded by the the Swedish Gerontological Society with the 2006 Great Gerontology Award for his outstanding contributions to gerontological research.

An informal and amusing appreciation has been shown by author Jaki Scarcello, who wittingly places Lars Tornstam in a Rogues Gallery, together with celebrities like Carl Jung, Joan Erikson and Betty Friedan, who boldly told their stories despite condemning or deaf contemporaries.

 

The research interests include:

 

• Intergenerational relationships
• Aging and life forms
• Abuse of elderly
• Theory development (Gerotranscendence)
• Aging and loneliness

 

 

Representative publications in English

 

Tornstam, L., 2011, Maturing into Gerotranscendence, The Journal of TransPersonal Psychology, Vol 43(2): 166-180.

Hyse, K., Tornstam, L., 2009, Recognizing Aspects Of Oneself in the Theory of Gerotranscendence, Online report from The Social Gerontology Group, Uppsala

Tornstam, L., 2008, From Global Solidarity to Individualism. A 23 year comparative perspective on certain changes in Swedish value preferences. Online report from The Social Gerontology Group, Uppsala

Tornstam, L., 2007, Social Attitudes Toward Old-age Retirees in a 23-year Perspective, Online publication from The Social Gerontology Group, Uppsala

Tornstam, L. 2007, Stereotypes of Old People Persist: A Swedish "Facts on Aging Quiz" in a 23-year Comparative Perspective, Journal of Ageing and Later Life, vol 2(1): 33-59.

Tornstam, L. 2006, The Complexity of Ageism. A Proposed Typology, Journal of Ageing and Later Life, vol 1(1): 43-68.

Tornstam, L., 2005, Gerotranscendence: A Developmental Theory of Positive Aging, New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Tornstam, L., 2003, Gerotranscendence from young old age to old old age, Online publication from The Social Gerontology Group, Uppsala.

Öberg, P., Tornstam, L., 2001, Youthfulness and Fitness Identity Ideals for All Ages? Journal of Aging and Identity, 6(1):15-29.

Tornstam, L., Tornqvist, M., 2000, Nursing staff's interpretations of "Gerotranscendental Behavior" in the Elderly, Journal of Aging and Identity 5(1):15-29.

Tornstam, L., 2000, Transcendence in Later Life, Generations, Vol. XXIII, 4:10-14.

Tornstam, L., 2000, Dwelling Choices for the Children of Separated Parents [WWW document]. URL: http://mensrights.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Dwelling.pdf

Tornstam, L., 1999, Gerotranscendence and the Functions of Reminiscence, Journal of Aging and Identity 4(3):155-166.

Öberg, P. & Tornstam, L., 1999, Body images among men and women of different ages , Aging and Society 19:629-644.

Tornstam, L., 1999, "Late-Life Transcendence: A New Developmental Perspective on Aging", in Thomas, L.E., Eisendandler, S.A., (eds.), Religion, Belief, and Spirituality in Late Life, New York: Springer.

Tornstam, L., 1997, Life Crises and Gerotranscendence, Journal Of Aging And Identity, Vol 2:117-131.

Tornstam, L., 1997, Gerotranscendence in a Broad Cross Sectional Perspective, Journal of Aging and identity, vol 2 1:17-36.

Tornstam, L., 1997, Gerotranscendence: The Contemplative Dimension of Aging, Journal of Aging Studies, vol 11 2:143-154.

Ahmadi, F. & Tornstam, L., 1996, The Old Flying Dutchmen: Shuttling Immigrants with Double Assets, Journal of Aging and Identity, 3:191-210.

Tornstam, L., 1996, Gerotranscendence - a theory about maturing into old age, Journal of Aging and Identity, 1:37-50.

Tornstam, L., 1996, Caring for Elderly. Introducing the theory of gerotranscendence as a supplementary frame of reference for the care of elderly, Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 10:144-150.

Tornstam, L., 1995, Solidarity between the generations - a Janus-faced appeal, Ageing International, Vol XXII:3:23-27.

Tornstam, L., 1994, Gerotranscendence - A Theoretical and Empirical Exploration, in Thomas, L.E., Eisenhandler, S.A., eds., Aging and the Religious Dimension, Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport.

Tornstam, L., 1992, Formal and informal support to the elderly in Sweden, in Kendig, H.L., Hashimoto, A., Coppard, L.C., eds., Family Support for the Elderly, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Tornstam, L., 1992, Loneliness in marriage, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Vol 9, Nr 2: 197-217.

Tornstam, L., 1992, The Quo Vadis of Gerontology; On the Gerontological Research Paradigm, The Gerontologist, 32(3):318-326.

Tornstam, L., 1990, Dimensions of loneliness, Aging; Clinical and Experimental research, 3:259-265.

Tornstam, L., 1989, Gero-transcendence; A Meta-theoretical Reformulation of the Disengagement Theory, Aging: Clinical and Experimental Research, Vol 1, Nr. 1: 55-63; Milano.

Tornstam, L., 1989, Abuse of Elderly in Denmark and Sweden. Results from a Population Study, Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, Vol 1:35-44.

Tornstam, L., 1989, Formal and Informal Support for the Elderly. An analysis of present patterns and future options in Sweden, Impact of Science on Society, 153:57-63.

Tornstam, L., 1982, Gerontology in a Dynamic Society i Hareven, T, Adams, K J, eds, Aging & Life Course Transitions, The Guilford Press.

Tornstam, L., 1979, Family Helping Patterns in a Local Swedish Retirement Club, i Dooghe, G, Helander, J (eds), Family Life in Old Age, Martinus Nijhoff. Hauge, Boston, London.

Tornstam, L., 1977, Gerontology and Social Policy, Scandinavian Journal of Social Medicine.

Tornstam, L., 1987, Ageing and self-perception: A systems theoretical model, i Levi. L., red., Society, Stress and Disease, Vol. 5, Old Age, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Tornstam, L., 1975, Health and Self-Perception, The Gerontologist, Vol 15, No 3, pp 264-270.