Week 3: impacts of aging population on society

Question 1

What are the 3 demographic changes that is leading to an aging population?

Answer 1

1. declining fertility rates
2. increasing life expectancy
3. immigration

Question 2

1. aging related changes happen in ________.
2. Aging related changes in the ___________ and our policy responses affect __________

Answer 2

1. individuals
2. population, individual

Question 3

T/F: there are more green space and better street connectivity in aging friendly neighbourhoods

Answer 3

T

Question 4

Explain compositional vs contextual in relation to built environment

Answer 4

compositional = focus on the influence of the individual’s personal characteristics on her/his health status. So from these individuals, there is a high demand for a built environment

contextual = stress the influence of social context. So features that are already built attracts older individuals because it is healthier for them

Question 5

1. What is policy? Give examples
2. Policies have a clear _______ and are usually _______
3. policies only work if they are __________, __________ and _________-_______

Answer 5

1. a set of ideas or a plan of what to do in particular situations that has been agreed to officially by a group of people. Ex: UWO academic integrity policies, Canadian universal healthcare policy
2. goal, mandated
3. targeted, feasible, evidence-based

Question 6

How can we make the ratio not mean dependency anymore?

Answer 6

by making older people productive

Question 7

1. T/F: We can change our life course
2. there is a relationship between _____________ status and aging. Explain this.
3. if we want healthy older people, we must start when they are ______

Answer 7

1. F. we can’t change it, but we can modify
2. socioeconomic status and aging relationship = a poor child will most likely be a poor older person, however this can be modified.
3. born

Question 8

Identify the social factor associated with each that help us get to a healthy status at old age
a) birth/childhood
b) adolescence/young adult
c) work/career
d) elderly

Answer 8

a) birth/childhood = parental socioeconomic resources
b) adolescence/young adult = educational attainment
c) work/career = occupation and income
d) elderly = retirement income

Question 9

Age gives _______ and ________

Answer 9

power and identity

Question 10

What is intersectionality?

Answer 10

interconnected categorizations such as race, class, and gender create overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. Can affect a person’s health, resilience, power and strength

Question 11

What is ageism?

Answer 11

systematic stereotyping and discrimination against people because they are older. Sees aging in a a negative way and classifies older people into a group that is not accepted by society

Question 12

1. Ageism is most common from _________ people
2. How can service providers be ageist

Answer 12

1. young
2. poor service (discrimination), idk

Question 13

1. an assumed _______ becomes a real _______ as a result of ageism
2. what is internalization?

Answer 13

1. burden, burden
2. internalization is when older people internalize the idea that they cannot help or contribute in society anymore. They start to falsely believe the ageist thoughts

Question 14

What are 3 reasons why ageism persists in society?

Answer 14

1. normal responses to the fear of death
2. learned socialization –> from the media, childhood, marketing
3. social discourse –> cultures that value health, youth and independence

Question 15

T/F: living together equals better care and higher affectation

Answer 15

F.

Question 16

1. What is required to eliminate ageism?
2. Combatting ageism is a ________ effort meaning it is the responsibility of all age groups

Answer 16

1. changes in social structure, attitude, policies
2. social effort

Question 17

What does ageism do to the society and individuals?

Answer 17

• reinforces intergenerational conflicts
• deprives society of contributions from efficient older people who have internalized ageism
• impacts social, mental and physical health of older people
• delays achieving healthy aging

Question 18

T/F: Ageism only occurs in older people

Answer 18

F. can occur in younger people

Question 19

1. what is institutionalized ageism?
2. what is stigmatization?

Answer 19

1. discriminatory programs, structures society based on assumption that everyone is young so that older people’s needs are not values
2. label older people as a separate category of people, resulting in differential treatment, loss of status and spoiled identities

Question 20

much of the misunderstanding about ageism in other cultures is due to our tendency to confuse “______ _____” with “_______ _______”

Answer 20

caring for with caring about

Question 21

What is positive ageism?

Answer 21

overemphasis on positive images of aging, which can inadvertently devalue and stigmatize older people who cannot meet this ideal

Question 22

1. What is the modernization theory?
2. how does urbanization affect older people

Answer 22

1. declines in the status of older people and increases in ageism is connected to societal industrialization –> new tech, intergenerational competition for jobs
   2.families become more dispersed and this leads to older people not being involved or having outer roles

Question 23

What is post-industrial society/postmodern society?

Answer 23

loosening traditional social and cultural norms and expanding choices for individuals across their life course

Question 24

T/F: addressing ageism requires broad changes to our political system and even to the economic system

Answer 24

T

Question 25

1. What is status?
2. What is segregation?
3. what is age integration?

Answer 25

1. how we are regarded by others and our positions within society that affect our interactions and attitudes with others
2. limiting between group interactions creating conflict
3. offset tendencies to create age conflicts between generations at the macro level