1. © 2009 The McGraw Hill Companies
Age and Society
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2. © 2009 The McGraw Hill Companies
Aging and Society
Age stratification varies from culture to culture
“Being old” is master status that commonly overshadows all others in U.S.
All who live long enough will eventually assume ascribed status of older person
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3. World’s “Oldest” Countries Versus the United States, 2006
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Source: Bureau of the Census 2005d (projected).

4. © 2009 The McGraw Hill Companies
Perspectives on Aging
Increase in life expectancy has led to referring to people in their 60s as the “young old”
Those in their 80s and beyond are the “old old”
Gerontology: study of the sociological and psychological aspects of aging and problems of the aged
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5. © 2009 The McGraw Hill Companies
Perspectives on Aging
Disengagement theory: society and aging individuals mutually sever many of their relationships
Highlights significance of social order
Activity theory: elderly persons who remain active and socially involved are best adjusted
Withdrawal viewed as harmful to both the elderly and society
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6. © 2009 The McGraw Hill Companies
Perspectives on Aging
Ageism and Discrimination
Ageism: prejudice and discrimination based on age
Critics argue that neither disengagement nor activity theory considers impact of social structure and social class on patterns of aging
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7. Aging in the United States
The Graying of America
In 1900, 4.1 percent of the U.S. population was age 65 or older; by 2010 it will be 13 percent
Highest proportions of older people are in Florida, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Iowa, West Virginia, and Arkansas
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Actual and Projected Growth of the Elderly Population in the United States
Source: Bureau of the Census
2004a: 113; He et al. 2005: 9.
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9. Twenty-Eight Floridas by 2030
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Source: Bureau of the Census 2005c.

10. Aging in the United States
Wealth and Income
Typical older person has standard of living higher than in the nation’s past; class differences remain
Competition in the Labor Force
In 2007, 34 percent of men and 26 percent of women aged 65 to 69 were in paid labor force
Older workers face discrimination in the labor force
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11. Rising Labor Force Participation Rates Among the Elderly
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Source: Gendell 2008: 47.

12. © 2009 The McGraw Hill Companies
Death and Dying
Death has been a taboo topic in U.S.
Kübler-Ross identified five stages of dying
Kalish laid out issues people must face to have “good death”
Hospice care: has goal of helping people die comfortably without pain
Recent studies in U.S. suggest people are breaking through historic taboos about death
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