Transcript What Is Sociology? - Rushford

Aging and the Elderly
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Graying of United States
• Seniors are now 12.7% of the population.
• By 2035, the elderly will number 77 million.
• The elderly population of wealthy nations is
increasing most rapidly.
• By 2035...
– About half the population will be over 40.
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Figure 15.1
The Graying of U.S. Society
The proportion of the U.S. population over the age of 65 tripled during the last century. The median age of the U.S. population has now passed
35 years and will continue to rise.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2008)
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Aging Population Increase
• Birth rate: going down
– Decreased infant mortality
– Children are a major expense.
– Advances in birth control
• Life expectancy: going up
– Improved housing, nutrition and increased
wealth
• Medical advances
– Almost eliminated childhood infectious
diseases
– Treat cancer and heart disease
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sociological Impact
• Cultural change
– Elderly more visible
• “Young-old” and “old-old”
– Younger elderly 65-75: Independent with
good health and financial security
– Older elderly past age 75: Dependent on
others
– Oldest old over age 85: Fastest growing
segment; 67% are women
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Biological Changes
• Gerontology
– Study of aging and the elderly
– Attitude toward aging depends on societal values
• Physical changes
– Predictable graying of hair, wrinkles, loss of height
and weight, decline in strength, vitality, and senses
– Odds of chronic illnesses and life-threatening
conditions rise
• Health
– Most over 65 report good health
– “Well-to-do” people have it better since they can
afford preventive care
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
National Map 15.1
The Elderly Population Across the United States
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Psychological Changes
• Advancing age does not mean certain
impairment of mental abilities.
– Some research reports improved math and
verbal skills.
• Personality changes
– The elderly can become more introspective.
– Major shifts in personalities don’t normally
take place.
– Meals on Wheels Vid (5 min)
– http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/aging_in_
america1/
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Aging and Culture
• The significance of growing old varies
according to culture.
• Age stratification
– Unequal distribution of wealth, power and
privilege among people at different stages of
the life course
• Hunting and gathering societies
• Pastoral, horticultural, and agrarian
societies
• Industrial and postindustrial societies
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Global Map 15.1
Life Expectancy in Global Perspective
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Transitions and Challenges
of Aging
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Finding meaning
Social isolation
Retirement
Aging and poverty
Caregiving
Ageism
The elderly: a minority?
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Finding Meaning
• Erikson: Resolve a tension of integrity vs.
despair
• Successful aging lies in maintaining
dignity and self-confidence and accepting
advancing age.
• Neugarten studied the personality types
of people in their 70s.
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Disintegrated and disorganized
Passive-dependent
Defended
Integrated
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Table 15.1
Living Arrangements for the Elderly, 2007
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Social Isolation
• Isolation is common among the elderly.
• Retirement, limited mobility, and negative
stereotypes close off sources of social interaction.
• Death of significant others
– Many widows and widowers cite loneliness as serious
problem.
• Older people value independence.
• Family members are a major source of social
support.
– Daughters more than sons
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Retirement
• Work is an important part of personal identity.
• To minimize loss of prestige:
– New activities and interests
– Volunteer work can fill time.
– Grandparenting is a source of pleasure.
– Part-time work can bring additional money.
• Retirement is a recent idea in industrialized societies
occurring within the last century.
• When or whether we retire
– “Staged retirement”–People continue working well past
age 65, reducing their hours as they build financial
security.
– http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/the_open_road_am
Sociology, 13 Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
erica_looks_at_aging/
h
Poverty
• Home mortgage is usually paid off, some
costs rise for the elderly
– Medical care, household help, and utilities
• Social security is the major source of
income.
– In 2007, 9.7% of elderly Americans fell below
the poverty line.
– Median individual income for women is $15,
714 and for men $27,454.
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Figure 15.2
U.S. Poverty Rates by Age, 2007
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Caregiving
Informal and unpaid care provided to a dependent
person by family members, other relatives, or friends
• Although parents provide caregiving to
children, the term is more often applied to
the needs of elderly men and women.
• 80% of caregiving to elders is provided by
family members; most are daughters or
daughter-in-laws
 the “sandwich generation”
• Elder abuse
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Elder Abuse
• From passive neglect to active torment
• In many forms: verbal, emotional, financial, and
physical
• More than 1 million a year suffer serious
maltreatment
• Abuse is most likely to occur if the caregiver:
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Works full time
Cares for young children
Is poor
Feels little affection for the older person
Finds the elderly person very difficult
Gets no support or help
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Ageism
Prejudice and discrimination against older people
• Like racism and sexism, ageism builds
physical traits into stereotypes.
• Older people are more likely than younger
people to be mentally and physically
impaired.
• Friedan: Ageism is deeply rooted in our
culture.
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Elderly: A Minority?
• Streib: Elderly aren’t a minority.
– Minority status is usually both permanent and
exclusive.
– Being elderly is an open status because people
are elderly for only part of their lives.
– Everyone who has the good fortune to live long
enough grows old.
– Elders at highest risk of being poor or
disadvantaged fall into categories of people who
are at highest risk of being poor throughout the
life course.
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Theoretical Perspective
• Structural-functional analysis
– Disengagement theory–Society enhances its orderly
operation by disengaging people from positions of
responsibility as they reach old age.
• Symbolic-interaction analysis
– Activity theory–A high level of activity enhances
personal satisfaction in old age.
• Social-conflict analysis
– Inequality based on age categories
– Different opportunities and access to social resources
create a system of age stratification.
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Death and Dying
• Historical patterns of death
• Modern separation of life and death
• Ethical issues: confronting death
– The “Right-to-die” debate
– Living wills–Documents stating which medical
procedures an individual wants and doesn’t
want under specific conditions
– Euthanasia–Assisting in the death of a person
suffering from an incurable disease
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Stages of Death and
Bereavement
• Kübler-Ross: Most people usually
confront their own death in stages.
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Denial
Anger
Negotiation
Resignation
Acceptance
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Bereavement
• Persistent profound grief and social
disorientation
• Experts agree that how a family and friends view
an impending death affects the dying person.
• Hospice movement
• Bereavement is less intense for someone who
accepts the loved one’s death, and the
relationship has reached a satisfactory
resolution.
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Future
• Increasing numbers
– By 2050, there will be more elderly in the US than
the entire population in 1900.
• Need to review support services for the
elderly
– Availability and sufficiency
• The elderly should experience a better quality
of life.
– Medical technology
– Financial strength
• Changes in how death is viewed
Sociology, 13h Edition by John Macionis
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.