Unit 1: Intro to Gerontological Applications Flashcards
Basic Concepts and Theories of Old Age
-Early gerontologist framed aging negatively
-Old Age= Physical decline, Cognitive dysfunction, Social disengagement, and Marginalization
Disengagement Theory
-Withdrawal of the aged from society and society from the age
-Society presumed older members as unable to fulfill work and social roles
-Social and work roles reallocated to the younger generation
-Late was problematized and medicalized (“incurable” biological and psychological declines, little custodial care or rehab efforts)
Activity Theory
-Polar opposite of Disengagement Theory
-Life satisfaction directly related to engagement
-Increased activity = Increased satisfaction
-Increased purposeful/meaningful activity = Successful aging
-Deeply rooted in individualistic, contemporary US values: Independence, Autonomy, Activity, Progress
Successful Aging (Activity Theory)
-Good physical health
-Mental health
-Financial resources
Continuity Theory
-Follows activity Theory
-Focuses on the relationship between the things people do and their psychological functioning vs. the extent of their involvement
-Does not address declining health or new hobbies or routines
Productive Aging
Refers to all activities that create goods or services of value including paid, unpaid, self defined, culturally defined, and other activities
Reflections on Active Aging
-Researchers account for how peoples perception of their own lives
-People prefer “comfortable, healthy aging”
-Increase tolerance for diversity
-Disengagement theory, Activity theory, Continuity theory all fail to account for structural issues (experiences of unemployment, racism. restricted vocational choices, etc.)
International Uptake of Active Aging
-Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
-American Occupational Therapy Association
-The World Health Organization (WHO)
-The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Person-Environment-Occupational Performance (PEOP) Model
Well being is a function of interactions among:
-Personal Factors
-Physcial Environment
-Sociocultural Environment
-Demands and qualities of a given occupation or activity
-Client centered dimension of OT process
-Synthesize and interpret info from the clients narrative story
-Seeks to identify and verbalize: Client perceptions, Choices, Interests, Needs, Goals
-OT work together with client: Client defined goals, Resources, Barriers
-“Client”: includes persons, groups, and populations
PEOP: Occupational Performance
-The Narrative: Individuals past, current, and future perceptions; choices, interests, goals, and needs
-Person: Cognition, psychological, physiological, sensory, motor, and spirituality
-Occupation: Tasks, activities, roles
-Environment: Cultural, social dominance, social support, social capital, education, policy, physical, natural, and AT
Conceptual Framework of the Book: Late Life Experience from an OT Defines Aging as…
“An ongoing biopsychosocial process that is interactive, situated, and negotiated within specific sociocultural, temporal, and physical contexts
Aging is Complex (Conceptual Framework of the Book: Late Life Experience from an OT)
-Multidimensional and dynamic process requiring transdisciplinary approaches
-The process occurs over a lifetime
-Personal and Environmental factors influence performance
-Patterns are actively interpreted, manipulated, and/or modified by the individuals past, current, and anticipated future
The Study of Aging in Historical Context: The Demographic Transition
-Never in history have people lived to long: 1900, 4% of USA ~3.1 million people lived to be k5 and beyond; By 2040, 21% (~79.7 million people
-Since WWII, global average life expectancy increased from 45 years to 69.6 years
-The oldest OLD (80 years +/-), world wide are projected to increase 233% between 2008 and 2040
-Mid 1950’s the average children per woman worldwide was 5.0
-Current global average is 2.7
-Some countries are below replacement levels
-Near future, those 65 years and older will outnumber children under 5 for the first time in history
Resulting Social Changes and their Implications for Later-Life Occupations
-Decreased family size, fewer members in each succeeding generation
-Changing availability of informal support for older adults
-Fewer younger adults in the work force to support retirees
-A great proportion of health care providers will switch primary attention from diagnosis and cure to health promotion, Rehabilitation, and maintenance of function supportive of personality meaningful well being until the end of life
-Aging was fairly predictable
-Typical woman was widowed before the child left household
-Very few spent their later years retired from work or childrearing
-Nw New Life Era, New possibilities
-Outdated attitudes may impede our abilities to embrace both new challenges and opportunities
-Older Adults are reinventing the experience of aging and in pursuit of meaningful occupations
Implications of Current Gerontological Debates for the Practice of OT
-What is a “good” old age?
-A partnership between the client and OT for a shared definition of “good” old age
-Specialization in gerontological OT occurred relatively late in the history of the field
