chapter 13 the elderly
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1Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly
The Elderly
Charlie Ann
Osborn
2Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly
Different cultures and the elderly
Opening Vignette talks about “covering up” elderly woman – (371)
Abkhasians live long lives in groups and work well into their 100s (372)
Some industrialized nations depend on systems like social security
Some of the least industrialized nations have no SS and families are expected to take care of elderly
3Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly
Industrialized nations have higher percentages of elderly – page 373
Industrialization and the Graying of the globe
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Life Expectancy - the number of years that an average person at any age, including newborns, can expect to live.100 years ago the average American could not
expect to see age 50!
Graying of America – refers to the growing percentage of older people in the U.S. population. Today there are 7 million more elderly Americans than
there are teenagers!
The Graying of America
Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly 5
Page 375
6Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly
Uneven distirbution of elderly in the United States…Social Map, page 376
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Life Span – the maximum length of life of a species; for humans, the longest that a human has lived
________________________________Your perception of “OLD” changes
as you age4 factors (377)
Biology (signs, wrinkles, ect.)Personal history (grandma at 34?)Gender age (relative value that
culture places on men’s and women’s ages)
Timetables (signals society uses to inform someone they are old, ex: retirement)
When are you OLD?
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Yone Minagawa from Japan, page 377Born in 1893…Celebrating her 114th birthday
.
9Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly
Is prejudice, discrimination , and hostility, directed against people because of their age.
It can be directed against any age group, including youth.
Page 380…Does the Mass Media neglect to represent the elderly in a positive light?
AGEISM
10Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly
Disengagement theory - examines retirement as a device for ensuring that a society’s positions of responsibility will be passed smoothly from one generation to the next
Active theory – examines how people adjust when they disengage from productive roles
Continuity theory – focuses on how people adjust to growing old by continuing their roles and coping techniques
How is retirement functional for society?
11
The Conflict Perspective
Social Security Litigation one generation making demands on another
for limited resourcesAs the number of retired people grows there
are relatively fewer workers to support themOrganizations like the gray panthers and the
AARP supposedly watch out for the interests of the retired
Approximately 60,000 members of the AARP have quit between July 1 and August 18, 2009, in a controversy that arose over AARP's support for U.S. health care reform
Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly
12Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly
Recurring ProblemsWomen are likely to live alone and be poor
About 4% of the elderly live in nursing homes that are understaffed and patients are neglected and dehumanized
The most common abusers of the elderly are members of their own family
13Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly
The Sociology of Death and Dying
Like old age, death is much more than a biological event.Industrialization brought with it modern
medicine, hospitals, and dying in a formal setting surrounded by strangers
Kubler-Ross identified the five stages of the dying process (Denial, Anger, Negotiation, depression, Acceptance)
Hospices are a cultural device designed to overcome the negative aspects of dying in hospitals
The highest suicide rate is that of people age 85 and over
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Looking Towards the Future
A major change is to view old age as a time of creativity
If this trend continues, it will transform the image of the elderly
Technological breakthroughs may stretch the human lifespan If so, is it difficult to see how younger workers
will be able to support retired people for 100 years or so
*note that our book is a little outdated and the new healthcare bill and rationing of healthcare for the elderly were not taken into consideration yet
Osborn-Adolescent / The Elderly 15
The End
If your grandparents are still alive, do you really know them? To know them is to really know your true history. The elderly have some of the best stories you will ever hear, don’t be afraid to ask.