Sociology ch. 13

Attitudes about aging

Aging is a constant in our developing, but we don't always fully understand or accept it. Aging is met with happiness and pride early in life, and difficulty and concern later in life.

Conflict theory p3

Exchange theory (Dowd 1975): 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

Elderly People in the prison system

Some officials estimate the costs of incarcerating an aging person to be three times higher than to keep a younger person in prison. • Reducing prison sentences in Maryland saved an estimated $185 million over five years.

Which action reflects ageism?

Speaking slowly and loudly when talking to someone over age 65

Thanatology is the study of _____.

death, dying

Functionalism: Activity theory

: activity levels and social involvement are key to this process, and key to happiness • According to this theory, the more active and involved an elderly person is, the happier he or she will be.

Ageism and abuse

Ageism refers to discrimination based on age Gerontocracy is a type of social structure wherein the power is held by a society's oldest members But that is becoming less common: • The average age of corporate executives was fifty-nine years old in 1980. • In 2008, the average age had lowered to fifty-four years old (Stuart 2008).

The impact of aging Baby boomers

Baby Boomers are people in the United States born between approximately 1946 and 1964 • By 2030, all Baby Boomers will be age 65 and older, and represent the largest group of elderly people. • Healthcare spending is projected to grow by 5.5 percent each year from now until 2027.

Symbolic interactionism cont

Baltes and Baltes (1990): Personal development is are based on the components of selection, optimization, and compensation. Gerotranscendence (Tornstam): As people age, they transcend the limited views of life they held in earlier times, becoming become less self-centered and feel more peaceful and connected to the natural world. Wisdom

Aging around the world cont

By 2050, nearly a third of the Chinese population will be age sixty or older, which will put a significant burden on the labor force and impact China's economic growth (Bannister, Bloom, and Rosenberg 2010). On a more global scale, the dependency ratio is projected to more than double in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Northern Africa and Western Asia, and Central and Southern Asia.

Social and psychological changes

Changing roles and responsibilities • Many older people are no longer primary caregivers • May not be able to "keep up" with work • Eventually retire or become physically unable to work

Functionalism cont

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. • This is an attempt to maintain social equilibrium and stability by making future decisions on the basis of already developed social roles (Atchley 1971; Atchley 1989).

Functionalism

Disengagement theory: withdrawing from society and social relationships is a natural part of growing old. • It's natural to withdraw from individuals and society because of our departure from the world • the elderly less reinforcement to conform to social norms. • social withdrawal is experienced differently by men and women.

Ageism and abuse contd

Elder Abuse is the act of a caretaker intentionally depriving an older person of care or harming the person in their charge Type of Abuse Signs and Symptoms Physical abuse: Bruises, untreated wounds, sprains, broken glasses, lab findings of medication overdose

Elder Non-conformity

Elderly people may not always conform to society's expectations of their attitudes or their abilities. While we don't know whether or not these marathon participants are running competitively, it's clear the older person in the foreground is ahead of many younger people.

Signs of elder abuse contd

Financial: Sudden changes in banking practices, inclusion of additional names on bank cards, abrupt changes to will Self-neglect: Untreated medical conditions, unclean living area, lack of medical items like dentures or glasses

Death and dying

Grief is a psychological, emotional, and social response to the feelings of loss that accompanies death or a similar event. Thanatology is the systematic study of death and dying Physician-Assisted Suicide is the voluntary use of lethal medication provided by a medical doctor to end one's life Hospice is a type of healthcare that threats terminally ill people when "cure-oriented treatments" are no longer an option.

Aging and Appearances

How old are these people? In modern U.S. society, appearance is not a reliable indicator of age. In addition to genetic differences, health habits, hair dyes, and attitudes make traditional signs of aging increasingly unreliable.

Aging around the world

In 2019, the world had 703 million people aged 65 years or over. By 2050, that number is projected to double to 1.5 billion. One in six people in the world will be 65 or over (United Nations 2020).

LGBTQ Aging

Many gay and lesbian couples are finally able to tie the knot—sometimes as seniors—after decades of waiting. (Credit: Fibonacci Blue/flickr).

Elderly People in the prison system

Many of the people incarcerated in the War on Drugs and mass incarceration periods remain in the prison system and are reaching elderly status. As of 2019, the over-50 population was the largest in the prison system • Physical health: Increased illness, susceptibility to disease, difficulty moving around.

Social and psychological changes p2

May feel like a burden or a drain on family • May not be able to take on all day-to-day tasks • Something as simple as for help carrying groceries can be a difficult step for someone who used to give that help to others. • May not be able to pay at restaurants or may need to limit expenses like gifts to grandchildren.

America's baby boomer generation has contributed to all of the following except:

Medicaid being in danger of going bankrupt

Elderly People in the prison system pt2

Mental health: Depression, loneliness, other mental health issues, potentially exacerbated by losses of other incarcerated people (who have become friends) and family. • COVID-19 was a massive and unexpected risk and issue due both to the age of the incarcerated and their living conditions, with high numbers of incarcerated people becoming ill or dying.

Connect Past and Present

Older people, especially family members, can foster a connection between our past and present and help build our memories and identities. But they sometimes need unexpected help, which they do not always accept.

In Erik Erikson's developmental stages of life, with which challenge must older people struggle?

Overcoming despair to achieve integrity

Population Pyramid

Population by Age and Sex: 2000 and 2010. In this U.S. 2000 and 2010. In this U.S. Census pyramid chart, the baby boom bulge was aged thirty-five to fifty-five in 2000. In 2020, they were aged fifty-five to seventy-five. (Credit: the U.S. Census Bureau)

Biological Aging

Primary Aging refers to biological factors such as molecular and cellular changes Secondary Aging is aging that occurs due to controllable factors like exercise and diet

Symbolic interactionism

Subculture of aging theory, which focuses on the shared community created by the elderly when they are excluded (due to age), voluntarily or involuntarily, from participating in other groups. • This theory suggests that elders will disengage from society and develop new patterns of interaction with peers who share common backgrounds and interests. Selective optimization with compensation theory.

Aging Demographics

This population chart shows the population size of people in different age groups. The youngest age group, at the bottom, remains largely static. The 18-64 age group has been growing and will continue to do so. But most notable is the increasing size of the third tier (orange) representing ages 65-84.

Veterans and aging

World War II (1941-1945) veterans and members of an Honor Flight from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, visit the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC Most of these men and women were in their late teens or twenties when they served. (Photo courtesy of Sean Hackbarth/flickr)

The measure that compares the number of men to women in a population is ______.

sex ratio

The impact of aging Baby boomers p2

• The portion of government spending on Medicare (a program in which the government covers some costs of healthcare for the elderly) is expected to increase from 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009 to 8 percent of GDP in 2030, and to 15 percent in 2080 (CMS 2018).

Elders and Politics

Senior citizens are an important political constituency, and they may use their age to their advantage. Originating in Canada in the late 1980s, groups of Raging Grannies have protested nuclear weapons, the Iraq War, pesticides, genetically modified foods, and racial injustice.

Aging around the world p2

: the number of citizens not in the labor force (young, disabled, or elderly) to citizens in the labor force (Bartram and Roe 2005). China on the cusp of an "aging boom"— a period when its elderly population will dramatically increase. • The number of people above age sixty in China today is about 178 million, which amounts to 13.3 percent of its total population (Xuequan 2011).

Conflict theory pt 2

Age stratification theory: Members of society might be stratified by age, just as they are stratified by race, class, and gender. • different age groups will have varying access to social resources such as political and economic power.

Social and psychological changes p3

Mobility can be a significant challenge with emotional implications. • Inability to drive or take public transportation can leave people more dependent on others, reduce their overall independence, and lead to loneliness.

Conflict theory

Modernization theory (Cowgill and Holmes 1972) 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.

Signs of elder abuse

Sexual abuse: Bruises around breasts or genitals, torn or bloody underclothing, unexplained venereal disease Emotional/psychological abuse Being upset or withdrawn, unusual dementia-like behavior (rocking, sucking) Neglect Poor hygiene, untreated bed sores, dehydration, soiled bedding

An older woman retires and completely changes her life. She is no longer raising children or working. However, she joins the YWCA to swim every day. She serves on the Friends of the Library board. She is part of a neighborhood group that plays Bunco on Saturday nights. Her situation most closely illustrates the ______ theory.

activity

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act counteracts which theory?

age stratification

An older man retires from his job, stops golfing, and cancels his newspaper subscription. After his wife dies, he lives alone, loses touch with his children, and stops seeing old friends. His situation most closely illustrates the _______ theory.

disengagement

In most countries, elderly women ______ than elderly men.

live a few years longer

The "graying of the United States" refers to ________.

the increasing percentage of the population over sixty-five years old

Attitudes about aging examples

• Events like First Communion, Bar Mitzvah, or Quinceañera are often complete celebrations • Events like 60th Birthday, retirement, or 50th anniversary are also happy, but may have a twinge of sadness or acceptance. • Other milestones of aging, such as seeing different types of doctors, moving to a retirement community, and using assistive devices can be sources of embarrassment and challenge.

The impact of aging Baby boomers p3

• The American Geriatrics Society notes that from 2013-2025, there will be a 45 percent increase in demand for physicians who specialize in geriatrics. • As a result, over 33,000 specialists will be needed to fill the healthcare needs in 2025. And in 2020, there were only 6,320 such specialists in the United States (AGS 2021)