OD Ch. 25

Why would a person keep working after age 65?

A person may continue working based on financial need, because they like the status of the position, or because the job and community associated with work is something the person enjoys and values and is reluctant to give up.

What is the difference between ADLs and IADLs?

ADLs (activities of daily life) include eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, and moving from a bed to a chair. IADLs (instrumental activities of daily life) include actions such as paying bills or driving a car, things that are important to independent living and that require some intellectual competence and forethought.

Who is more likely to volunteer and why?

According to official statistics, older adults volunteer less often than do middle-aged adults. This counts people who volunteer for organizations such as schools, churches, social service groups, etc. If we figured in assistance given to friends, neighbors or even strangers, elders could perhaps have higher rates than anyone else.

How can disengagement be mutual?

According to the disengagement theory, younger adult workers and parents disengage from the old, who themselves disengage, withdrawing from life's actions.

Instrumental activities of daily life (IADLs)

Actions (for example, paying bills and driving a car) that are important to independent living and that require some intellectual competence and forethought. The ability to perform these tasks may be even more critical to self-sufficiency than ADL ability.

What can be done to increase mobility in the aged?

One example is that physical therapists can teach specific exercises and movements to improve mobility.

frail elderly

people who are physically infirm, very ill, or cognitively disabled, and consequently tired and lethargic

positivity effect

the tendency for elderly people to perceive, prefer, and remember positive images and experiences more than negative ones

socioemotional selectivity theory

the theory that older people prioritize regulation of their own emotions and seek familiar social contacts who reinforce generativity, pride, and joy

assisted living

-A living arrangement for elderly people that combines privacy and independence with medical supervision -Assisted-living facilities range from group homes for three or four elderly people to large apartment or townhouse developments for hundreds of residents. -Have to be independent in ADLs, help with some IADLs -Provide meals, assistance for medications, activities, transportation/outings

political activity

-About 2 percent volunteer in political campaigns. -Only 7 percent of people aged 65+ volunteer for any political, civic, international, or professional group. -More than any other age group, they write letters to their representatives, identify with a political party, vote, and stay current with the news.

retirement

-Besides needing the money, some employees over age 65 stay on the job because they appreciate the social recognition and self-fulfillment of work. -It was once believed that older adults were healthier and happier when they were employed than when they were unemployed and that retirement led to illness and death.

stratification by gender

-Irrational, gender-based fear may limit women's independence throughout life. -Young women typically marry older men. -Men seek medical help less than women. --Men tend to die younger, see more elderly females that are widows than men

Volunteer work

-Is linked to generativity, social connections, less depression, and health -May reduce death rate -Is increased by knowing someone else who volunteers, by encouragement, and by suggestions for volunteering

friendship

-Many middle-aged adults, married and unmarried, have no children. -Elderly people who have spent a lifetime without a spouse usually have friendships, activities, and social connections. -All of the research finds that older adults need at least one close companion.

caring for the frial elderly

-Marked cultural difference in frail elderly care -Family caregivers experience substantial stress. Their health may suffer, and their risk of depression increases, especially if the care receiver has NCD. -In the United States, the spouse is the usual caregiver.

holding on to the self

-Most older people feel their personalities and attitudes have remained stable over their life span, even as they recognize the physical changes of their bodies. -Objects and places become more precious, as a way to hold on to identity.

long-term partnerships

-Spouses in strong marriages provide a buffer against old age problems and protect health. -An exceedingly positive spouse portrayal facilitates discussions rather than arguments and integration rather than domination. -Together couples achieve selective optimization with compensation. --Find ways to choose activities that work well for both of them, help each other

ethnic stratification

-Stratification theory contends that factors such as education, health, employment, and place of residence create large discrepancies in income by old age. -Immigrant elders often face multiple challenges related to cultural differences in care by children, housing, and stereotypes.

working

-The activities of older people are intense and varied. -The psychological benefits of work can be obtained through volunteer work. -Work provides social support and status, boosting self-esteem. -For many people, employment allows generativity.

religious involvement

-correlates with physical and emotional health. -Religious prohibitions encourage good habits. -Faith communities promote caring relationships. -Beliefs give meaning for life and death, thus reducing stress. -Religious identity and institutions are important for older members of minority groups. --Often stronger identification with religious heritage than with national or ethnic background

filial responsibility

-obligation adult children feel to take care of aging parents -varies worldwide and by culture. -Older U.S. adults value independence and provide more help than they receive from their children. -Conflict may be more frequent in emotionally close relationships than in distant relationships.

age in place

-to remain in the same home and community in later life, adjusting but not leaving when health fades -Involves remaining in the same home and community in later life, adjusting but not leaving when health fades -Interruption of social connections is especially harmful for women and the frailest.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of assisted living for the elderly?

Advantages: Assisted-living residences provide private apartments for each person and allow pets and furnishings as in a traditional home. But assistance is available, in the form of communal meals, special transportation and activities, household cleaning, and medical assistance. Disadvantages: Standards vary or are nonexistent, and many places are unlicensed. Some regions of the world have many assisted-living options, while others have almost none.

Which type of grandparenting seems to benefit both generations the most?

Companionate grandparents, who are fun, kind, and generous playmates for grandchildren and who provide babysitting and financial support for the family while still having their own independent lives, seem to benefit both generations the most.

Which type of stratification is most burdensome: economic, ethnic, or gender?

Economic stratification is the most harmful, and it is more apparent than either gender or ethnic stratification among the very old.

What three factors increase the likelihood of elder abuse?

Elder abuse is most common if 1) the caregiver suffers from emotional problems or substance abuse; 2) the care receiver is frail, confused, and demanding; and 3) the care location is isolated, where visitors are few. In addition, relatives who have had little training are often required to provide substantial and nearly constant care without help or supervision; a lack of support, training, and respite are problems.

village care

Elderly people who live near each other pool their resources, staying in their homes but also getting special assistance when they need it

How does friendship differ depending on the adults age?

Emerging adults tend to average the most friends. By late adulthood, the number of people considered friends is notably smaller, but this is counterbalanced by older adults experiencing fewer problems with the friends they do have. Older adults are more likely to put effort into maintaining friendships.

Who benefits most from relationships between older adults and their grown children?

Familism prompts family caregiving among all the relatives. One manifestation is filial responsibility, the obligation of adult children to care for their aging parents. This is a value in every nation, stronger in some cultures than in others. As family size shrinks, many older parents continue to feel responsible for their grown children. Both generations benefit from their relationship.

What factors make an older person frail?

Frail elderly are people over age 65, and often over age 85, who are physically infirm, very ill, or cognitively disabled.

What factors distinguish a good nursing home from a bad one?

Good care allows independence, individual choice, and privacy. Continuity of care is crucial: An institution with a high rate of staff turnover is to be avoided. At every age, establishing relationships with other people is also crucial: If the residents feel that their caregivers are the same year after year, that improves well-being. The training and the workload of the staff, especially of the aides who provide frequent, personal care, is important: Such simple tasks as helping a frail person out of bed can be done clumsily, painfully, or skillfully.

Involved grandparents

Grandparents that are active in the day-to-day lives of their grandchildren. They live near them and see them daily.

Companionate grandparents (aka fun-loving grandparents)

Grandparents that entertain and spoil their grandchildren -- especially in ways that the parents would not.

Surrogate parents

Grandparents that raise their grandchildren, usually because the parents are unable or unwilling to do so.

remote grandparents (aka distant grandparents)

Grandparents who are emotionally distant from their grandchildren. They are esteemed elders who are honored, respected, and obeyed, expecting to get help when they need it.

Why might IADLs be more important than ADLs in deciding whether a person needs care?

IADLs are actions important to independent living—like maintaining a budget—that require intellectual competence. The inability to perform IADLs makes a person frail, regardless of physical condition. Problems with IADLs often precede problems with ADLs, since planning and problem solving help frail elders maintain self-care.

How does retirement affect the health of people who have worked all their lives?

If retirees voluntarily leave their jobs and engage in activities and intellectual challenges, they become healthier and happier than they were before.

relationships with younger generations

In past centuries, most adults died before their grandchildren were born. Today, some families span five generations.

What are the benefits and liabilities for elders who want to age in place?

Many elders prefer to age in place, comfortable in the familiarity of their home and community. Such social ties lead to a greater sense of well-being. This can best be experienced if their dwelling is suitable to grow old in and if they have access to health care, reliable transportation, and safety and security.

Beanpole family

Multiple generations but only a few members in each one Changing close family relationships

How does hoarding relate to self theory?

Older adults may begin to cling to possessions as they try to maintain a sense of self and of autonomy as they age. Things accumulate because possessions are part of self-expression, and the elderly resist self-destruction.

What is the usual relationship between older adults who have been partners for decades?

Outsiders might judge many long-term marriages as unequal, since one or the other spouse usually provides most of the money, or needs most of the care, or does most of the housework. Yet such disparities do not bother older partners, who accept each other's dependencies, remembering times (perhaps decades ago) when the situation was reversed.

Why do some scholars think stratification is less problematic in old age than earlier?

People of all groups develop habits and attitudes by old age that protect them from the worst effects of stratification. Gender, ethnicity, and SES may be less damaging for the very old than they are earlier in life.

How does religion affect the well-being of the aged?

Religious practice correlates with health because religions tend to encourage healthy behaviors, provide opportunities for social engagement, offer insight on the meaning of life, and give hope in death. Religious institutions often provide a host of social services that benefit the elderly, while also providing a sense of community.

activity theory

The view that elderly people want and need to remain active in a variety of social spheres—with relatives, friends, and community groups—and become withdrawn only unwillingly, as a result of ageism.

integrity vs despair

The final stage of Erik Erikson's developmental sequence, in which older adults seek to integrate their unique experiences with their vision of community.

What are the advantages of the positivity effect?

The positivity effect refers to elderly people's tendency to perceive and remember positive events and to downplay negative ones. The positivity effect makes it easier for older adults to dismiss unpleasant or stressful events—or at least to not take them personally. Compensation occurs via selective recall: Unpleasant experiences are reinterpreted as inconsequential. People select positive emotions, perceptions, and memories.

How is cognitive decline related to prevention of frailty?

The social support networks that prevent physical decline can also aid in preventing mental decline

compulsive hoarding

The urge to accumulate and hold on to familiar objects and possessions, sometimes to the point of their becoming health and/or safety hazards. This impulse tends to increase with age.

disengagement theory

The view that aging makes a person's social sphere increasingly narrow, resulting in role relinquishment, withdrawal, and passivity.

How does Erikson's use of the word "integrity" differ from its usual meaning?

The word "integrity" is often used to mean honesty, but it also means a feeling of being whole, not scattered, and comfortable with oneself. In Erikson's eighth stage, adults seek a feeling of wholeness and connectedness, feeling pride in their personal history. An inability to feel this would result in feelings of disconnectedness and despair.

self theories

Theories of late adulthood that emphasize the core self, or the search to maintain one's integrity and identity.

stratification theories

Theories that emphasize that social forces, particularly those related to a person's social stratum or social category, limit individual choices and affect a person's ability to function in late adulthood because past stratification continues to limit life in various ways.

activities of daily life (ADLs)

Typically identified as five tasks of self-care that are important to independent living: eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, and transferring from a bed to a chair. The inability to perform any of these tasks is a sign of frailty.

How does the political activity of older and younger adults differ?

While older adults are less likely to be involved in campaigns and political activism, they are more likely to write to elected officials, to vote, and to follow current events.

naturally occurring retirement community (NORC)

a neighborhood or apartment complex whose population is mostly retired people who moved to the location as younger adults and never left