Aging, Stereotypes, and Ageism Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is characterized by a significant increase in population size?

Technopolosion

Population Implosion

Population Explosion (correct)

Population Displosion

Which demographic transition stage is marked by populations concentrating in urban areas?

Population Explosion

Population Implosion (correct)

Technopolosion

Population Displosion

Which type of diseases became the leading causes of death in the late 1800s?

Acute Infections (correct)

Preventable Deaths

Chronic Diseases

Degenerative Diseases

What is the primary characteristic of Technopolosion?

Spread of new technology leading to health improvements Signup and view all the answers

What does epidemiology primarily study?

Patterns of illness and disease spread Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of aging is influenced by cognitive and behavioral changes?

Learning and memory Signup and view all the answers

How does culture affect the perception of older adults?

Old age can signify high status in some contexts. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines ageism?

Stereotyping and discrimination against older individuals Signup and view all the answers

What does gerontology specifically study?

The issues related to later life and aging Signup and view all the answers

What do stereotypes about aging provide in society?

A basis for age-related discrimination and prejudice Signup and view all the answers

Life course theory emphasizes which of the following aspects of aging?

The influence of social structure and individual agency Signup and view all the answers

What factors influence individual life pathways according to life course theory?

Socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and religion Signup and view all the answers

Changes in social roles and relationships as part of aging are referred to as which type of aging?

Social aging Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes frailty in individuals?

Imbalances across physiological systems Signup and view all the answers

What factors significantly contribute to the rate of decline in bodily functions with age?

Cellular respiration and lifestyle Signup and view all the answers

Which physiological systems are likely to change as individuals age?

Muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems Signup and view all the answers

What are age effects primarily attributed to?

Biological, psychological, and social aging processes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a common change experienced in motor and sensory systems with age?

Increased speed in cognitive processes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes cohort effects?

Shared socio-economic and cultural experiences of individuals born during the same time Signup and view all the answers

What limitation does cross-sectional research have?

It does not allow for the separation of age, cohort, and period effects. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of motor performance is impacted by changes in the muscular system due to aging?

Higher risk of falls Signup and view all the answers

In longitudinal research, what does the panel design refer to?

Examining the same group of individuals at multiple time points Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'multidimensionality of aging' imply?

Aging varies across biological, psychological, and social aspects for each individual. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about aging is correct?

Aging does not necessarily lead to decline. Signup and view all the answers

What is reported difficulty in performing activities of daily life (ADLs) an indication of?

Disability Signup and view all the answers

How do external constraints influence aging?

They can increase the risk for diseases and disabilities. Signup and view all the answers

What significant change occurred in life expectancy from the late 1800s to the present?

Life expectancy increased from 50 years to 80 years Signup and view all the answers

What does demographic data help us understand?

Variations in health, lifestyles, and characteristics of a population Signup and view all the answers

What is a cohort in the context of demographics?

A set of birth cohorts sharing life experiences and characteristics Signup and view all the answers

What is one potential impact of population aging on the economy?

Slower economic growth due to a shrinking workforce Signup and view all the answers

When did Canada's population start to experience accelerated aging?

In 2011 due to the aging Baby Boom generation Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the term 'centenarian'?

A person aged 100 years or older Signup and view all the answers

How is the median age of a population defined?

The age that divides the population into equal numbers of younger and older people Signup and view all the answers

What does the total dependency ratio measure?

The balance between dependents and those able to work Signup and view all the answers

What is one argument against the narrative of the aging population being a societal burden?

Declining fertility may lead to more women in the workforce Signup and view all the answers

What role do foundational theories play in aging research?

They provide high-level guidance in social research Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Aging

Chronological, biological, psychological, and social aspects of aging interact
Culture and historical contexts also shape how we age
Age and status of older people are linked to the period of history and culture
In some cultures, old age is a sign of high status; in others, a sign of decline and lack of productivity
The value of older adults in society is socially and culturally constructed and changes overtime

Stereotypes

Aging-related stereotypes and misconceptions exist
Stereotypes are exaggerations of attributes of a group of individuals
Stereotypes contribute to discrimination and prejudice
Stereotypes are reproduced in interactions and media (TV, film, ads)

Ageism

Ageism is the systematic stereotyping and discrimination against older people
Ageism is socially constructed, expressed and reproduced in media, and can be individual or institutional
Ageist stereotypes include the idea that older people can't drive, smell, aren't sexual, etc.

Gerontology

Gerontology is the multidisciplinary study of aging
The scientific study (biological, behavioural, social) of aging processes
Gerontology goes hand in hand with geriatrics (medicine)

Life Course Theory

Life course theory allows gerontologists to study aging
Gerontologists study individuals and aging, as well as cohorts of people (those born around the same time)
Life course theory urges us to think about life histories and pathways, agency and social structure, and micro/macro analyses

Life Course Histories and Pathways

Experiences early in life affect later experiences
Individual life pathways are influenced by: Socioeconomic status (SES), gender, ethnicity, religion, race, immigration status, sexuality, etc.

Demographic Transitions

Demographic transitions affected many nations from the 1800s and after
FOUR STAGES of demographic transition affected population size and age structure
STAGE 1: Population explosion: A big increase in population
STAGE 2: Population implosion: Populations concentrated in urban areas
STAGE 3: Population displosion: Population became heterogeneous due to migration
STAGE 4: Technoplosion: Spread of new technology, creating improvements in public health (disease control, public sanitation, longevity)

Epidemiological Transitions

Epidemiology is the study of how diseases spread and who gets them
Leading causes of death in the late 1800s: Acute infections like tuberculosis, influenza, cholera
Leading causes of death today: Chronic and degenerative diseases like cancer, stroke, heart disease, and preventable deaths (MVAs)
There were major improvements to hygiene, food access, education, sanitation, water quality, etc.
This increased life expectancy from 50 years in the late 1800s to 80 years now.

Demography and Cohorts

Demographic data helps us understand variations in size, composition, lifestyles, health, and characteristics of a population
Demographic data helps us understand variations WITHIN the population (generations and cohorts)
Generations are sets of birth cohorts who share life experiences and have characteristics that distinguish them from other generations (e.g., Baby Boomers, Gen Z, Millennials)
Age can cause tension or conflict between cohorts (ageism)

Apocalyptic Aging

Increase in ageist narratives framing older adults as a burden or downfall of society, fueling discrimination and marginalization of older adults

Global Population Aging

10% of the world's population is 65 and older
Not all nations are aging at the same rate (many countries are still young)
All nations will have to plan for an aging population in the future

Impacts of Population Aging

Population aging will slow economic growth
Increase in retirement, increase in worker age, decrease in young workers = smaller workforce, slower productivity
Declining fertility may counterbalance the aging workforce
Retirement age could increase, which could increase the number of pre-retirement workers

Canadian Population Aging

Accelerated population aging began in 2011
The Baby Boom was aging (make up a large portion of the population)

Centenarians in Canada

A centenarian is a person over 100 years old

Demographic Change Terms

Median age: the age at which the population divides into equal numbers of younger and older people (the higher the median age, the older the population is getting)
Life expectancy: the average number of years of life remaining for an individual at a given age (i.e., at birth)
Active life expectancy: 'Disability free' life expectancy
Birth and death rates: rates of births and deaths (usually per 1,000 people in a 1 year period)
Sex ratio: Number of males per 100 females in a population
Total dependency ratio: Total number of people less than 19 and more than 65 (young AND old dependents) divided by the number of people who are 'eligible' to be in the labour force (aged 19-64)

Theories in Aging Research

Theories help us understand and interpret the phenomena we observe
Theories provide a set of propositions to model how the social and physical world operates
Theories address WHY and HOW questions, encourage knowledge development
Foundational theories: provide high-level guidance in social research
Age effects: Differences attributed to biological, psychological, and social aging processes of the individual (e.g., older people walk more slowly than younger people)
Cohort effects: Socio-economic and cultural experiences shared by all individuals born around the same time (e.g., people born before the 1940s prefer phone calls over video calls)
Period effects: Historical and societal events that affect all individuals in the population regardless of age or birth cohort (e.g., people born before 1972 are more likely to have received the smallpox vaccine)
Cross-sectional research: Recording observations of individuals at different ages, and reporting findings for each age group
Longitudinal research: Collecting data overtime
Panel Design: The same people, households, organizations are studied at different times
Cohort/Trend Design: People sharing the same experiences are studied at different times, but different people may be studied each time

Aging is a Heterogeneous and Multidimensional Experience

Everyone experiences aging differently
Everyone experiences SOME DECLINE in health and gradual loss of physical, motor, and cognitive abilities with age; this is NORMAL
Aging is NOT a disease or a disability
Aging should not be medicalized
The risk for certain diseases and disabilities increases with age: Individual factors (genetics, life history), choices (lifestyle), external constraints (SES, gender, housing, work conditions)
Disability: Difficulty performing ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIFE (ADLs) or INSTRUMENTAL ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIFE (IADLs)
ADLs: Getting out of bed, grooming, toileting
IADLs: Shopping, meal prepping, banking, cleaning, driving, etc.
Frailty: Characterized by impairments across physiological systems that often entail imbalances in systems
Frailty involves weakness, decrease in muscle tone, and susceptibility to adverse health outcomes

Changes in Physiological Systems with Age

Changes to internal systems occur with age
Muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems change
These changes are usually not noticed until they impact our lives

Changes in Motor and Sensory Systems with Age

Nervous system activity slows with age, leading to slower motor, cognitive, and sensory processes
Neurocognitive disorders and dementia may start to appear BUT ARE NOT A NORMAL PART OF AGING and will not affect everyone

Motor Performance

Motor performance: Action involving muscles to perform skills like walking, grabbing/lifting objects, etc.

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Description

Explore the intricate relationship between aging, societal stereotypes, and ageism through this quiz. Understand how chronological, biological, psychological, and cultural factors influence perceptions of older adults. Delve into the impact of stereotypes on age-related discrimination and the construction of old age in different cultures.