Sociological Perspectives And Aspects Of Aging

Sociological Aging Social aging is referring to the changes in individual’s roles and relationship in the society as they age. There are many different theories concerning sociological aging. Social theories on aging examine the relationship between individual experiences and social institutions e.g., aging and retirement; aging and institutional care; aging and government policy etc (Barkan 2012). All have limitations, and some can be considered more than others when attempting to understand social changes in aging. Also individuals move through life surrounded by social support system. Some theories of aging such as, role theory, activity theory, modernization, etc. consist of different ways older adults transition through life such as, networks of relatives, friends, and organization that help provide emotional support and help in managing activities in daily living.

We all will one day face the reality of growing older. There are many aspects of this change that will affect us in a large way. According to the Merck Manual of Health and Aging, 1.5% of Americans are 85 or older. This research states that the number

SW2720 Case Study Mrs Ann Smith is a seventy nine year old woman and she has several problems regarding her health and well-being in her elderly age. Many policies and legislation ensure the safety and well-being of the elderly such as Mrs Smith. Legislation and policies safeguard the elderly including Mrs Smith to receive the fair treatment of care and to stop discrimination and exclusion. Discrimination and exclusion is still prevalent today and within contemporary society the ageing population is rising, discrimination and exclusion could increase if it is not appropriately tackled by contemporary society today. There are numerous theories of ageing, some theories are disengagement theory, and the activity theory and these theories have developed key concepts and the effects of ageing on individuals and contemporary society today.

Reference List Aging America, Trends and Projections (Annotated). An Information Paper to the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, 101st Cong. (1990). (Serial No. 101-J). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Ageism is described by "Ageism in America is Hurting Us All, a webpage about senior living, as “a prejudice against older people” ("Ageism in America is Hurting Us All). Provided by the same source, it is explained that “according [to] the World Health Organization, ageism is most rampant in high-income countries, like the United States” ("Ageism in America is Hurting Us All). According to "Ageism in America is Hurting Us All, they found, in a study, that 70% of older Americans concur they had been insulted or mistreated, because of their age. Furthermore, American Society on Ageing, a website giving knowledge about older adults, reported “the term ‘ageism’ was coined in 1969 by Robert N. Butler, M.D., [at the time was a 42-year-old psychiatrist]”

Thank you very much for considering me to contribute to the book. I will be presenting part of what I am thinking to write about in the chapter, at the Aging and Society's 6th Interdisciplinary conference in October. If the presentation would not violate the terms of the chapter submission, I would be very happy to contribute to the book.

As we age, our bodies gradually undergo irreversible physiological and psychological changes from decrease in bone and muscle mass, lung capacity and heart rate to inhibition of cognition and neuro-motor function. However, the speed of the aging processes depends on the person’s genetic predisposition to such diseases as cancer, diabetes and hypertension, the dietary habits and the lifestyle, and also on existence of comorbidities, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, cardio-pulmonary and autoimmune pathologies (McPherson &Wister, 2014). Speaking about my own perspectives on aging, I think I have good chances to age well: my heredity is not burdened with any serious illnesses, I adhere to a relatively healthy lifestyle and my cognition is constantly

1. Tessie is a 78-year-old woman who was born in Greece and moved to Australia when she was 28 years old. Tessie lives at home alone and has 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Tessie’s grandchildren are her biggest passion and are what motivates her in life, as well as sponsoring a child overseas. Throughout the interview, she was cognitively able to attend and respond, concentrate and multitask while occasionally checking on her cooking and answering questions. Tessie displayed a positive outlook on life and discussed how she feels younger than her chronological age, which is aligned with the psych-social theory of ageing. Tessie continues to be very active on a daily basis, although she is experiencing some fatigue due to her busy lifestyle, minimal pain when she finally sits down at the end of the day and her legs hurting occasionally. Furthermore, she has low vision due to years of strain placed on her eyes while working as a machinist.

The most significant finding in the first study, “Gendered Perceptions of Aging: Am Examination of College Students (Barnett and Von Rohr)” is that women have more positive attitudes towards aging than men. When the women were asked to draw pictures of their approach of aging, women drew old women that

Growing older is a chain of strategies that start with lifestyles and maintain in the course of the existence cycle. It represents the ultimate period within the lifespan, a time whilst the man or woman looks returned on existence, lives on beyond accomplishments and starts off evolved to finish off his life path. Adjusting to the adjustments that accompany vintage age requires that a person is flexible and develops new coping abilities to evolve to the modifications which might be common to this time of their lives (Warnick, 1995).

This paper will discuss my own perceptions of aging, using comics from the book “You’re Never Too Old to Laugh” by Ed Fischer. My reflection will draw upon different aspects, understandings, stereotypes and personal perceptions of the history and culture of aging. The first section of my reflection will

Throughout Unit 2 we have reviewed several aspects of the aging process. A big focus in this unit was the three psychosocial theories of aging. These three theories include the activity, continuity, and labeling theories.

It is not an uncommon line of thought to follow that aging generally coincides almost naturally with the development of physical and mental illness, injury and trauma. Undoubtedly, given time the bodies’ strength and resilience deteriorates and its risk of developing complications increases; developing arthritis or a heart problem for

Ageism is a term that refers to a set of beliefs about age. Ageism is a type of stereotyping that relate to prejudgment or discrimination against any particular age group and is viewed as a negative perspective about the elderly. Ageism supposes that the elderly is no longer able to contribute to society in a meaningful way, and drain the broader society’s resources because of a continuous decline in health and well-being. (Women 's Health Encyclopedia, 2011) Studies like the Census Bureau statistics challenge this belief. Reports revealed that a rather small number of the elderly are in nursing homes, and that these individuals tend to be the very oldest. Other reports indicate that being separated with other aged people and having limited opportunities for making decisions, which leads to the decline in function. Although health and social policy believes that aging defines function, it does not. (Women 's Health Encyclopedia, 2011)

This course has expanded my knowledge and view of reading and writing vastly. Following each paper, reading, and class discussion I learned more about myself as a student, and the world as a whole. I have found the books Rules for Writers and Ways of Reading thoroughly helpful throughout the course. This class entails a variety of aspects of the problem-posing concept of education; it truly involves the students and teaches them to think, read, and write individualistically, analytically, and clearly.