CHAPTER 12: AGING AND INEQUALITY

THE SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF AGE How old are you?

The continuum of age shapes our attitudes and conceptions about how individuals of that age should act

“Act your age” Refers to the chronological age, or their

age based on from when they were born “The graying of America”

Average age of populace is increasing due to baby boomers, increased life expectancy, and decreased birth rates

“Act as you feel” The observable attributes such as

appearance, coordination, mental capacity, etc. that are used to assign people to age categories

TRENDS IN AGING Life expectancy

The average number of years that a group of people born in the same year, are expected to live

Cohort A group of people

born within a specified period of time

Depression-era babies, Baby-boomers, etc.

Gerontology The study of aging

and older people

AGE AND THE LIFE COURSE

Age stratification The inequalities, differences, segregation, or

conflict between age groups The lines between age groups are arbitrary and

there are many gray areas, but typically there is an expectation for the individuals of certain age groups Such as dependency and carefree attitudes in

childhood, moodiness and rebellion in adolescence, and social placement and familial life in young to middle adulthood

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As the life expectancy and longevity of people increases, there will likely be another group added for individuals who are in the 90 and higher ages

Infancy and Childhood Carefree and jovial for many; but, it can be a time of

powerlessness and vulnerability for others One often experiences most of their socialization and

dispositions in this stage

Adolescence Did not exist (as a category) before the twentieth

century; brought on by societal need for specialized, educated individuals

Typically considered the “scapegoat” generation

Young Adulthood Often expected to get married and have a job

Many are viewed negatively if they do not accomplish these things by middle adulthood

Middle Adulthood Onset of senescence, or primary aging, often seen as the

mid-life crisis. Secondary aging are effects that are brought on as a result of the choices the person makes as far as physical activity and drinking, for example

Often have the highest levels of prestige, and income

Late Adulthood Retirement, physical attributes are as important as

physical age in stratification Contrary to stereotypes, only about 5 percent of the

elderly live in nursing homes, 10 percent have trouble walking, and 30 percent have trouble hearing

AGEISM AND AGE STEREOTYPES

Ageism Prejudice and discrimination against people on

the basis of age, particularly against older persons Notions like: unattractive, unintelligent, asexual, and

unemployable A naturalistic experiment conducted showed that

many individuals enforce such stereotypes, in this case the views towards the elderly See “Old Pat Moore” on page 399

The study showed that the stereotypes were reciprocating, in other words the individual being judged felt as though they were conforming to those roles

AGE, GENDER, RACE, AND INEQUALITY

Age, gender, race and poverty are often intertwined

Entitlements Certain benefits, or payments, paid by the government

Such as Social Security, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, and pension

Elder Abuse The physical abuse, psychological abuse,

medical abuse (or neglect), or the financial exploitation of people age 65 and/or older The National Center on Elder Abuse reported that

roughly 1.6 million older people are abused in some way in the U.S.

AGING: THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

Perspective

Focus Theory/ Hypothesis

Functionalist

• How older people adjust to changing roles in society

Disengagement Theory

Suggests that detachment and preparation for death are normal and healthy adjustments for older individuals

Symbolic-Interactioni

st

• Why micro-level contacts between individuals are particularly important for older people

Activity Theory

Based on the assumption that people are more satisfied in old age if they remain active and find new statuses, roles, and activities

Conflict

• How aging is difficult in a capitalistic economy; and why race, class, and gender are factors that make a difference in the well-being of older people

Inequality (Theory of)

(Inequality) follows people across the life course, and poor and middle-income individuals must rely on public assistance to survive in old age

DEATH AND DYING Hospice: an organization that provides a homelike facility or home-based care for people who are

terminally ill Because of advances in technology, death in today’s

culture is primarily associated with the elderly (often in institutionalized settings) There currently are three (popularly) known

frameworks for how people cope with the process of dying

Stage-based

Popularized by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, proposed the five stages of dying: (1) denial and isolation, (2) anger and resentment, (3) bargaining and postponement, (4) depression and sense of loss, (5) acceptance. Some of the stages may exist simultaneously, or can be omitted.

Dying Trajectory

Focuses on dying and the course of death; death is categorized as three phases: (acute) maximum anxiety, (chronic) decline in anxiety, (terminal) the withdrawal from others.

Task-based Based on the assumption that the dying person can and should go about daily activities and fulfill tasks.

REFERENCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

o Sociology In Our Times (Seventh Edition)o By: Diana Kendall

o Notes incorporatedo By: James V. Thomas, NIU Professor (Emeritus)o Formatted By: Jacob R. Kalnins, NIU student

o Pictures Incorporatedo Clip Art (PowerPoint: 2007)o Google Images: Sociology In Our Times