Aging Exam #1
How does the life course framework help us to understand aging?
Earlier decisions and experiences affect life outcomes
How do biologists explain aging?
1. Biological factors that change are called primary aging, which is molecular and cellular changes. 2. Aging that occurs due to controllable factors, such as lack of physical exercise and poor diet, is called secondary aging. 3. Most begin to see signs of aging after 50 when they notice the physical markers of age. Skin becoming thinner, drier, and less elastic. Wrinkles form and hair begins to thin and gray.
On what aspects of aging do psychologists focus?
1. Cognitive changes a. Creativity b. Wisdom c. Intelligence 2. Mental disorders 3. Personality 4. Legal and policy issues
What types of mental disorders are commonly faced by the elderly?
1. Depression 2. Paranoid disorders 3. Delirium 4. Dementia a. Vascular b. Alzheimer's Disease
What are the general steps involved in a policy analysis?
1. Policy Problem A. Identify what the issue is 2. Policy Goals A. Develop objectives you wish to accomplish with the perfect policy 3. Policy Alternatives A. Different routes and pieces of policy attempting to address an issue. Alternatives can vary as greatly from providing unlimited resources to implementing no change at all 4. Policy A. Recommendation This is the alternative that is recommended to the client who requested the policy analysis.
chronological age
Age as measured in years from date of birth
What is the demographic transition, and what are the 4 stages of it? What happens in each stage?
Based on Western European and North American history; explains population aging and growth Stage 1: Preindustrial Society- very high and unstable birth and death rates, population growth rate slow, importance of children, low life expectancy Stage 2: Early Industrial Society- very high birth rates, falling death rate, high population growth Stage 3: Late Industrial Society- low, slowly falling death rate, falling birth rate, high population growth Stage 4: Post Industrial Society- low birth and death rates, low population growth
What physical changes occur in the body systems of humans over the life course?
Declining energy, food sensitivity, and loss of hearing and vision
In what ways is retirement a rite of passage?
Formal rituals/celebrations Informal rituals (party, dinners) Travel
What factors influence retirement choices?
Macro choices Social Security Disability Insurance Economic trends Changes in pension plans Micro choices Health Income Family responsibilities Meaning of work
life expectancy
The average number of years an individual can be expected to live, given current social, economic, and medical conditions. Life expectancy at birth is the average number of years a newborn infant can expect to live.
Policy is essentially a framework of guidelines or ideas culminated to implement action or manipulate behavior. One piece of policy that manipulates behavior to change individuals' choices is called a SSB Tax (Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax). A tax that increases with higher amounts of sugar. Implemented to deter individuals from unhealthy drinks to healthy drinks.
What is policy, and how is it used to address social problems? Provide an example.
Gerontology
a field of science that seeks to understand the process of aging and the challenges encountered as seniors grow older
population pyramid
a graphic device that shows gender and age distribution of a population
cohort
a group of people from a given time period, share statistical or demographic trait
social gerontology
a specialized field of gerontology that examines the social (and sociological) aspects of aging
age integration theory
a theory that recognizes that societies have both age-segregated and age-integrated institutions that can either impede or enhance the participation of the aged
ageism
age based stereotypes, viewing the elderly in a negative manner
period effects
changes occurring over time experienced by all groups in the population regardless of age
What type of accommodations must employers make for older workers?
closer to a bathroom, more frequent breaks
age discrimination
discriminating on the base of age in job settings
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
aging effects
how people change as they get older
functional age
measure of a person's ability to function effectively in his or her physical and social environment in comparison with others of the same chronological age
age stratification theory
members of society might be stratified by age, just as they are stratified by race, class, and gender.
What are the common ways of measuring the amount of elderly people in a population?
old-age dependency ratio (OADR). it takes the number of those who have reaches the state pension age and divides it by the number of "working age" adults to measure the dependent elderly population relative to those who pay for them.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act
outlaws discrimination against people older than 40 years
life course framework
period from birth to death, including a sequence of predictable life events such as physical maturation
Americans with Disabilities Act
prohibits discrimination against the disabled
modernization theory
suggests that the primary cause of the elderly losing power and influence in society are the parallel forces of industrialization and modernization. As societies modernize, the status of elders decreases, and they are increasingly likely to experience social exclusion.
disengagement theory
suggests that withdrawing from society and social relationships is a natural part of growing old
life stages
the ages and stages we go through as we learn and grow
cohort effects
the effect that having been born in a certain time, region, period, or having experienced the same life experiences has on the development of perceptions of a particular group
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
activity theory
the more active and involved an elderly person is, the happier they will be
age norms
the norm of individuals of a given chronological age
dependency ratio
the number of citizens not in the labor force (young, disabled, or elderly) to citizens in the labor force
retirement
the withdrawal from paid work at a certain age