old age Flashcards
pensionable age in Britain
65-men
currently rising from 60-65 for women
by age 65, how many people are in pursuit of state pension and who said this?
> 90%
Arber and Gin
Kiernan and Wicks use central office of statistics to show how old age is increasing
1901-1.7 million
1991-10 million
2030 (predicted) 15 million
evidence of stigmatisation in old age
1992 age concern survey, 4/5 young british adults worried about becoming old, citing reasons of becoming dependent, ill health and loneliness
who supports stigmatisation of old age?
Hockey and James-everyday descriptions are negative e.g. ‘one foot in the grave’
who talks about ageism being reinforced in british institutions and what is the main argument?
- Arber and Ginn
- labour market, compulsory to retire
- eligibility for state pension and travel/leisure facilities are fixed at specific ages
- also permeates medical treatment…can’t expect to feel fit and healthy if you’re old, excludes them from certain treatments
who supports arber and gin’s argument about ageism in british institutions?
Midwinter-must stop being an active girl guide member at aged 65
who talks about disassociation from old age and what is the main argument?
- Thompson et al
- interviewed sample age 65-87, found whatever their appearance and health, almost unanimously didn’t think of themselves as old
- isn’t as negative as assumed to be, only 21% cited poor health as an issue
who supported Thompson’s findings?
O’Donnell-found labels didn’t match experiences
who talks about the mask of old age and what did they mean?
- Featherstone and Hepworth
- body is a prison for the soul/self
- ageing body is a mask/disguise so disassociate themselves, they know what’s underneath
- body is valued in late modernity and old bodies aren’t valued
Disengagement theory
Cumming and Henry: Functionalist. old people become disengaged from society by withdrawing from the labour market and generally other social activities. prepares society for the ultimate disengagement:death. Functional for the individual as gives them time to focus on upcoming death, functional for society because it allows it to carry on following the death of an individual and not come to a halt
criticisms of disengagement theory
X-Bond, Biggs and Coleman-some are never that sociable (not just old age)
X-ignores structural factors
X-encourages elderly to be lonely by disengaging
political economy theory
Townsend and Phillipson: focuses on structural factors such as capitalism causing elderly to become disengaged as they are told to retire from the labour force. 1991 census data showed only 21% of old age population lives with someone in the labour market. This institutional ageism benefits management of industry and the economy.
criticism of political economy theory
X-Johnstone-concentration on structured dependency limits optimistic views of old age
who critiques Johnstone?
Walker-high poverty levels among elderly. 1991, 54% couples and 63% singles had below average incomes
Exchange theory
Turner. Critiques political economy theory for deterministic capitalism. Insists that old are stigmatised because of their declining reciprocity in society.
criticism of exchange theory
Bernard and Meade-versions of exchange theory have helped fuel debates about interage group conflict over scarce societal resources
Cohort/social generational approach
Dowd-old people considered ‘immigrants in our time’ and ‘strangers in their own land’. have strange preferences e.g. entertainment and fashion due to knowledge of other times. gives them a past situated identity
criticism of cohort/social generational approach
of course there’s going to be differences between younger and older cultures, but this is criticising the culture different cohorts can share
Activity theory
Positive outlook. Associated with functionalism, sees successful old age being achieved by maintaining relationships and taking on new roles. Would limit loneliness and idleness.
criticism of activity theory
downplays cultural factors and unrealistic
