Week 1 What is Gerontology - Centennial College Student PDF

WHY A FULL SEMESTER COURSE ON ISSUES IN HEALTHY AGEING ? Contact Information: [email protected] Office hours: Virtual – via Zoom After class – by appointment Course Outline: Posted in Course Shell Academic Honesty: Course Outli...

WHY A FULL SEMESTER COURSE ON ISSUES IN HEALTHY AGEING ? Contact Information: [email protected] Office hours: Virtual – via Zoom After class – by appointment Course Outline: Posted in Course Shell Academic Honesty: Course Outline: College Policies Evaluation Scheme 1. Assignment 1 15% 2. Test 1 20% 3 Assignment 2: Interview questions 10% 4. Test 2 15% 5. Final Assignment 20% 6. Test 3 (Final) 20% (Week 14) What is Gerontology? Gerontology is...  The study of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of ageing and their impact on the individual and on society Greek word “geron” = old man  Different from Geriatrics(a branch of medicine that deals with the health and care of old people (Oxford dictionary) Gerontology...  Started being studied by social scientists in Canada only in the 1960s  In the 1980s = studied by health scientists  Areas covered  Health  Occupation  Services used  Financial stability  Policies  Quality of life (QOL)! GERONTOLOGY has 2 goals: 1. To increase/produce accurate knowledge about old age and ageing 2. To improve the quality of life (QOL) of older adults GERONTOLOGY has 2 goals: Why is this important to know?  Family and friends are getting older  Working with elderly people  Changing population  Impact on social structures (health care system, family, education, etc.)  Everyone is getting older (and so are you) Professionals who work with the aging population can use this knowledge to create a better life for their clients (including trying to decrease prejudice and stereotyping about aging) So, who wants to get old?  What is “old”?  What is “getting old”?  What are the advantages of getting old?  What are the disadvantages of getting old?  Who is in favour of getting old?  Who is against getting old? Let’s discuss this… But wait! What is ageing? Ageing  The process of getting older  Ageing is senescence Senescence?  The biological process of getting older http://www.senescence.info/Ageing_definition.html (2013)  The gradual deterioration of functional characteristics in living organisms.  Can refer to either cellular senescence or senescence of the whole organism What is considered “old”?  55 to 64 – the older population  65 to 74 – the elderly population  75 to 84 – the aged population  85+ – the extreme aged  60 to 74 – the young-old  75 to 84 – the middle old  85+ – the old-old - Wold (1993) Ageing and Mortality…  Ageing is the collection of changes that render human beings progressively more likely to die (Medawar, 1952) A Graph showing the relationship between age and mortality (US 2002 figures from Magalhaes, CDC) Some stats... Canadian population over 65 years old: In 2005 = 4.2 million or 13.1% of population In 2021 = 7.0 million or 18.6% of population (Stats Can) In 2036 = 9,800,000 or 24.5% of population Or… 1 in 4 Canadians - Turcotte and Schellenberg (2007)  ? Why do you think Canadian health scientists started studying Gerontology in the 1980s? Social challenges for older adults Stereotyping ↓ Prejudice ↓ Discrimination E Stereotyping → Prejudice → Discrimination (Ageism)  Stereotyping  Having a widely-held but fixed oversimplified notion or idea of a person  Prejudice  Judging without really knowing; a negative attitude towards a person  Discrimination  An unfair action or treatment on a person based on prejudice rather than merit - Oxford dictionaries.com (2013); Novak and Campbell (2010) Social challenges for older adults "Because a is a regardless of hair colour. #LisaLaFlamme #NewProfilePic," Wendy’s Canada tweeted on Thursday, August 25, 2022  Social challenges for older adults Maye Musk : model and dietitian – age 74 Myths of Ageing 1. Senility is a normal part of ageing. 2. Most old people are alone and lonely. 3. Most old people are in poor health. 4. Old people are more likely to be victims of crime. 5. Most old people live in poverty. 6. Elders become more religious with age. 7. Old people workers are less productive than young workers. 8. Retirees suffer decline in health and early death. 9. Most old people have no interest in or capacity for sexual relations. 10. Most old people end up in nursing homes. - Wilken (2002) Ageism (refers to prejudice against older people)  Language: Elderspeak (specialized speech resembling baby talk when addressing older adults-may also include words like dearie, cutie, sweetie)  Age-biased medical treatment (may have serious consequences for the patient)  Intergenerational equity (the call for balanced support of older and younger people through public policy and public spending)  Advertising and Media (changing?)  Infrastructure-housing  Ageing as disease (makes normal ageing seem: “undesirable and preventable”)  Workplace - age discrimination in hiring practices is a serious concern around the world –AARP 2007 Ask yourself... Am I an ageist?  New ageism  Belief that elderly need special treatment due to poor health, poverty, and lack of social support  Compassionate stereotype  Attempts to create sympathy for older people but does not give a truer picture of old age - Novak and Campbell (2010)  VIDEO  VIDEO Videos on Perceptions of Age  https://youtu.be/mwNjYe7MM7Y  https://youtu.be/lYdNjrUs4NM  https://youtu.be/phbg9e9vXjU