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