Sociology: Health, Aging, and the Elderly
mental disorders
a condition that makes it more difficult to come with everyday life
gerontology
a field of science that seeks to understand the process of aging and the challenges encountered as seniors grow older
disability
a reduction in one's ability to perform everyday taks
hospice
a service the provided a death with dignity; pain management in a humane and comfortable environment; usually outside of a hospital setting. is changing attitudes to death in the united states
mental illness
a severe, lasting mental disorder that requires long-term treatment
universal healthcare
a system that guarantees healthcare coverage for everyone like Canada
cognitive changes in aging
adults who engage in mentally and physically stimulating activities experience less cognitive decline
the middle-old
ages seventy-five to eighty-four years old
elder abuse
an intentional act or failure to act that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older adult.
the young-old
approximately sixty-five to seventy-four years old
the young-old
are generally happier, healthier, and financially better off than the same age group of previous generations. In the US, people are better able to prepare for aging because resources are more widely available
gerontology
as a multidisciplinary field, it includes the work of medical and biological scientists, social scientists, and even financial and economic scholars
selective optimization with compensation 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
people with disabilities
before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, people in the US with disabilities were often excluded from opportunities, public accommodations, employment, etc. in a world designed for the convenience of the able-bodied
conflict theory
capitalism and the pursuit of profit lead to the commodification of health. the dominant group ensure that they will have healthcare access, but the subordinate group will not. this creates significant healthcare - and health - disparities between the dominant and subordinate groups. health disparities result from social inequality, racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, fat phobia, and heterosexism
functionalist
created the idea of the sick role. the sick are unable to fulfill their normal societal roles, so their sickness weakens the society. therefore, it is sometimes necessary for various forms of social control to bring the behavior of a sick person back in line with normal expectations.
cognitive changes in aging
crystallized intelligence encompasses abilities that draw upon experience and knowledge
symbolic interactionism
demedicalization normalizes behavior that was once understood as "sick" in 1973 the American Psychological Association stopped labeling homosexuality a disorder
five stages of grief
denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance
functionalist
disengagement theory activity theory continuity theory
the social construction of health
emphasizes the sociocultural aspects of physical, objectively definable phenomena
cognitive changes in aging
fluid intelligence refers to information processing abilities, such as logical reasoning, remembering lists, spatial ability, and reaction time
cognitive changes in aging
fluid intelligence tends decline over the course of adulthood
subculture of aging theory
focuses on the shared community created by the elderly when they are excluded (due to age), voluntarily or involuntarily, from participating in other groups
illnesses
have both a biological and an experiential component. our culture dictates which are: stigmatized considered disabilities contestable
rising over 65 population will put pressure on:
health care system social security Medicare the overall economy if they spend less in retirement
high income countries health problems
heart disease respiratory disease diabetes depression cancer
stigmatized illnesses
illnesses that are discriminated against and whose sufferers are looked down upon or even shunned by society
functionalist
in this model of health, doctors serve as gatekeepers, deciding who is healthy and who is sick - a relationship in which the doctor has all the power
the social construction of medical knowledge
it can both reflect and reproduce inequalities in gender, class, race and ethnicity
low income countries health problems
lack of access to clean water and basic sanitation malnutrition maternal and child mortality infectious disease lack of medical personnel cancer exists but is far less pressing than the above issues
contestable illnesses
meaning some medical professionals may find the existence of this ailment questionable
symbolic interactionist
medicalization of deviance is the process that change "bad" behavior into "sick" behavior. alcoholism was defined as an illness, not a personal failing
conflict theory
modernization theory age stratification theory exchange theory
cognitive changes in aging
older adults often use crystallized intelligence to compensate for declines in fluid intelligence
the old-old
over age eighty-five
health disparities within the US
overall the US spends more money than other industrialized nations, but not everyone has healthcare and there are significant disparities in access and outcomes
the social construction of the illness experience
patients control the manner in which they understand and reveal their diseases and the lifestyle adaptations patients develop to cope with the diseases. today, many institutions of wellness acknowledge the degree to which individual perceptions shape the nature of health and illness as in the pain scale (1-10)
health disparities within the US
race, class, gender, and insurance status all impact health care and health status. In 2014, 13% of people had no health insurance. It is wise to look at these issues from an intersectional perspective.
aging: physical changes
reaction time slows senses and muscle strength diminish memory loss
social gerontology
refers to a specialized field of gerontology that examines the social (and sociological) aspects of aging. researchers focus on: developing a broad understanding of the experiences of people at specific ages mental and physical wellbeing age-specific concerns such as the process of dying
psychosocial factors in aging
social connectedness and social support are important for positive aging
comparing the US to other nations
spends far more money on healthy care as a percentage of GDP than any other nation. However, they lag behind almost every industrialized country in terms of providing care to ALL its citizens. has a comparable quality of care to other industrialized countries with better cancer treatment, but worse preventative care
age stratification theory
states that members of society are stratified by age, just as they are stratified by race, class and gender
gerontologists
study what it is like to be an older adult in a society and the ways that aging affects members of a society
symbolic interactionist
subculture of aging theory selective optimization with compensation theory gerotranscendence
activity theory
suggests that for individuals to enjoy old age and feel satisfied, they must maintain activities and fid a replacement for the statuses and associated roles they have left behind as they aged
modernization theory
suggests that the primary cause of the elderly losing power and influence in society are the parallel forces of industrialization and modernization
exchange theory
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 other sot submit to us
disengagement theory
suggests that withdrawing from society and social relationships is a natural part of growing old
life-stage subgroups of older adults
the US's older adult population can be divided into 3 life-stage subgroups: the young-old the middle-old the old-old
continuity theory
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
gerotranscendence
the idea that as people age, they transcend limited view of life they held in earlier times
the sick role
the individual who has fallen ill is not only physically sick, nut now must adhere to the specifically patterned social role of being sick with rights and obligations
challenges of aging
the loss of independence; diminished physical ability; age discrimination; risk of elder abuse; risk of poverty
impairment
the physical limitations
the sick role
the sick person's obligations include: trying to get well cooperating with the medical professionals
the sick role
the sick person's rights are two fold: being exempt from normal social roles not being responsible for their condition
social epidemiology
the study of the cause and distribution of disease. it can reveal how social problems are connected to the health of different populations
medical sociology
the systematic study of how humans manage issues of health and illness, disease and disorders, and healthcare for both the sick and the healthy
socialized medicine
when the government owns and runs the entire healthcare system like the UK