Ch 5. Inequality Based on Age Flashcards
Social Gerontology
the study of the social (non-physical) aspects of aging
Chronological Age
date of birth
Functional Age
observable traits linked to age
(ex. mobility, strength, coordination, and mental capacity)
Ageism
prejudice/discrimination based on age
Retirement principle
the idea that at a fixed age regardless of mental or physical ability, a person leaves work
The average age at retirement has…
…risen recently and is expected to continue to rise
Workplace Discrimination
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms prohibits unfair age-based employment practices, but discrimination in the workplace remains. Some employers prefer younger workers over older workers.
Will healthcare costs spiral out of control with the increasing aging population?
Many scholars disagree because today’s seniors are healthier than others and everyone is using costly health care services, not just the elderly.
Although reporting of good health declines with age, studies show that…
…many older persons do not develop disabling diseases; the vast majority are functioning quite well. Older people today are much healthier than those who reached old age in the past.
Health stats (Gender, Indigenous people)
- Indigenous seniors report worse health than the Canadian population
- Equal percentages of males and females report good health
Housing Patterns and Long-Term Care Facilities:
Even among those 85+ years, low percentages live in long-term care facilities
Among Western countries, Canada is an average contributor to long-term care (1.23 percent of GDP)
Younger Elderly
Middle Elderly
Older Elderly
65-74
75-84
85+
Home care could be less expensive if available:
- The cost of a private residence is approx—$ 4000/month vs. approx $2000/month for 4 hrs. of daily in-home care
Victimization of Seniors (3)
- Seniors have the lowest rates for violent or property crimes
- Seniors are the main targets of scams
- Seniors are more likely to be abused by people they know
Family Problems and Social Isolation (3):
- 27.9 % of seniors live alone
- Most live in “intimacy at a distance” with children
- Homeless seniors have many problems
Stage-based Approach of Greif (Kübler-Ross)
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
Kübler-Ross (5 stages of grief) focused primarily on younger people with terminal illnesses…
…older may think differently and not move through stages as suggested.
Dying Trajectory
focus on perceived course
People move toward death at different speeds (sudden or slow) and in different ways (Acutes, Chronic, Terminal)
- Acute—Maximum anxiety and fear
- Chronic—Anxiety declines as a person confronts reality
- Terminal—Withdrawal from others
Task-Based Approach
Physical Tasks
Satisfy bodily needs and minimize physical distress
Task-Based Approach
Psychological Tasks
Maximize psychological security, autonomy, and richness of experience
Task-Based Approach
Social Tasks
Sustain and enhance interpersonal attachments and social implications of dying
Task-Based Approach
Spiritual Tasks
Identify sources of spiritual energy and foster hope
Hospice
an organization that provides home-like care for dying
Disengagement Theory (Structural-Functional)
- It is normal for older people to want to be released from social expectations
- Permits transfer of responsibilities to the next generation
Activity Theory (Symbolic Interactionalist)
Older people who are active are happier and better adjusted
Social-Conflict
Class, gender, and racialization divide older and younger people. In a capitalist system, older people are set apart as a group that depends on special policies and programs.
Feminist
Senior single and immigrant women have much lower incomes than senior men, but this should improve with more women in the labor force
MAiD
Medical Assistance in Dying (legalized in 2016)
Eligibility for MAiD (6)
- be eligible for health services funded by the federal government, or a province or territory (or during the applicable minimum period of residence or waiting period for eligibility)
- be at least 18 years old and mentally competent. This means being capable of making health care decisions for yourself.
- have agrievous and irremediable medical condition (changed so that now you don’t need to have a fatal/terminal condition to be eligible)
- make a voluntary request for MAiD that is not the result of outside pressure or influence
- giveinformed consentto receive MAID
- experience unbearable physical or mental suffering from your illness, disease, disability, or state of decline that cannot be relieved under conditions that you consider acceptable
Key Foundations of the Provision of MAiD in Alberta (8)
- Patient autonomy
- Equitable access
- Respect for moral conscience
- Respect and dignity
- Healthcare provider qualifications
- Duty to provide care
- Criminal law application and protections
- Protection of vulnerable patients
