Chapter 14

Age and Aging

Chapter Outline The Social Construction of Aging A Society Grows Old Growing Up/Growing Old: Aging and the

Life Course Age, Diversity, and Inequality

Dementia Term used to describe a variety of diseases

that involve some permanent damage to the brain.

Involves an impaired awareness of one’s self and surroundings, memory loss, and tendencies toward delusions and hallucinations.

Alzheimer’s disease occurs among approximately 10% of the population over age 65 and half of the population over age 85.

Social Factors in the Aging Process What it means to grow older and how

people age are social phenomena. The influence of social definitions on

aging are illustrated by the distinction in cognitive and chronological age. Cognitive age is how old one thinks of

oneself as being. Chronological age is one’s actual age.

Age Stereotypes Preconceived judgments about the

characteristics of different age groups. Common stereotypes of the elderly include that

they are: forgetful, set in their ways, meddlesome, conservative, inactive, unproductive, lonely, mentally dim, and uninterested in sex.

Studies find women are viewed as old as much as a decade sooner than men.

The Aged: Myths and Realities Myth: Most old people have no interest or

capacity for sex. Although there is some decline in sexual

activity as people age, there is less decline in interest than in activity.

Even after age 65, people report an average of sex 2.5 times a month, compared to 7.1 times for those 18 to 65.

The Aged: Myths and Realities Old people are usually senile.

Only a small minority of the elderly can be considered senile; about 10% suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

Most old people end up in nursing homes and other institutions. Less than 5% of the elderly are in a nursing

home or other institution at any particular time.

Age Norms Explicit and implicit rules that spell out the

expectations society has for different ages. They define what you should or should not do

according to your age. Young people are not supposed to be

sexually active and are supposed to stay in school.

The elderly are expected to retire from their jobs and be less active and publicly visible than those supposedly in their prime.

A Society Grows Old America’s older population will double by

2030, reaching some 70 million. The most rapid growth among the older

population is among those who are 85 years and over.

In 1900, only 4% of the population was over age 65; by the end of the century, it was 12%; and by 2025, it will be 18%.

Contract Between Generations The expectation that the first generation will

grow up and raise the second generation who in turn produce a third generation.

Each generation cares for the next, and the second or third generation will care for the first when they become old.

Parents care for children who in turn care for their children.

Social Security First established in 1935 as Old Age, Survivors’,

and Disability Insurance. It works through a payroll tax placed on the

earnings of current workers, employers, and self-employed people.

The money is placed in a federal trust fund and drawn on from those currently receiving Social Security.

How much you receive depends on your lifetime earnings.

Social Security Social Security expenditures are 1/4 of

the federal budget for human, physical, and defense resources.

In 1945, Social Security had 35 people paying into the fund for every recipient drawing upon it.

By the late 1990s, the ratio was 3.2 to 1.

Socialization Across the Life Cycle Childhood - establish identity and values. Adolescence - form a consistent identity. Adulthood and Old Age - learn new roles

and expectations in adult life.

Slowing the Transition to Adulthood

1980 2002

% age 20 to 21 in school 31.0% 45.5

Median age at first marriage

Women 21.8 25.3

Men 23.6 26.9

% aged 16 to 19 in labor force

Women 52.9% 56.3

Men 60.5% 69.7

Age, Race and Poverty

Growing Population of Minority Youth

Where the Aged Live

Polling Question Medical and health insurance premiums

should not be based on age of the recipient.

A.) Strongly agree

B.) Agree somewhat

C.) Unsure

D.) Disagree somewhat

E.) Strongly disagree

Nursing Homes The average annual cost of a nursing home is

now about $57,000 per person per year. The median income for all elderly is just over

$23,000. Medicare and Medicaid are federal programs

that assist the elderly. Medicare was established in the 1960s to

provide health services for older Americans. Medicaid provides health care assistance for

the poor, including the elderly.

Elder Abuse The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates

that there are between 820,000 and 1,860,000 abused elders in the United States

Elder abuse is often hidden in the privacy of families or behind institutional doors, and victims are reluctant to talk about their situations.

Reports of elder abuse have increased since the mid-1980s.

Euthanasia Killing a severely ill person or allowing the

person to die as an act of mercy such as in physician-assisted suicide.

The public is divided in its support for euthanasia: 49% say physician-assisted suicide is

morally wrong 45% say it is morally acceptable

Age Prejudice and Discrimination Age prejudice is a negative attitude about an

age group generalized to all people in that group.

Age discrimination is the different and unequal treatment of people based solely on their age.

Age prejudice is a covert attitude, age discrimination involves actual behavior.

The Age Discrimination Employment Act, passed in 1967, protects people from age discrimination in employment.

Polling Question I don't value older people in our society

as much as younger people.

A.) Strongly agree

B.) Agree somewhat

C.) Unsure

D.) Disagree somewhat

E.) Strongly disagree

Quadruple Jeopardy The simultaneous effects of being old, minority,

female, and poor. The status of old is lower than that of adult. The status of minority is lower than that of

White. The status of women is lower than that of

men. The status of poor is lower than that of

middle-class.

The Changing Global Age Structure

The World’s Oldest-Old

Functionalist Theory of Aging

Age differentiation

Each group has varying utility levels in society

Age groups

Valued according to usefulness in society

Age stratification Results from the functional value of different age cohorts

Conflict Theory of Aging

Age differentiation

Results from different economic status and power of age cohorts

Age groups Compete for resources in society resulting in inequities and conflict

Age stratification Intertwines with inequalities of class, race, and gender

Symbolic Interaction Theory of Aging

Age differentiation

Social value placed on different age groups varies across cultures

Age groups Stereotyped according to perceived value of different groups

Age stratification Promotes ageism

Quick Quiz

1. ________ is the term used to describe a variety of diseases that involve some permanent damage to the brain.

a. Dementia

b. Senescence

c. Madness

d. Senility

Answer: A Dementia is the term used to describe a

variety of diseases that involve some permanent damage to the brain.

2. Life expectancy is defined as the:

a. number of average years a particular group is likely to liveb. average number of years the baby boomers will livec. total number of years that a particular group will live d. quality of life a particular group is likely to have

Answer: a Life expectancy is defined as the number

of average years a particular group is likely to live.

3. Which of the following statements about aging is incorrect?

a. Age stereotypes differ for different groups.b. Age stereotypes are reinforced through popular culture.c. Gender is not a factor in age stereotypes.d. Perceptions of aging are socially constructed.

Answer: c The statement, gender is not a factor in

age stereotypes, is incorrect.

4. Like class, race, and gender, age is a source of:

a. racial differentiation

b. social stratification

c. age discrimination

d. gender segregation

Answer: b Like class, race, and gender, age is a

source of social stratification.

5. The term used by sociologists to describe the institutionalized practice ofage prejudice and discrimination is:a. age stereotypesb. age prejudicec. ageismd. age discrimination

Answer: c The term used by sociologists to describe

the institutionalized practice of age prejudice and discrimination is ageism.