Chapter 3 - Aging

Question 1

What are the 4 categories of defining age?

Answer 1

Chronological age, functional age, social age, and subjective age (also known as psychological age).

Question 2

What is chronological age?

Answer 2

The number of years a person has lived.

Question 3

What is functional age?

Answer 3

The state of a person’s physical capacities, assessment of what someone can do.

Question 4

What is social age?

Answer 4

Social age is associated with the social meanings or roles associated with age.
Retiree, grandparent, widow are all associated with old age.

Question 5

What is subjective age/psychological age?

Answer 5

How old a person feels.

Question 6

What did the 2016 census say about the age group of 65+?

Answer 6

It is the fastest growing group in the population, with the median age of Canadians being 41.2. For the first time in Canada we have more people over 65 than under 14.

Question 7

Why is the 65+ age group the fastest growing group in Canada?

Answer 7

There has been a drop in birth rate over the past 100 years, an increase in life expectancy, and the baby boom is aging.

Question 8

What is the old age dependency ratio?

Answer 8

The proportion of older adults to working-age population.

Question 9

What is apocalyptic demography?

Answer 9

The fear of an economic crisis due to the aging population. (e.g. strain of healthcare services, not retiring)

Question 10

What is ageism?

Answer 10

Prejudice or discrimination against other people.

Question 11

What are the consequences of ageism?

Answer 11

Internalizing ageist beliefs, conform to negative stereotypes (self-fulfilling prophecy), discrimination (in housing, workplace, or healthcare system).

Question 12

What is the decision to retire based on?

Answer 12

• health (ability to work)
• if spouse is retired
• caregiving of others
• can they afford it financially

Question 13

What are the 3 alternatives to retirement?

Answer 13

1. partial or phased in retirement
2. “bridge job”
3. “second career”

Question 14

What is partial or phased-in retirement and what are the benefits?

Answer 14

When a person works part-time at their job as opposed to working full time.
Benefits:
- eases economic strain of retirement
- maintains skills and contacts (incase this is not permanent)
- job provides them with meaning or purpose

Question 15

What is a “bridge job”?

Answer 15

A bridge job is a new or different job to bridge from mid-life career to full retirement. Often part-time, and unrelated to, have lower pay and status than earlier job.

Question 16

What is a “second career” (encore career)?

Answer 16

A second career is a form of a bridge job, but it is not about the money. It is often for self-development, and for purpose and meaning. Exchanging income for impact.

Question 17

Where do most deaths in old age occur?

Answer 17

80% hospital/long term care, and 20% at home.

Question 18

What are the 5 stages of death, dying & grieving by Kübler-Ross?

Answer 18

1. denial
2. anger
3. bargaining
4. depression
5. acceptance

Question 19

What is the critique of Kübler-Ross’s 5 stages of grief?

Answer 19

It’s based on the false assumption that there is one universal trajectory of how people experience grief. It could vary by the individual, gender, culture, religion, disease, etc. Not proven as description, but people may feel like this is what they should be going through.