The Elderly

1. The Elderly Chelsea Wittlich Kryssi Bower

2. Thesis • To discuss the various ways different societies cope with ageing.

3. Ageing in Global Perspective • Social Construction of Ageing • Tiwi tribe: “covering up” • Extreme way to cope • Abkhasians: respect • Longest-lived people on earth • Many factors account for their long lives • Elderly continue to contribute to the group • Not a burden to anyone

4. Ageing in Global Perspective • Effects of Industrialization • Higher standard of living • More food • Better public health measures • Effective ways to fight diseases • More people reach older ages

5. Ageing in Global Perspective • The Graying of America • Life expectancy • Has risen from 50 years old to 80 • Graying of America • Life span • At least 122 years old

6. Ageing in Global Perspective

7. The Symbolic Interactionist • Labeling and the Onset of Old Age • People who are older than you seem “old” • This label gradually recedes further from the self • At some point, a person must apply the label of “old” to him or herself • People are used to gradual changes they see in the mirror • Shocked to see friends who have aged

8. The Symbolic Interactionist • What makes someone “old”? • Biology • Physical signs of aging • Personal history • Accident that limits mobility • Generations

9. The Symbolic Interactionist • What makes someone “old”? • Gender age • Relative value that a culture places on the age of men and women • Mature vs. old • Timetables • Signals societies use to inform their members that they are old • Particular birthdays

10. The Functionalist Perspective • How parts of society work together • Age cohort • If age cohort is large, more jobs open • If age cohort is small, less jobs open • When elderly retire, adjustments must occur in society

11. The Functionalist Perspective • Disengagement theory • Society prevents disruption when elderly leave positions of responsibility • Pensions • Mutual benefit • Smooth transition between generations

12. The Functionalist Perspective • Activity theory • The more activities they are involved in, the happier they are • Research is mixed • Some elderly are content with not doing a lot • Some are content only when they’re actively involved in something • Relationships with friends • working

13. The Conflict Perspective • Competition, disequilibrium, change • Social Security Conflict • Cause conflict between elderly and young • Complaints that elderly are getting more than their fair share of resources • The graying of the U.S. leaves proportionately fewer working people to pay for social security • Dependence ratio • Medical costs have soared

14. Problems of Dependency • Isolation, nursing homes, abuse, poverty • Isolation and Gender • Women generally live longer • Become widows in old age

15. Problems of Dependency • Nursing homes • Some residents return home after a few weeks or months • Some die after a short stay • Many are widowed or have never been married • Memory loss is common • Nursing homes are thought to neglect, beat, mistreat elderly

16. Problems of Dependency • Nursing Homes(cont’d) • In reality, most nursing homes are relatively decent • Most provide aides who take care of the patients • A study of a well-run middle class nursing home showed • 70% of residents who were parents grew closer to their family • 30% were still alienated from their children

17. Problems of Dependency • Nursing Homes(cont’d) • Nursing Home Reform Amendments passed in 1987 • Provided a bill of rights for nursing home residents • Technology in Nursing Homes • Email • Reduces depression, loneliness, and boredom • Keep in contact with relatives • Actual email message

18. Problems of Dependency • Elder abuse • In interviews with random nursing home staff, • 40% admitted to psychologically abusing patients • 10% admitted to physically abusing patients • Most abuse actually takes place at home • Family members, spouses • Due to impatience and stress

19. Problems of Dependency • The Elderly Poor • Fear of poverty • Gender and poverty • Women have lower income than men • This follows women into old age • Race and poverty • Whites are least likely to be poor • African American and Latinos almost three times as likely to be poor

20. Sociology of Death and Dying • Culture shapes the way people experience death • Industrialization and the New Technology • Preindustrialized Societies • Sick were taken care of at home • Died at home • Life was short

21. Sociology of Death and Dying • Industrialized Societies • Dying is managed by professionals in hospitals • Takes place behind closed doors • Isolated, disconnected, remote • Institutional death • Dying is now strange to us • Developed new ways to refer to death • As people grow older, the reality of death is more real

22. Sociology of Death and Dying • Death as a Process • Denial • Cannot believe they are going to die • Avoid topic of death • Anger • Think their death is unjust • Others are more deserving • Negotiation • Bargain with God, fate, or the disease

23. Sociology of Death and Dying • Death as a Process(cont’d) • Depression • Grieve because the end is near • No power to change it • Acceptance • Come to terms with death • Make wills • Pay bills • Christians talk about hope of salvation • Desire to be with Jesus

24. Works Cited • Henslin, James. Sociology: A Down-To-Earth Approach. 5. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001. Print. • www.elderlysoftware.com/images/elderly.html • www.tsadvantage.com • Perkins, Tony. "Growth of the U.S. Older Adult Population." Demographics of the Elderly Population. 15 Dec 1999. Indiana University. 15 May 2009 <http://iucar.iu.edu/geninfo/demo/growth.html>. • Duneir, Mitchell, and Appelbaum. Intorduction To Sociology. 5. W.W. Norton & Company, 2005. Digital

25. Video • www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gxTxHp57WU • www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTnIHA70fwE&feature=related • www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtNI3Rqb_0&feature=related