Aging in Society Flashcards
Term for the rising population of those over 65 in America; caused by higher life expectancy and dropping death and birth rates
Graying of America
Loss of income, diminished socialization and changes in identity
Difficulties associated with retirement
A theory of aging that asserts that people will retain their internal and external structures, including their personality, beliefs and relationships, as they age
Continuity Theory
Developed by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, these stages include denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance
The 5 Stages of Grief
This theory states that older people disengage with society due to the loss of their friends, skills, credibility and personal relationships
Disengagement Theory
This perspective sees society as many parts that work together in a system; three different theories of aging are included in this perspective
Structural-Functional Perspective
The length of time people are expected to live; increasing in America due to medical advances and improvements in technology
Life expectancy
One of the stages of grief; while in this stage, patients may not accept their situation
Denial
An act of discriminating against older individuals; these actions can be obvious or harder to notice and can make the lives of older people more difficult
Ageism
An aging theory that holds that aging people will be happier if they remain active both mentally and physically
Activity Theory
A perspective that regards aging as a social construct that is influenced in different ways by different cultures; Western cultures may view aging negatively and try to hide the effects
Symbolic-Interaction Perspective
A term for assisting another person to end his or her life; can be used to refer to assisted suicide
Euthanasia
Include the disengagement theory, the activity theory and the continuity theory
Structural-Functional Theories
