Aging Essay - 716 Words

Aging Throughout the semester we have tried to understand individual choice and individual experiences in the context of social forces and constraints, and the patterning of experience by location in the social structure. Present your understanding of this very sociological perspective. Use examples and readings to support your position. Illustrate your points by referring to a specific phenomenon. Many times when asked about aging, people will respond with the statement, Aging is what you make of it. This statement places the responsibility to cope in society on the individual. Through careful analysis of the sociological perspective, this can be understood to be another blame the victim situation. Social forces are†¦show more content†¦These ageist stereotypes are socially constructed for a number of reasons the major one being to maintain the status quo. There are many consequences of ageist stereotypes including outright disdain and dislike, subtle avoidance of contact, discrimination in employment and housing, and the creation of a fear of growing older. Even the youngest children demonstrate ageist beliefs about older people. These childrens parents do not deliberately sit down and teach them these stereotypes. They learn them from all of society just as their parents learned them. This social construction of aging goes deep into society. It is in public policy, media, and just about every other major social institution. These factors can have tremendous influence on older adults and the aging experience. Since very part of society reinforces beliefs about what the aging experience is and should be, older adults do not have many individual choices to make the most out of aging. Society creates dependency of the older people through social institutions and programs. This burden of dependency has beenShow MoreRelatedAging Of Aging : Aging2605 Words   |  11 PagesWhat is aging? It is not easy to come up with a working definition of aging; different academics around the world defined ‘aging’ from different perspectives. Based on the collected information I have, I define aging –a multidimensional process of physiological, mental and social changes that occurred over the course of life. Though it is beyond human control, aging experiences may vary between individuals. â€Å"In the developed world, chronological time plays a paramount role. The age of 60 or 65, roughlyRead MoreEffects Of Aging On Aging And Aging1343 Words   |  6 Pagesover time. The changes include physical, social and psychological changes. Causes of aging are very uncertain. Besides, there are several factors which predispose an individual to premature aging. Current theories suggest that this process occurs to due to cellular damage such as DNA oxidation by free radicals causing biological systems to fail. Internal processes such as DNA methylation may also result in aging. Predisposing factors such as space escapades, use of chemically intoxicated substancesRead MoreAging And Its Effects On The Aging1360 Words   |  6 Pagesover time. The changes include physical, social and psychological changes. Causes of aging are very uncertain. Besides, there are several factors which predispose an individual to premature aging. Current theories suggest that this process occurs to due to cellular damage such as DNA oxidation by free radicals causing biological systems to fail. Internal processes such as DNA methylation may also result in aging. Predisposing factors such as space escapades, use of chemically intoxicated substancesRead MoreThe Aging Process Of Aging910 Words   |  4 Pagescycle which views aging as a study decline in functions, the life course perspective sees â€Å"growth and development as a lifelong process†(Novak, 2012), in other words, we as humans are constantly changing, evolving and adapting to the world we live in. Many studies delve into the aging process, physical, mental and emotional to name a few. These studies have been cross-sectional, longitudinal as well as using cohorts to develop conclusions that will enlighten and enhance the aging process in societyRead MoreThe Signs Of Aging And Aging858 Words   |  4 PagesWhen a person thinks of aging, they can think of many things, from a baby getting taller, to an older person growing gray hair. A person’s body changes constantly throughout the span of their life. There is no helping it. While most people think of a person getting older as a person getting wrinkles, losing hair, and becoming more fragile, there are actually many other affects than just those. There are visible effects, and effects that are not visible by just looking at someone. In this paper, bothRead MoreThe Biology Of Aging And Aging942 Words   |  4 PagesChapter 6, Youth and Aging, analyzes how age is percieved throughtout society as a whole. It looks at how the youth are treated and how the elderly are treated. I am very passionate about section 6.6, Problems of the Elderly, because I think we need to focus on giving support to the elderly. I think it is especially important as the dependency rati o is increasing and as the amount of elderly increase the amount of services they need will also increase. The eldderly face many challenges as theirRead MoreAging : An Inevitable Part Of Aging Essay1300 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Oh my gosh, I just found a white hair!† â€Å"I am getting old and I do not like it!† â€Å"I hate birthdays. I do not want to get old.† Who never tried to hide your age? Why are we so afraid of aging? Aging is a normal process of life; the only ones that do not age are the dead ones and Tina Turner’s legs. If the only way not to get old is to die, so why do we get so upset when we find the first white hair? It is probably because there are so many myths out there about old age. So, before we start cryingRead MoreAging Population772 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"To a large extent, current research and development and government policies have helped to ease the aging process.† Discuss this statement in relation to your particular field of study or interest (e.g. economics, science, medicine, social policy, architecture, psychology, technological inventions). â€Å"Population ageing is both a triumph and a challenge† (Lim, 2008). With the advances in economics and medical development as well as better health systems, Singaporeans now are having longer lifeRead More Aging Essays1688 Words   |  7 PagesWhen we are young we never think about what we are going to be like when we are 80 or 90. We just think of the present. Aging is something almost everyone experience’s in their lifetime. Everyone ages at their own rate and time, thus no one has the same experience. Some theorists believe that as we age we become disengage from society, others believe it’s the choices we make that cause disengagement from society. It’s something psychologists have argued for a long time. There is not a lot of researchRead MoreThe Sociological Aspects Of Aging1722 Words   |  7 Pagesand physical challenges of the aged. The sociological aspects of aging are defined by the activities an individual engages in while transitioning to old age. To age well, a person needs to take part in social activities that deal with family or the community. For instance, joining a members club or offering to volunteer in certain activities aid in ageing well. It is, however, important to note that social perspectives of aging are diverse across different cultures. For instance, a 40-year-old