BSS : The life course and ageing Flashcards
What is ageing?
What are the types?
- A combination of biological, psychological and social processes that affect people as they grow
Types of ageing:
1. Biological
2. Social
3. Psychological
4. Moral/ Spiritual
What are problems with the concept of old age?
- older people are conceived as a social problem for which solutions are to be sought
- Research focuses too much on the problems and needs of the older population which reinforces the idea of older age being a time of dependency
- Old age doesn’t have any explicit boundaries but is a gradual process of withdrawal from the labour force, entitlements and involves a combination of health issues. Old age is now classified into young-old, the old-old and the oldest- old with equally vague boundaries
- Ageing is so gradual to be almost imperceptible and is affected by earlier life stages.
What are 4 features of ageing ?
- Slow imperceptibly progressive degenerative process
- To feel and see it depends on how and where we age
- Advancing with chronological age
- Shaped by early life experiences
What do these terms mean in relation to ageing?
Chronological
Biological
Functional
Social
- Chronological - measurement of time since birth;*
- Biological - the changes in a physical state; *
- Functional - functional measures of daily living;*
- Social - social expectations of how to behave.*
Define an ageing population?
- Proportion of older people in the population is increasing relative to the proportions of young and middle aged people (65 YRS… 75YRS may be healthier? frailty impacts whether one will need care)
Give 2 different examples showing the social construction of ageing.
- Aspects of ageing only exist because we give them reality through social agreement.
- Botswana -age is relative there, no age norms surrounding work, child bearing, education, etc
- In industrial societies age is defined chronologically with privileges and citizenship granted by state.
> It is institutional e.g the government that create definitions and expectations of age and life stages
What ideology does society mostly adhere to in relation to ageing?
- decline ideology that equates getting older with getting worse, usually from a health, and often from a financial, standpoint.’
What are the negative impacts of an ageing population?
- Impact on public sector e.g pensions and healthcare
- Impact on productivity with fewer working age adults
- Impact on healthcare delivery
- Burden or asset for society? Mainly seen as a burden
- Does it overlook the contributions of the ageing population to society?
What are positive impacts of an ageing population?
- Baby boomers (1943 - 1960) live longer and are more active, retire when mentally and physically healthier than parents.
- more volunteering - a measure of social capital and a healthy society
- moreinformal care - grandchildren , partners
- older communities - less crime
Describe the following sociological theories of ageing:
1- Disengagement
2- Cumulative advantages/disadvantages
3- Political economy of ageing
4- Active
5- Feminist
6- Life course perspective
Compare life span and life course.
- Life span refers to duration of life and characteristics that are closely related to age but that vary little across time and place.
- The life course perspective elaborates the importance of time, context, process, and meaning on human development and family life.
What makes us age differently?
What is the difference between stereotype, prejudice and discrimination?
> Stereotype: fixed inflexible CHARACTERISATION of a group of people
> Prejudice: a hostile negative FEELINGS and attitude towards a distinguishable group of people based solely on their membership in that group e.g ageism, sexism, racism, etc
> Discrimination: unjustified negative of harmful ACTION towards a member of a group, simply because of their membership of that group
What is ageism?
Give 3 forms…
- Discrimination on the basis of age
>Through age-related social norms and expectations.
1- institutionalised (labour market),
2- internalised (looking young as a compliment)
3- benevolent patronage (assuming all older people need care and are vulnerable)
What are some examples of ageism?
- anti-ageing beauty campaigns, avoiding physical markers of ageing
- well-intentioned comments (young lady being IDed being a compliment)
- portrayal of older people as asexual despite the fact STI rates are rising in the older population
- everyday language (elderly = frail, older persons is more accurate)
-Old age in media, were they main character in love story????
