Sociology 1020 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Disengagement Theory, Old Age, Social Constructionism
16 Mar 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Population aging occurs when a society is experiencing growth in the proportion of its people who are older (65+) Geriatrics: studying the physiological aspects of aging and the unique health concerns of older persons. Gerontology: studying aging that involves the physical, psychological, and social processes related to growing older and being an older person. 65 is a social marker of later life; conventional retirement age; age of entitlement to economic benefits in most western countries. Old age connects to the rest of your life because experience of later life is shaped by decisions made and the lives led as younger persons. As a stereotype, aging is equated with trouble, leading us to feel that there is nothing to look forward to in older age. We confront change at all ages and change always tends to be stressful (positive or negative) Negative view of aging is reflected in stereotypes of the old as sick, isolated, ignored, lonely.
