reading on ageing Flashcards
ageing and culture
- Studies in North America= mostly describe ageing as a loss od decline, loss ofbeauty, health, independence, usefulness,productivity, and social participation
- Canadians show ageism in their culture, displaying age based discriminiation. This leads to fear and anxiety about ageing, avoidance with elderly people,and use of patronizing language
what is ageism
- Levy et al., shows ageism reduces self esteem, life satisfaction, and life expectancy
- Levy introduced the stereotype embodiment theory= those who are victims or ageism often integrate into their self concept negative age based representations and behave in a way that legitimates these stereotypes
- Ageism stems from cultural beliefs about ageing e.g. collectivist cultures have lower levels of ageism
- Terror management theory (Soloman et al)- ageing anxiety is sometimes delt with unconscious ageist behaviours
- Unfortunately it is accepted and tolerated in most societies (Ayalon and Tech-Romer)
study on ageism
bergeon 2021
* AIMS- understand how older adults from diverse cultural groups perceive the process of ageing and extent they have experienced ageism. AND to determine if andhow culture plays a role in perceptions of aging and ageism
* Method- focus group, group discussions
* Participants- mainly from collectivist cultures, but living in Canada
* FINDINGS-
– most ppts once they understood ageism could give clear examples of its negative impact on older people. However, felt the Canadian community was good for them as they felt involved e.g. seats on public transport and the old age security pension
– Had a relatively positive perception of ageing which can be related to their internalised collectivist culture e.g. still involved in the family such as babysitting
– Certain ppts believed ageing was personally responsible process, suggesting links to internalised idea of successful ageing that we see in Western Cultures
– Highlighted when they feel they have a role in community as an elderly person there self esteem is higher
– THIS COMPARES TO CANADIAN BORN OLDER ADULTS WHO HAVE LOWER LIFE SATISFACTION AND PERCIEVE AGING AS A FORM OF DECLINE
– Without calling it ageism many did explain ageism in the workplace; an expectation of retirement despite still being competent and willing to work
– Also saw female ageism- focus on as women get older their beauty declines
– Important to note that there identity fell with age instead of culture
– IMPORTANT POINT- despite not calling it ageism, most could describe a example of it, suggesting it is a thing, and it does have negative consequences
ageing and learning disability MOSS 1991
– Age specific prevalence rates of learning disability increase during early childhood as the extent to an individual disability becomes apparent. But in later life they diminish because of the earlier death of those with more profound disabilities.
– As the younger ones have died, those who survive into older adulthood are often more robust, then there functional decline becomes very similar to the population as a whole
– Older people with learning disabilities have higher levels of functional abilities than a younger group of learning disabilities because the people that would have more severe functional disabilities have already died (Moss, 1991)
– Bear in mind, people that make it to old age who have learning disabilities have made it through the time where less early year care was provided. So the fact they survived this, means they are more robust (inherently stronger)
ageing and mental health for those with learning disabilities
o Patel et al., 1993- aged 50+ with learning difficulties. Finding 12 % had psychiatric disorders, and 12% had dementia. The disorders identified were mainly depression and anxiety
o Cooper 1997- studied age +65. Found over 65% rate of psychiatric disorder was found (compared with 47% in the younger group)
o Important to think what causes this? The disorders found were mainly anxiety, depression, and dementia which are found in elderly people anyway. So can we say it’s linked to learning disabilities or its just the ageing process itself, and environmental changes that come with ageing
learning disabilities and dementia
o Those with down syndrome tend to develop dementia
o Studies have now confirmed that age related cogitve decline and dementia affecting people with down syndrome occur 30-40 years earlier in life than in the general population
o Down syndrome also linked to Alzheimer’s
social aspects of ageing
o Social and economic changes also affect ageing
o Those with learning difficulties often don’t have opportunities to work, therefore had no retirement plan and no necessary change in lifestyle which is required in any person
o Also those with learning disabilities without options to work, lead to less social interactions
o Ageing related to knowledge about the past experiences of the person with learning disabilities, especially if they cant relate it to themselves (reading life stories may help this)
o Little support of bereavement by people with learning disabilities lead to considerable behavioural and emotional changes that go unrecognised.
facilities for older adults with learning disabilities
o Hogg and Lambe (1998)- explain how services for people with learning difficulties are specialist and segregated from the mainstream
o Learning difficulty services remain unprepared for ageing demands and elderly services are not readily available for people with learning difficulties
o Janicki et al., 1995- advocated the integration of services for the elderly and those services for learning disabiltiies
ageism and heathcare
- Wicklin 2020- shows ageism in nursing and health care can negatively affect the quality of care that is provided
