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