A Research Study On Successful Aging

These stereotypes, however, are very far from the truth about what occurs during the late adulthood stage. They stem from a form of prejudice referred to as ageism (Berger, 2008). Gerontologists define ageism as “A form of prejudice used to categorize and judge individual based on their chronological age only” (Berger, 2008, p. 615). The issue of ageism can promote patronizing treatment toward persons in the late adulthood stage and even foster discrimination. For example, people in the West unconsciously process

Modern society view’s aging as a form of sickness and the elderly as persons who are closer to dying and death. This is what is often portrayed in our mass and social media. When considering issues of aging sociologists have found that more positive characteristics are often said for persons under sixty five years than for over sixty five years.

The debate topic centered on what is more important in aging mental or physical health. On one side of the debate is the premise that mental health is the key factor in aging successful. The opposing side holds that physical health is the key factor. Both arguments confirm that the relationship is reciprocal but they differ in regards to which one occurs first. That is, does mental health cause physical decline or vice versa.

The United States is in the midst of a major demographic shift. People are living longer which means that the population of older adults, those sixty years and over, is growing. It is projected that by the year 2040, older adults will far outnumber school age children. Older adults are currently healthier and lead more productive lives than ever before, due in part to modern medicine and the new idea of seeing older people for their potential rather than their problems. This has prompted the concept of “creative aging” or “successful aging.” This positive view of aging is not new, only the terminology. Cicero, the Roman philosopher, is perhaps the first to introduce the idea of “good aging” in his essay, “On Old Age” which was penned in the year 44 BC. He wrote this essay in his early 60’s to show that old age is not a phase of decline and loss, and if approached properly becomes a time for positive change and productive functioning (Baltes & Baltes, 1990). Over the last few decades the subject of

Growth and development is an essential part of the life cycle, which leads to the occurrence of different phases like childhood, teenage and late adulthood. Aging is the period which is characterized by the onset of personal, cognitive and social changes. They feel hard to adjust the changes. Like rest of the world, the US also falls in the list of countries which have the highest population of elderly people. According to the Population Reference Bureau report, Americans ages 65 and older has projected to increase more than double from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060, and the 65-and-older age group’s share of the total population will rise to nearly 24 percent from 15 percent (Mark Mather). The

Largest among the growing populations is the age group 65 and older. This course required us to complete Dr. Woolf’s myths of aging quiz. This quiz has 25 questions all about aging issues. In our textbook, “Adult Development and Aging,” Cavanaugh and Blanchard-Fields (2011) state, “Everyone does not grow old in the same way. Whereas most people tend to show usual patterns of aging that reflect the typical, or normative, changes with age, other people show highly successful aging in which few signs of change occur” (p. 16). An analysis of Dr. Woolf’s myths of aging quiz will show several different areas to consider in regards to the

In our society today, the older population is a diverse and growing group with more and more individuals reaching the life stage of late adulthood, and even very late adulthood. According to Hutchison (2015), the late adulthood stage begins at 65 years of age and continues through 85 years of age and the very late adulthood stage begins at 85 and carries through until death. During the aging process, many changes occur within the body and mind as well as family structure and social roles. Individuals who have reached these life stages today may have lived through the Great Depression, the World Wars, the Civil Rights Movement, and many other important historic events, all of which have shaped their life experiences. For

The term “aging” refers to a complex process of biological, physical, psychological and social changes in a person as he/ she ages over their lifetime. Typically, the term refers to older adults and takes on the meaning of the process of “getting old” and “being old”. It relates not only to how individuals live, act and perceive themselves, but also to society’s culture and perceptions, society’s policies and support systems designed for their needs - be it health care, social,

During the interview, my grandmother commented on not feeling as old as she is. While some of her friends have passed away or gone on to nursing homes, she continues to maintain an independent, high functioning lifestyle. However, she knows a time will come when she is not going to be able to continue to live the way she has been living. She described those in her age cohort as varying tremendously in function as they all proceeded into late adulthood. As the research attests, for those in late adulthood, age is not a true indicator of functioning. Research has confirmed that, the better that older people function, the younger older people they feel. Function and development are directly

As a result of the mentor experience, my initial understanding of aging prior to the mentor experience changed. Initially, my understanding of aging what that it was an ongoing process of growth that can be denoted through the physical deterioration of the body. The body grows old, skin wrinkles, muscles shrink, and the bones weaken. However, this is not the only consequence of aging. Aging provides a new outlook on life and builds the spirit when reflecting on a life well-lived. Often times, aging is given a negative connotation when in reality it is a beneficial and positive process that leads to emotional, mental, and social growth. Consequently, one’s perspective of aging ultimately depends on their environments as well as their mediators.

In the last several decades, many have developed different beliefs and perspective on the process of aging. Their view on aging could have been influenced by their own age, gender, time, society, culture, and other countless factors. The purpose of this paper is to explore an older adult’s beliefs on aging by interviewing three people from different age group; an adolescent (ages 14-20), a middle-aged person (ages 45-60), and an older adult (age 70-100 or older). The people I interviewed are Christian (19-years-old African American male), Leroy (60-years-old Caucasian male), and Judy (74 years-old- Caucasian female). The participants were asked to answer six questions regarding of their belief on aging. Each interview lasted for

I have never heard the phrase “successful aging” before reading these articles. In, Successful Aging: Perceptions of Adults Aged Between 70 and 100 Years, I appreciated the author’s clarification of aging success as individualized. In society we tend to want to “pidgeon-hole” everyone into neat, defined categories this portrays the value of diversity. Their participants reporting that they “selected activities that best suited their capabilities” and how over time they “compensated for losses” (Knight & Ricciardelli, 2003). This reveals a generation that seems to make more thoughtful, pragmatic decisions based on their individual capabilities. They have learned to craft their lives to their needs. The study also revealed that seniors may score

Young people in American society are at risk of not aging successfully. Due to the ease of access to unhealthy foods, low levels of physical activity, and generally unhealthy lifestyle choices, many Americans are not expected to age well. For example, the daily recommended amount of physical activity is 30 minutes of moderate activity, but with many American 's making the choice to watch television or choosing desk jobs with little to no physical activity the outlook for aging successful looks grim for many. In this literature review, the focus will be on answering the questions: what does it mean to age successfully and what happens to our bodies and minds as we age? Finding source material to answer these questions was difficult at times, but with vigilance, the answers were found.

In the next several decades, the aging population of the United States is estimated to double. This new generation of older adults will be more skilled in politics and technology than ever before. Because of higher divorce rates this new generation of older adults will have less family caregivers available and a larger number will turn to outside help with aging. Older adults are also projected to have a harder time paying for the increasingly expensive cost of aging care because Social Security and Medicare will be used by more people than we have workers. These demographic shifts will potentially cause economic hardship for all.

Another supporter of changing the way aging is conveyed is author, Margaret Cruiksbank, of the book, Learning to be Old. In her book she is a proponent of changing the way the aging process is described. Her position is that the underlying meaning of popular terms to describe aging weakens its value. She denotes that the term “successful aging” is a false phrase for the elderly as it “masks both the wish to continue mid-life indefinitely and the white, Middle-class, Western values of researchers, causing them to emphasize productivity, effectiveness and independence” (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 2). She also concludes that the term “productive” aging symbolizes “economic usefulness and social conformity” (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 2), especially for the female gender. More importantly, these terms can be used to measure. This ability to measure is subjective to the questioner and an individual’s self-worth. She suggests the term “aging comfortably” as it signifies easiness, and a “faint hint” of pleasurable self-indulgence which may not have been possible in younger years (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 3).