Issues in aging

Description

Machine generated contents note: Why Study Aging? -- Ageism -- Culture as a Source of Ageism -- The Media as a Source of Ageism -- Lack of Knowledge as a Source of Ageism -- Some Facts on Aging Today -- Victimization by Fraud -- Effects of Victimization -- Fear of Crime -- Ageism and the Workplace -- The Ageless Self: Another Form of Ageism -- Ageism and the Third Age -- Responses to Ageism -- Change on the Horizon -- The Media -- The Senior Market: A New Image of Aging -- Education Programs -- Intergenerational Programs -- Legislation and Social Action -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Notes -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- The Study of Aging in the Past -- Gerontology Research Today -- Is Gerontology a Discipline? -- Theories of Aging -- Two Levels of Theories -- Three Theoretical Perspectives -- Interpretive Perspective -- Critique of the Interpretive Perspective -- Functionalist Perspective Note continued: Age Stratification Theory: An Example of the Functionalist Perspective -- Individual Aging -- Societal Change -- Critique of the Functionalist Perspective -- The Life Course Perspective: A More Complex Functionalist Model -- Non-Normative Life Events -- Normative, History-Graded Life Events -- Normative, Age-Graded Life Events -- Summary of the Life Course Perspective -- Conflict Perspective -- Critique of the Conflict Perspective -- New Developments in Theory -- Research Issues and Methods -- APC Effects: A Challenge to Gerontology Researchers -- Experimental Research -- Cross-Sectional Designs -- Longitudinal Designs -- Quantitative and Qualitative Methods -- The Humanities -- Information Literacy: The Challenge of the Internet -- Ethical Issues in Research -- Policy and Programs as the Outcome of Research -- The Future of Gerontological Theory and Methods -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult Note continued: Introduction -- The Challenge of Population Aging -- What Is Population Aging? -- The Demographic Transition -- Three Types of Societies and Population Aging -- The Less Developed Nations -- China: A Case Study of Population Aging in a Developing Nation -- The Least Developed Nations -- Ghana: A Case Study of Population Aging in a Least Developed Nation -- Summary of Aging in Developing and Least Developed Nations -- The Developed Nations -- Japan: A Case Study of Population Aging in a Developed Nation -- Population Aging in the United States -- Increased Numbers of Older People -- Increased Median Age of the Population -- Increased Proportion of Older People -- Measuring Trends -- The Causes of Population Change -- Migration -- Death Rates -- Birth Rates -- The Challenges of an Aging Population -- The Aging of the Older Population -- Ethnic and Racial Variations -- Regional Distribution -- Accumulation -- Recomposition -- Congregation Note continued: Interstate Migration -- Amenity Migration -- Retirement -- Moderate Disability -- Major Chronic Disability -- Urban-Rural Distribution -- Changes in the Sex Ratio -- The Impact of Population Aging -- Support (or Dependency) Ratios -- Critique of Dependency Ratios -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Note -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Biological Aging -- The Effects of Aging on Body Systems -- Musculoskeletal System -- Sensory Changes -- Taste, Smell, and Touch -- Sight -- Hearing -- Personal Health and Illness -- Changes in Health Status -- Limits on Activity Due to Physical Decline -- Coping With Physical Change -- Improvements in Technology -- Computer Technology as a Form of Functional Support -- Assistive Devices as a Form of Functional Support -- Improvements in the Environment -- Improvements in Self-Care -- Improvements in Lifestyle -- Decreased Smoking -- Better Nutrition -- Exercise -- Stress Reduction Note continued: Compression of Morbidity Hypothesis -- Successful Aging -- Rowe and Kahn's Model of Successful Aging -- The SOC Model of Successful Aging -- A Life Course Model of Successful Aging -- Anti-aging Medicine and Science -- Social Inequality and Personal Health -- Health Literacy -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Memory and Intelligence -- Memory -- New Approaches to the Study of Mental Function -- Memory and Everyday Life -- Experience and Mental Function in Later Life -- Memory and Everyday Life: The Study of Reading -- Summary of Memory Research -- Intelligence -- New Models of Mental Ability in Later Life -- Plasticity and Cognitive Reserve -- Stimulating the Brain for Growth in Later Life -- Improving Mental Performance -- A Large-Scale Training Program -- Social Engagement and Mental Function -- Physical Exercise and the Brain -- Summary of Findings on Aging and Mental Potential Note continued: The Study of Wisdom in Later Life -- Creativity -- Creativity as Measured by Great Works -- Creativity as Personal Expression -- Self- Development in Later Life -- Spirituality: The Search for Meaning in Later Life -- Social Psychological Change -- Disengagement Theory -- Activity Theory -- Continuity Theory -- Psychological Disorders: Abnormal Aging -- Organic Brain Disorders -- Intellectual And Developmental Disability -- Cognitive Impairment in Later Life -- Functional Disorders -- Loneliness -- Depression and Suicide -- Depression -- Suicide -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Who Are the Minority Elderly? -- Why Study Minority Aging? -- Demographic Characteristics of Dominant and Minority Group Elders -- Whites: The Dominant Group Older Population -- Diversity of the Minority Population -- Aging of the Minority Population -- Three Theories on Minority Group Aging -- Multiple Jeopardy Note continued: Critique of Multiple Jeopardy Theory -- Leveling Perspective -- The Life Course Perspective -- Institutional Completeness: An Example of Life Course Differences -- Structured Inequality and Personal History -- The Impact of Minority Group Membership on Aging -- A Look at Four Minority Groups -- African Americans -- Health -- Income -- Family And Community Life -- Social Support -- African American Men -- The Future Of African American Aging -- Hispanic Americans -- Health -- Elderly Hispanics: The Paradox Of Poverty, Good Health, And Long Life -- Income -- Poverty -- Family And Community Life -- The Future Of Hispanic American Aging -- Asian Americans -- Health -- Income And Poverty -- In Dollars -- Family And Community Life -- The Future Of Asian American Aging -- American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AIAN) -- Health And Income -- Family And Community Life -- The Future Of American Indian Aging -- Responses to Minority Group Aging -- Future Issues Note continued: Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Notes -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Three Models of Health Care -- The Medical Model -- The Social Model -- The Health Promotion Model -- The U.S. Health Care System Today -- Medicare -- The Structure Of The Program -- Medicare Costs And Funding -- Medicaid -- Employer-Sponsored Health Care Plans -- Medigap and Long-Term Care Insurance -- The Health Care System and the Cost of Care -- Cost of Care and the Older Population -- Medicare Costs -- Medicaid Costs -- The Rising Personal Cost of Health Care -- Public Dissatisfaction -- Health Care Reform: National Legislative Action 2010 -- Summary of the Legislation -- Structural Flaws in the System -- Long-Term Care: A Response to Older People's Needs -- Institutional Care -- Community-Based Services -- Adult Day Care -- Respite Services -- Home Health Care Programs -- Changes in Funding to Control Costs Note continued: Managed Care: Alternative Delivery Methods -- Managed Care With A Medical Focus -- Managed Care With a Community Focus -- Disease Prevention and Health Promotion -- Beyond Fitness and Personal Health Promotion -- Future Issues in Health Care -- Availability -- Accessibility -- Coordination -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Notes -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Introduction -- Historical Development of the U.S. Pension System -- The U.S. Retirement Income System Today -- Level One: Social Security -- Who Gets Social Security? -- A Privatized Retirement Income System: The Cure Worse Than the Disease? -- Supplemental Security Income -- Level Two: Employment Pensions -- Individual Pension Plans -- Defined Contribution Pension Plans -- The Cost of Living (a Long Time) -- Level Three: Personal Assets and Other Income -- The Impact of the Retirement Income System on Older People's Incomes -- Inequality in Later Life Note continued: Age Differences and Income -- Gender and Income -- Marital Status and Income -- Minority Status and Income -- Further Effects of Poverty -- Pension Reform -- Social Security Reform -- Family Care -- Spousal Pensions -- Widows' Benefits -- Income Limits -- Supplemental Security Income Reform -- Improved Benefits -- Improved State Supplements -- Higher Enrollment Rates -- Private Pension Reform -- Vesting -- Portability and Indexing -- Better Private Plan Insurance -- The Future -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- The Social Origins of Retirement -- Retirement in the United States Today -- A Note on Retirement and the Great Recession -- Labor Force Participation -- Women and Retirement -- Minorities and Retirement -- Alternatives to Retirement -- Early Retirement -- Partial Retirement -- Second Careers -- Encore Careers -- Personal Responses to Retirement -- Preretirement Planning (PRE) Note continued: Social Structures and Retirement -- The Dual Economy -- Displaced Workers -- The Challenge of Workforce Reentry -- The Future of Retirement -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Introduction -- Living Arrangements -- An Ecological Model of Housing -- Housing Options -- Single-Family Homes -- Home Modification -- Home Equity Conversion Loans (Reverse Mortgages) -- Apartment Living -- Age Segregation vs. Age Integration -- Normal Design vs. Special Design -- Congregate Housing and Assisted (Apartment) Living -- Congregate Housing -- Assisted Living Apartments -- Subsidized Housing -- Single Room Occupancy -- Supportive Housing -- Board and Care Homes -- Nursing Homes -- Accessory Dwelling Units -- Home Sharing -- Retirement Communities -- Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCS) -- Planned Retirement Communities -- Cohousing -- Continuing Care Retirement Communities Note continued: Low-Income, Rural, and Minority Housing -- Homelessness -- The Future of Housing -- Transportation -- Public Transportation -- Private Transportation -- Age-friendly Communities -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Note -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Introduction -- Leisure -- Age and Leisure -- Gender and Leisure -- Minority Status and Leisure -- Leisure Education -- New Activities in Old Age -- Outdoor Recreation -- Fitness, Health, and Well- Being -- Programs That Overcome Barriers to Active Living -- Masters Athletes and the Senior Olympics -- Senior Centers -- Education -- Formal Higher Education -- Informal Educational Options -- Road Scholar (Elderhostel) -- Lifelong Learning Institutes -- The Future of Education for Older People -- Community Service and Volunteer Work -- Volunteer Opportunities -- The Senior Corps -- The Peace Corps -- The Experience Corps -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions Note continued: Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Marriage and Widowhood -- Marital Status -- The Advantages and Disadvantages of Marriage -- Remarriage -- Common-Law Unions and Cohabitation -- Divorce -- Lifelong Singlehood -- Widowhood -- Male and Female Responses to Widowhood -- Future Research Questions -- Dating -- Sexuality -- Sexuality in Long-Term Care Settings -- Physical Changes and Sexual Adaptations -- Gay and Lesbian Older Adults -- Grandparenting -- The Grandparent-Grandchild Relationship -- Grandparenting and New Family Structures -- Grandparents as Surrogate Parents -- The Future of the Family -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- What Is Informal Social Support? -- Family Life and Family Supports -- Informal Supports for Older People -- Three Models of Informal Support -- The Role of Formal Supports -- Community Care -- Spousal Support -- Adult Children as a Source of Support Note continued: Siblings as a Source of Informal Support -- Supports for Childless Older People -- Friends and Neighbors -- Pets as a Source of Social Support -- Minority Differences in Social Support -- Technology and Social Support -- Caregiving -- Gender Roles and the Challenge of Caregiving -- Caregiver Burden -- The Rewards of Caregiving -- Care for the Caregiver -- The Future of Informal Support -- Eldercare and the Workplace -- Older People as Family Supporters -- The Future of Social Supports -- Elder Abuse and Mistreatment -- Theories of Abuse and Risk Factors -- Elder Abuse Interventions and Policies -- Future Issues in Elder Abuse -- The Future of Social Supports -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Death and Society -- Death in Old Age -- The Experience of Dying in Old Age -- Institutional Death -- Changes in the Treatment of the Dying -- Stages of Death and Dying -- Hospice Care Note continued: Hospice Program Goals -- Palliative Care -- Palliative Care for the Elderly -- Ethical Issues -- Advance Directives -- Minorities and Advance Directives -- Beyond Advance Directives: The Importance of Communication -- New Methods of Communication -- Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide -- Mourning and Grief -- Widowhood and Bereavement -- Supports for Widows and Widowers -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult -- Voting -- Participation Trends Among Older Voters -- Will Older People Form a Voting Bloc? -- Holding Political Office -- Advocacy -- The Limits of Advocacy -- The Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act and the Medicare Modernization Act: Two Case Studies in Senior Advocacy -- The Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act -- The Medicare Modernization Act -- Activism -- Government and Aging Policy -- The Older Americans Act -- Generational Equity -- Conflict Ahead? -- Ideology and Aging Policy Note continued: Civic Engagement -- The Future of Aging, Politics, and Policy -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Discussion Questions -- Suggested Reading -- Websites to Consult.