GERON201 Chapter : GERON 201 FULL TEXTBOOK READINGS
Document Summary
Definition of old varies over time, culture, situation. Today we consider 65+ to be old. 200 years ago, 50 would be considered old. Old is relevant to person saying word (ie. child may consider someone to be over 20 years as old). Aging is a process that begins at maturity and continues until death. Some people psychologically and socially grow old before their time. Also applied to interior design, history, literature, and marketing. It is concerned with changes that occur with age as a result of disease. In 21st century, there is a large elder growth spurt as baby boomers turn 65. Racial and ethnic groups who are aged 65 and older will expand faster than the white population. By 2030, one in four elders will be a member of a minority group. Four largest minority groups are black americans, hispanic americans, asian and pacific islanders, and native americans. It describes prejudice and discrimination against the old.