Chapter 15
how does retirement affect the health of people who have worked all their lives?
if retirees voluntarily leave their jobs and engage in activities and intellectual challenges, they become healthier and happier than they were before
when is a nursing home a good solution for the problems of the frail elderly?
it is a good solution for some elders, usually over 80 years old, frail and confused, with several medical problems. some need such care for more than a year, and a very few stay for 10 years or more
how does hoarding relate to self theory?
older adults may begin to cling to possessions as they try to maintain a sense of self and of autonomy as they age. things accumulate because possessions are part of self-expression, and the elderly resist self-destruction
frail elderly
older adults who are severely impaired, usually unable to care for themselves
what can be done to increase mobility in the aged?
one example is that physical therapist can teach specific exercises and movements to improve mobility
why do older people tend to have fewer friends as they age?
some older friends die, and retirement usually means losing contact with most work friends
integrity versus despair
the final stage of Erik Erikson's development sequence, in which older adults seek to integrate their unique experiences with their vision of community
final responsibility
the obligation of adult children to care for their aging parents
how is cognitive decline related to prevention of frailty?
the social support networks that prevent physical decline can also aid in preventing mental decline
positivity effect
the tendency for elderly people to perceive, prefer, and remember positive images and experiences more than negative ones
socio-emotional selectivity theory
the theory that older people prioritize regulation of their own emotions and seek familiar social contacts who reinforce generativity, pride, and joy
compulsive hoarding
the urge to accumulate and hold on to familiar objects and possessions, sometimes to the point of their becoming health and/or safety hazards. this impulse tends to increase with age
disengagement theory
the view that aging makes a person's social sphere increasingly narrow, resulting in role relinquishment, withdrawal, passivity
activity theory
the view that elderly people want and need to remain active in a variety of social spheres- with relatives, friends, and community groups
what data support stratification theory, and what data refute it?
Life expectancy data from California for various ethnicities and both genders by SES provide evidence for ethnic and income stratification. Data comparing the aged of various ethnic groups refute it: Although in childhood and adulthood African Americans have poorer health and higher death rate than European Americans, that inequality disappears at about age 80 and then reverses. The average African American centenarian lives seven months longer than does the average European American one. Other minority ethnic groups do even better: Older Asian Americans have a several year advantage.
what are the disadvantages of the positivity effect?
The positivity effect may explain why, in every nation and religion, older people tend to be more patriotic and devout than younger ones. They see their national history and religious beliefs in positive terms, and they are proud to be themselves. Of course, this same trait can keep them mired in their earlier prejudices—racist, sexist, or homophobic, for instance.
how can disengagement be mutual?
according to the disengagement theory, younger adult workers and parents disengage from the old, who themselves disengage, withdrawing from life's actions.
instrumental activities of daily life (IADLs)
actions (for example, paying bills and driving a car) that are important to independent living and that require some intellectual competence and forethought
what are the problems with being male, according to stratification theory?
boys are taught to be stoic, repressing emotions and avoiding medical attention, which could lead them to early death
integrated care
cooperative actions by professionals, friends, family members, and the care receiver to achieve optimal caregiving
what factors make an older person frail?
frail elderly are people over age 65, and often over age 85, who are physically infirm, very ill, or cognitively disabled
what are the signs of frailty?
frailty begins with an overall loss of energy and strength; it is systemic, often accompanied by weight loss and exhaustion
what are the basic differences between ADLs and IADLs?
ADLs (activities of daily life) include eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, and moving from a bed to a chair. IADLs (instrumental activities of daily life) include actions such as paying bills or driving a car, things that are important to independent living and that require some intellectual competence and forethought.
who is more likely to volunteer and why?
According to official statistics, older adults volunteer less often than do middle-aged adults. This counts people who volunteer for organizations such as schools, churches, social service groups, etc. If we figured in assistance given to friends, neighbors or even strangers, elders could perhaps have higher rates than anyone else.
what are the advantages and disadvantages of assisted living for the elderly?
Advantages: Assisted-living residences provide private apartments for each person and allow pets and furnishings as in a traditional home. But assistance is available, in the form of communal meals, special transportation and activities, household cleaning, and medical assistance. Disadvantages: Standards vary or are nonexistent, and many places are unlicensed. Some regions of the world have many assisted-living options, while others have almost none.
which type of grand-parenting seems to benefit both generation most?
Companionate grandparents, who are fun, kind, and generous playmates for grandchildren and who provide babysitting and financial support for the family while still having their own independent lives, seem to benefit both generations the most.
what three factors increase the likelihood of elder abuse?
Elder abuse is most common if 1) the caregiver suffers from emotional problems or substance abuse; 2) the care receiver is frail, confused, and demanding; and 3) the care location is isolated, where visitors are few. In addition, relatives who have had little training are often required to provide substantial and nearly constant care without help or supervision; a lack of support, training, and respite are problems.
who benefits most from relationships between older adults and their grown children?
Familism prompts family caregiving among all the relatives. One manifestation is filial responsibility, the obligation of adult children to care for their aging parents. This is a value in every nation, stronger in some cultures than in others. As family size shrinks, many older parents continue to feel responsible for their grown children. Both generations benefit from their relationship.
what factors distinguish a good nursing home from a bad one?
Good care allows independence, individual choice, and privacy. Continuity of care is crucial: An institution with a high rate of staff turnover is to be avoided. At every age, establishing relationships with other people is also crucial: If the residents feel that their caregivers are the same year after year, that improves well-being. The training and the workload of the staff, especially of the aides who provide frequent, personal care, is important: Such simple tasks as helping a frail person out of bed can be done clumsily, painfully, or skillfully.
why might IADLs be more important than ADLs in deciding how much care a person needs?
IADLs are actions important to independent living—like maintaining a budget—that require intellectual competence. The inability to perform IADLs makes a person frail, regardless of physical condition. Problems with IADLs often precede problems with ADLs, since planning and problem solving help frail elders maintain self-care.
what are the problems with being female, according to stratification theory?
Irrational, gender-based fear may limit female independence from infancy to old age. Because women typically marry men a few years older than them, wives tend to outlive their husbands. If the marriage includes traditional gender roles, the husband may handle the finances, leaving his widow at risk for financial trouble.
what are the benefits and liabilities for elders who want to age in place?
Many elders prefer to age in place, comfortable in the familiarity of their home and community. Such social ties lead to a greater sense of well-being. This can best be experienced if their dwelling is suitable to grow old in and if they have access to health care, reliable transportation, and safety and security.
how does immigrant status impair elderly people, according to stratification theory?
Most immigrants to North America come from non-Western cultures, where younger generations are expected to care for the elderly. Many older immigrants are poor, lonely, and dependent on their children, who live in homes and apartments not designed for extended families. That may lead to two harmful family dynamics: unwelcome closeness in crowded, multigenerational homes, and/or distressing distance between elders and their descendants.
what is the usual relationship between older adults who have been partners for decades?
Outsiders might judge many long-term marriages as unequal, since one or the other spouse usually provides most of the money, or needs most of the care, or does most of the housework. Yet such disparities do not bother older partners, who accept each other's dependencies, remembering times (perhaps decades ago) when the situation was reversed.
why are people who have never married not likely to be lonely and sick?
Recent data find that elders who never married are usually quite content, not lonely. Some of them have partners, of the same sex or other sex, and are cohabiting or living apart together, seemingly just as happy as traditionally married people. Further, having a smaller friendship circle is not a problem if a person has at least a few close friends—as most of the aged do.
how does religion affect the well-being of the aged?
Religious practice correlates with health because religions tend to encourage healthy behaviors, provide opportunities for social engagement, offer insight on the meaning of life, and give hope in death. Religious institutions often provide a host of social services that benefit the elderly, while also providing a sense of community.
what are the advantages of the positivity effect?
The positivity effect refers to elderly people's tendency to perceive and remember positive events and to downplay negative ones. The positivity effect makes it easier for older adults to dismiss unpleasant or stressful events—or at least to not take them personally. Compensation occurs via selective recall: Unpleasant experiences are reinterpreted as inconsequential. People select positive emotions, perceptions, and memories.
how do demographic changes affect family relationships?
When demographics change, filial responsibility is impacted. Some people still romanticize elder care, believing that frail older adults should live with their caregiving children. That assumption worked when the demographic pyramid meant that each surviving elder had many descendants, but it may overburden beanpole families.
naturally occurring retirement community (NORC)
a neighborhood or apartment complex whose population is mostly retired people who moved to the location as younger adults and never left
why would a person keep working after age 65?
a person may continue working based on financial need, because they like the status of the position, or because the job and community associated with work is something the person enjoys and values and is reluctant to give up
which type of stratification is most burdensome- economic, ethnic, or gender?
economic stratification is the most harmful, and it is more apparent than either gender or ethnic stratification among the very old
how does Erikson's used of the word integrity differ from its usual meaning?
the word "integrity" is often used to mean honesty, but it also means a feeling of being whole, not scattered, and comfortable with oneself. In Erikson's eighth stage, adults seek a feeling of wholeness and connectedness, feeling pride in their personal history. an inability to feel this would result in feelings of disconnectedness and despair
self-theories
theories of late adulthood that emphasize the core self, or the search to maintain one's integrity and identity
stratification theories
theories that emphasize that social forces, particularly those related to a person's social stratum or social category, limit individual choices and affect a person's ability to function in late adulthood because past stratification continues to limit life in various ways
if activity theory is correct, what does that suggest older adults should do?
they should remian active in a variety of social spheres, such as relatives, friends, and community groups. being active correlates with happiness, intelligence, and health according to research
age in place
to remain in the same home and community in later life, adjusting but not leaving when health fades
activities of daily life (ADLs)
typically identified as five tasks of self-scare: eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, and transferring from bed to chair
how does the political activity of older and younger adults differ?
while older adults are less likely to be involved in campaigns and political activism, they are more likely to write to elected officials, to vote, and to follow current events
