2. Objectives (1 of 2)
1. Define gerontology and how it differs from
geriatrics.
2. Define ageism and explain why it is
harmful to the health and well-being of
older adults.
3. Identify and describe some of the social
roles adults might hold in later life.
4. Describe the importance and focus of
social relationships in late life.
3. Objectives (2 of 2)
5. Define elder abuse and describe the
general characteristics of victims and
abusers.
6. Define mandated reporter and describe
the signs of potential abuse.
7. Explain why some older adults choose to
work in late life.
4. Gerontology
• Scientific study of aging
– Examines biological, psychological, and
sociological (biopsychosocial) factors
associated with old age and aging
• Geriatrics
– Medical term for the study, diagnosis, and
treatment of diseases and health
problems specific to older adults
5. Historical Perspectives on
Aging
• Preindustrial and agrarian societies
– Older adults generally valued for
experience, insight, and wisdom
• Industrial societies
– Older adults generally less valued
– Older American Act (OAA) of 1965
specifically included language to address
needs and rights of older adults
6. Theories About Aging (1 of 4)
• Disengagement theory
– Older adults intentionally remove
themselves from social roles and
responsibilities to allow younger and
healthier adults to take their place as
productive members in society
7. Theories About Aging (2 of 4)
• Activity theory
– Older adults are happier and healthier
when they remain engaged in daily life and
social interactions
– Older adults replace previous opportunities
with new ones
8. Theories About Aging (3 of 4)
• Continuity theory
– People remain consistent in how they live
their life, manage their relationships, and
exhibit their personalities even as their
physical, mental, and social status changes
9. Theories About Aging (4 of 4)
• Biopsychosocial approach
– Combines the theoretical frameworks
– Examines issues utilizing a nuanced
perspective or lens, which can open a
window into experiences and needs of
unique and often hidden populations not
identified in other research
10. Ageism (1 of 6)
• Based on stereotypes, myths about
aging, and language that conjure up
negative images of older adults
• Detrimental to society
• Can result in limited opportunities and
reduced access to resources for older
adults
• Worst form leads to elder abuse,
mistreatment, and neglect
11. Ageism (2 of 6)
• Ageist stereotypes
– Set roles or categories into which older
adults are placed by ageist comments
• Myths about aging
– Making blanket assumptions and
generalizations about older adults
perpetuates myths
12. Ageism (3 of 6)
• Examples of myths about older adults:
– They are either very rich or very poor
– They are senile
– They are neither interested in nor have the
capacity for sexual relations
– They are very religious
– They are unable to adapt to change
– They tend to be pretty much alike
13. Ageism (4 of 6)
• Ageist language
– Insensitive to older adults
– Examples:
• Geezer, old coot, hag, or biddy
• Q-tip, fossil, blue hair, old buck, or codger
• Over the hill or out to pasture
• Gone senile or set in their ways
14. Ageism (5 of 6)
• Ageist attitudes of healthcare
professionals
– Viewing older patients sympathetically as
“poor old dears” places little value on their
abilities
– May use ageist terms such as MFP, VAC,
bed blocker, GOMER, or TMB
– Negative attitudes may be caused by
feelings of frustration or helplessness, or
being reminded of their own mortality
15. Ageism (6 of 6)
• Media stereotyping of older adults
– Movies and television shows regularly
portray older adults in an inaccurate and
demeaning fashion
– Print and television ads tend to portray
older adults at their worst
16. Social Roles in
the Second Half of Life (1 of 8)
• Social roles
– Useful in identifying, defining, and
validating each member of society
– Define positions and support socials norms
and expectations that dictate behaviors and
attitudes within social groups
– Remain with us throughout our lives
– More apt to remain constant in late life
17. Social Roles in
the Second Half of Life (2 of 8)
• Retiree
– Transitioning from a position of daily
recognition and involvement to one with
limited recognition and possible isolation
can be psychologically difficult
– Can be made easier with planning and
preparation of finances, routines, hobbies,
habits, and social interactions
18. Social Roles in
the Second Half of Life (3 of 8)
• Grandparent
– Role many adults look forward to
– Five types:
• Distance figures
• Fun-seekers
• Surrogate parents
• Formal
• Reservoirs of family wisdom
19. Social Roles in
the Second Half of Life (4 of 8)
• Not a static role
– Needs to be responsive to the needs of the
extended family
• Grandparents can support grandchildren
by:
– Providing child-care
– Paying educational costs
– Providing the deposit for large expenses
20. Social Roles in
the Second Half of Life (5 of 8)
• Surrogate parent
– Grandparents are increasingly assuming a
primary parental role in raising
grandchildren
– Can be a demanding role
– Community support programs are available
21. Social Roles in
the Second Half of Life (6 of 8)
• Caregiver
– Caregiving responsibilities can emerge
slowly or start suddenly after an illness or
accident
– Adult children are often unaware of daily
routines, habits, and needs of their parents
until a health crisis arises
– Sandwich generation
• Care for their children and their parents
22. Social Roles in
the Second Half of Life (7 of 8)
• Social roles in context
– Most Western societies stress individualism
– Asian and Pacific Island cultures are
collectivist societies
– Social role of older adult in the household
varies by social expectations
23. Social Roles in
the Second Half of Life (8 of 8)
• Collectivism has sometimes not been
perceived as beneficial to people with
disabilities
• Strong belief in individualistic societies
has produced legislation that provides
protection and accommodations for
people with long-term disabilities
24. Social Relationships (1 of 6)
• Personal relationships
– Maintaining social relationships benefits
physical, emotional, and psychological
health
– Importance of retaining personal
relationships does not diminish as one ages
– We intentionally distance ourselves from
some relationships as we age
– Social network evolves as a convoy of
support
25. Social Relationships (2 of 6)
• Computers and social media
– Computers help older adults to:
• Stay connected to family and friends
• Reconnect with old friends
• Develop new relationships
– Older adults are increasingly keeping in
touch through email and social media
26. Social Relationships (3 of 6)
• The aging couple
– Problems can arise when each person
struggles with the change of retirement at
different times
– Many couples choose not to grow old
together
– Some relationships get better and
experience a renewal or rebirth
– Same-sex couples are no different from
opposite-sex relationships in many ways
27. Social Relationships (4 of 6)
• Aging parent and adult child
– Relationships tend to be as varied as
spousal relationships
– Fair degree of positive involvement
between generations in most families
– Strained relationships can develop for
various reasons
28. Social Relationships (5 of 6)
• Never-married or childless in late life
– Research indicates these older adults are
not deprived of emotional support
– Many have adjusted by adapting their
social network to include relationships
generally thought to be held by partners
and children
– Fictive kin are treated as family and are
linked by close emotional bonds
29. Social Relationships (6 of 6)
• Friendships
– Older adults tend to establish friendships
with people similar to themselves
– Women have more friends and engage in
friendship differently from men
– Older adults nurture friendships and feel a
sense of loss when a friendship dissolves
or becomes inactive
30. Elder Abuse (1 of 8)
• Defined by the CDC as “intentional or
neglectful acts by a caregiver or trusted
individual that lead to, or may lead to,
harm of a vulnerable elder”
• Abuse may continue from years ago or
may start late in life
• Rarely reported
• Does not necessarily occur in isolation
32. Elder Abuse (3 of 8)
• Victims of abuse
– Share common characteristics
• Many are isolated from their social networks
and communities
• Many experience physical and mental health
problems
– May not report abuse out of fear of being
left without services and support
33. Elder Abuse (4 of 8)
• Self-neglect among older adults
– Can permeate all facets of life
– Interventions are difficult to initiate and
sustain because victim does not participate
– Imperative to honor the individual’s
autonomy and legal right to live as they
choose
34. Elder Abuse (5 of 8)
• Perpetrators of abuse
– Savvy in manipulating how they present
themselves
– Substance abuse is common, but is not
generally the cause of the elder abuse
– Tend to be professionals entrusted with
fiduciary care
– Can also include healthcare providers
36. Elder Abuse (7 of 8)
• Mandated reporting
– All states have some form of law or laws
against acts of elder abuse
– Mandatory reporters typically include
healthcare professionals and social workers
– State and local Adult Protective Service
(APS) agencies are frontline responders
investigating reports of abuse
37. Elder Abuse (8 of 8)
• Long-Term Care Ombudsmen (LTCO)
– Advocates for residents in long-term care
facilities
– Responsible for care provided within a
geographic region
– Can directly receive reports of suspected
abuse, or can work with APS to resolve
elder abuse problems within a facility
38. Employment and Civic
Engagement (1 of 4)
• People are living longer and want to
continue working for various reasons
• Older workers are increasingly being
viewed as an untapped resource
• Bridge employment
– Older workers transition from full-time work
to part-time work, and then into full
retirement
39. Employment and Civic
Engagement (2 of 4)
• Workplace discrimination
– Prohibited by federal law, but still common
– Ignores advantages of hiring older workers
– Adult learning theory
• Older adults can learn when given the
opportunity to do so in a way that works for
them
– Most obvious when older workers are
asked to take early retirement
40. Employment and Civic
Engagement (3 of 4)
• Retirement
– There exists no sudden or general loss of
ability at age 65 or at any other age
– Today’s retirees can spend 20 or more
years in retirement
– Many older adults continue working after
retirement
41. Employment and Civic
Engagement (4 of 4)
• Important considerations in the
retirement decision-making process:
– Financial and social resources
– Spouse’s/partner’s retirement plans
– Desire to continue working, start a new
career, or volunteer
– Desire to continue living in the same area
or to move
42. Advocacy Groups (1 of 3)
• AARP
– Nonprofit, nonpartisan organization
– Mission is to “enhance the quality of life for
all of us as we age”
– Advocates for social change through
information, advocacy, and service
– Represents adults of all ethnicities and
cultures within the United States
43. Advocacy Groups (2 of 3)
• Gray Panthers
– Originally founded in 1970
– Reorganized in 2015 and became the
National Council of Gray Panthers
Networks
– Mission is to “create a humane society that
puts the needs of people over profits,
responsibility over power, and democracy
over institutions”
44. Advocacy Groups (3 of 3)
• Senior Service America (SSA)
– Previously known as the National Council
of Senior Citizens
– Founded by the AFL-CIO in 1961
– Fundamental purpose is broader than the
scope of retirement
– Involved in legislative issues including
OAA, Medicare, Medicaid, and employment
training opportunities
