Aging and the Elderly- Sociology Ch.13
Gerontology
a field of science that seeks to understand the process of aging and the challenges encountered as seniors grow old
Cohort
a group of people who share a statistical or demographic trait
Geriatrics
a medical specialty that focuses on the elderly
Grief
a psychological, emotional, and social response to the feelings of loss that accompanies death or a similar event
Hospice
a type of healthcare that treats terminally ill people when "cure-oriented treatments" are no longer an option
Gerontocracy
a type of social structure wherein the power is held by a society's oldest members
Activity Theory
according to this theory, the more active and involved an elderly person is, the happier her or she will be
Secondary Aging
aging that occurs due to controllable factors such as lack of physical exercise and poor diet
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
Primary Aging
biological factors such as molecular and cellular changes
Filial Piety
difference and respect to one's parents and ancestors in all things
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
Life Course
is the period from birth to death, including a sequence of predictable life events such as physical maturation
Elder Abuse
occurs when a caretaker intentionally deprives an older person of care or harms the person in his or her charge
Social Gerontology
refers to a specialized field of gerontology that examines the social (and sociological) aspects of aging
Senescence
refers to the aging process, including biological, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual changes
Exchange Theory
suggest 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
Age Stratification Theory
suggests that members of society might be stratified by age, just as they are stratified by race, class, and gender
Modernization Theory
suggests that the primary cause of the elderly losing power and influence in society are the parallel forces of industrialization and modernization
Disengagement Theory
suggests that with drawing from society and social relationships is a natural part of growing old
Life Expectancy
the average number of years a person born today may expect to live
Baby Boomers
the children born between 1946 and 1964 that are now reaching their 60s
Ageism
the discrimination based on age
Gerontranscendance
the idea that as people age, they transcend the limited views of life they held in earlier times (the elderly become less self-centered and fee more peaceful and connected to the natural world)
Dependency Ratio
the number of nonproductive citizens (young, disabled, or elderly) to productive working citizens
Thanatology
the systematic study of death and dying
Physician-assisted Suicide
the voluntary or physician-assisted use of lethal medication provided by a medical doctor to end one's life
Continuity Theory
when 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