Flashcards on Aging
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graying
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term used to indicate that an increasing proportion of a society's population is elderly.
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elderly
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adults aged 65+
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social gerontology
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a discipline concerned with the study of the social aspects of aging. Studying aging requires a \"sociological imagination\"
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Aging
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can be defined as the combination of biological, psychological and social processes that affect people as they grow older.
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Alzheimer's disease
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a degenerative disease of the brain resulting in progressive loss of mental capacity
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Social aging
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the norms, values, and roles that are culturally associated with a particular chronological age
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disengagement theory
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it's functional for society to relieve people of their traditional roles when they become old, thereby freeing up those roles for other, younger persons.
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Functionalist theories
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emphasized how individuals adjusted to changing social roles as they aged and how the roles fulfilled by older adults were useful in society.
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Socioemotional selectivity theory
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states that older adults selectively choose to maintain fewer; but higher-quality, relationships as they age and experience declines in health.
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Activity theory
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a functionalist theory of aging that holds that busy, engaged people are more likely to lead fulfilling and productive lives
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Continuity theory
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the theory that older adults' well-being is enhanced when their activities are similar to those done earlier in life
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Conflict theories of aging
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arguments that emphasize the ways in which the larger social structure helps to shape the opportunities available to the elderly. Unequal opportunities are seen as creating the potential for conflict.
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Life course
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the various transitions and stages people experience during their lives.
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Social security
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a government program that provides economic assistance to persons faced with unemployment, disability or agedness
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Medicare
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a program under the US social security administration that reimburses hospitals and physicians for medical care provided to qualifying people over 65 yrs.
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emotional loneliness
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absence of an intimate confidant
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social loneliness
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absence of a broader social network
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ageism
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discrimination or prejudice against a person on the grounds of age
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AARP
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US advocacy group for people age 50+ formerly the American Association of Retired persons
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Generational equity
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the striking of a balance between the needs and interests of members of different generations
