Sociology: Sixteenth Edition

Sociology
Sixteenth Edition
Chapter 15
Aging and the Elderly
Copyright © 2017, 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Learning Objectives
15.1 Explain the increasing share of elderly people in
modern societies.
15.2 Describe age stratification in global context.
15.3 Discuss problems related to aging.
15.4 Apply sociology’s major theories to the topic of aging.
15.5 Analyze changing attitudes about the end of life.
The Power of Society
• What is the likelihood
that each of us will
serve as a caregiver to
an elderly parent or
spouse?
Graying of United States
• By 2011, over 41 million seniors and half population over
37
• By 2050, over 83 million seniors and half population over
40
• Share of elderly rising in nearly all high-income nations
Figure 15-1 The Graying of U.S. Society
Causes of Aging Population Increase (1 of 2)
• Life expectancy increasing
– Improved housing, nutrition and increased wealth
• Birth rate decreasing
– Decreased infant mortality
– Children are a major expense
– Advances in birth control
Causes of Aging Population Increase (2 of 2)
• Medical advances
– Almost eliminated childhood infectious diseases
– Treat cancer and heart disease
National Map 15-1 The Elderly Population
across the United States
An Aging Society (1 of 2)
• Culture change
– Elderly more visible
– Gradual age segregation decline
– More older college students and second careers
– Increases in social diversity
An Aging Society (2 of 2)
• “Young-old” and “old-old”
– Younger elderly 65-75: Independent with good
health and financial security
– Older elderly past 75: More health problems and
dependent on others
– Oldest old over age 85: Fastest growing segment
with 67% are women
Biological Changes: What Is…?
• Gerontology
– Study of aging and the elderly
– Attitude toward aging depends on societal values
• Physical changes
– Graying hair, wrinkles, loss of height and weight,
decline in strength, vitality, and senses
Growing Old: A Matter of Culture
• Culture
– The reality of growing old is as much a matter of
culture as it is of biology.
– In the United States, being elderly often means being
inactive.
– In many other countries of the world elders often
continue many familiar and productive routines.
Aging and Culture (1 of 2)
• Aging and Culture
– The significance of growing old varies according to
culture.
– Longevity related to technology and standard of living.
Biological Changes
• Health
– Most over 65 report good health.
– “Well-to-do” people are healthier since they can afford
preventive care.
Psychological Changes
• Advancing age does not mean certain impairment of
mental abilities.
– Some research reports improved math and verbal
skills.
• Personality changes
– Elderly can become more introspective.
– Shifts in personality do not normally take place.
Aging and Culture: What Is…?
• Age stratification
– Unequal distribution of wealth, power and privilege
among people at many stages of life
• Gerontocracy
– Form of social organization in which the elderly have
the most wealth, power, and prestige
Aging and Culture (2 of 2)
• Levels of Technology Development
– Hunting and gathering societies
– Pastoral, horticultural, and agrarian societies
– Industrial and postindustrial societies
Global Map 15-1 Life Expectancy in Global
Perspective
Transitions and Challenges of Aging (1 of 2)
• Neugarten stages of coping
– Disintegrated and disorganized personalities
– Passive-dependent personalities
– Defended personalities
– Integrated personalities
Transitions and Challenges of Aging (2 of 2)
• Erikson
• Resolve a tension of integrity versus despair
• Successful aging
– Lies in maintaining dignity and self-confidence and
accepting advancing age
Social Isolation
• Loneliness
– Can be social, physical, or emotional
• Gender
– Affects patterns of social isolation
• Retirement, limited mobility, and negative stereotypes
– Close off social interaction
• Greatest isolation
– Death of significant others
Retirement
• About retirement
– Conditions of retirement matter.
– Retirement means less personal identity and social
prestige.
– Loss of prestige can be minimized in variety of ways.
Aging and Poverty
• Poverty
– Home mortgage is usually paid off.
– Medical care, household help, and utilities may
increase.
– Social security is major source of income.
Figure 15-2 U.S. Poverty Rates, by Age,
2013
Caregiving
• Although parents provide caregiving to children, the term
is more often applied to needs of elderly men and
women.
• 80% of caregiving to elders is provided by family
members; most are daughters.
Elder Abuse: What Is…?
• Abuse
– Elder abuse occurs with 3% of older people.
Elder Abuse
• Abuse is most likely to occur if the caregiver:
– 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
Ageism
• Ageism
– Like racism and sexism, ageism builds physical traits
into stereotypes.
– Older people are more likely than younger to be
mentally and physically impaired.
– Ageism is deeply rooted in our culture (Friedan).
The Elderly: A Minority?
• Streib: Elderly are not 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.
Theoretical Perspective (1 of 3)
• Structural-functional analysis
– Disengagement theory: Society enhances its orderly
operation by disengaging people from positions of
responsibility as they reach old age
Theoretical Perspective: Structural-
Functional Analysis
• Evaluation
– Many workers need income from paid work.
– Some elderly people enjoy work.
– Societal benefits may not outweigh societal costs.
• Symbolic-interaction analysis
– Activity theory: High level of activity enhances
personal satisfaction in old age
Theoretical Perspective: Symbolic-
Interaction Analysis
• Evaluation
– Analytic focus shifts from societal to elderly needs.
– Elders may not be both healthy and competent.
– Societal impact on elderly not considered.
• Social-conflict analysis
– Inequality is based on age categories.
– Different opportunities and access to social resources
create a system of age stratification.
Theoretical Perspective: Social-Conflict
Analysis
• Evaluation
– Theory heightens understanding of age-based
inequality and capitalism on aging process.
– Theory does not address industrialism effects on
aging.
Applying Theory
Aging and the
Blank Blank Blank
Elderly
Structural-Functional Symbolic-Interaction Social-Conflict
Blank
Theory Theory Theory

What is the level of Macro-level Micro-level Macro-level
analysis?
How do we The fact that people For elders, like Aging is one
understand grow old and everyone else, being dimension of social
growing old? eventually die can active encourages stratification.
disrupt the operation both health and Generally, middle-
of society. happiness. aged people have
Therefore, societies Therefore, elders the most wealth and
disengage the strive to maintain a power. Poor people,
elderly from high activity level, women, and other
important tasks and replacing roles they minorities face the
other responsibilities leave with new greatest
as they reach old roles. disadvantages as
age. they grow old.
Death and Dying (1 of 4)
• Historical patterns of death
– In the past, death was a familiar and accepted part of
life.
– Illness, accidents, and natural catastrophes made life
uncertain.
– With progress, dying happened to the very old or the
young when rare cases occurred.
• Modern separation of life and death
– Death may seem unnatural to marry and separated
from life.
– Modern society fosters a desire for eternal youth and
immortality.
– Most dying people occupy out-of-sight place.
• Ethical issues: Confronting death
– Definition of death: Irreversible state involving no
response to stimulation, no movement or breathing,
no reflexes, and no indication of brain activity.
• Right-to-die
– Living wills: Documents stating which medical
procedures an individual wants or does not want
– Euthanasia: Assisting in the death of a person
suffering from an incurable disease
Hospice Movement
• About 40% of
deaths in U.S.
involve hospice
care.
• Hospices minimize
pain and suffering
and encourage
family members to
stay close by.
Stages of Death and Bereavement
• Kübler–Ross
• Most people usually confront their own death in stages.
– Denial
– Anger
– Negotiation
– Resignation
– Acceptance
Bereavement
• Bereavement
– Is persistent profound grief and social disorientation
– Includes how a family and friends view an impending
death affects the dying person
– Is less intense for someone who accepts loved one’s
death, and relationship has reached a satisfactory
resolution
Voting and the Elderly
• The share of our population over the age of sixty-five is
going up.
• In addition, older people are very likely to vote.
• What do these facts lead you to predict about with health
care for the elderly?
What Will The Future Hold? (1 of 2)
• The future
– Increasing numbers of elderly by 2050
– Increasing health status, advancing medical
technology, and growing financial strength of elderly
– Need to review support services for the elderly
What Will The Future Hold? (2 of 2)
• The future
– Need to provide caregiving for more very old people.
– Better quality of life for the elderly
– Changes in how death is viewed
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