Aging and the Elderly
Read this chapter for a review of aging and the elderly. As you read through each section, consider the following points:
- Focus on various social factors affecting the aging experience. What does age represent other than just a number? How might this affect life chances?
- Take note of the phases of aging (young-old, middle-old, and old-old). Also, make sure you're able to explain the "graying" of the United States.
- Read about and take note of the biological, social, and psychological changes associated with the aging process. Read about aging and sexuality, comparing this phase of sexuality with those discussed in the chapter on sex and gender. How does the social construction of sexuality change when considering age as a variable? Examine the attitudes associated with death and dying.
- Read about the historic and current trends of poverty among elderly populations. Focus on ageist attitudes within individuals and institutions. Consider the question: How and why are the elderly so vulnerable to mistreatment and abuse?
- Read about various theoretical perspectives on aging. Make a list comparing and contrasting the theoretical perspectives to demonstrate the differences between the viewpoints on aging.
Key Terms
activity theory
a theory which suggests that for individuals to enjoy old age and feel satisfied, they must maintain activities and find a replacement for the statuses and associated roles they have left behind as they aged
age stratification theory
a theory which states that members of society are stratified by age, just as they are stratified by race, class, and gender
ageism
discrimination based on age
baby boomers
people in the United States born between approximately 1946 and 1964
centenarians
people 100 years old or older
cohort
a group of people who share a statistical or demographic trait
continuity theory
a theory which states that the elderly make specific choices to maintain consistency in internal (personality structure, beliefs) and external structures (relationships), remaining active and involved throughout their elder years
dependency ratio
the number of nonproductive citizens (young, disabled, elderly) to productive working citizens
disengagement theory
a theory which suggests that withdrawing from society and social relationships is a natural part of growing old
elder abuse
the act of a caretaker intentionally depriving an older person of care or harming the person in their charge
exchange theory
a theory which suggests that we experience an increased dependence as we age and must increasingly submit to the will of others, because we have fewer ways of compelling others to submit to us
filial piety
deference and respect to one's parents and ancestors in all things
geriatrics
a medical specialty focusing on the elderly
gerontocracy
a type of social structure wherein the power is held by a society's oldest members
gerontology
a field of science that seeks to understand the process of aging and the challenges encountered as seniors grow older
gerotranscendence
the idea that as people age, they transcend limited views of life they held in earlier times
grief
a psychological, emotional, and social response to the feelings of loss that accompanies death or a similar event
hospice
healthcare that treats terminally ill people by providing comfort during the dying process
life course
the period from birth to death, including a sequence of predictable life events
life expectancy
the number of years a newborn is expected to live
modernization theory
a theory which suggests that the primary cause of the elderly losing power and influence in society are the parallel forces of industrialization and modernization
physician-assisted suicide
the voluntary use of lethal medication provided by a medical doctor to end one's life
primary aging
biological factors such as molecular and cellular changes
secondary aging
aging that occurs due to controllable factors like exercise and diet
selective optimization with compensation theory
a theory based on the idea that successful personal development throughout the life course and subsequent mastery of the challenges associated with everyday life are based on the components of selection, optimization, and compensation
senescence
the aging process, including biological, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual changes
social gerontology
a specialized field of gerontology that examines the social (and sociological) aspects of aging
subculture of aging theory
a theory that focuses on the shared community created by the elderly when they are excluded (due to age), voluntarily or involuntarily, from participating in other groups
supercentenarians
people 110 of age or older
thanatology
the systematic study of death and dying