age Flashcards
(46 cards)
Laslett (1991)
saw age in 3 stages:
1 - a period of socialisation
2 - a phase of work and childrearing
3 - a time of independence
Milne et al (1999)
- the idea of one homogeneous group for the elderly is incorrect
- there’s those who have retired and those over 80
Pilcher
- argued for the ‘young old’ between 65 to 74
- ’ middle aged old’ between 75 and 84
- ‘old old’ as 85+
Johnson and Bytheway (1993)
defined ageism as the offensive exercise of power through reference to age, institutionally, through organisational and legal practices or based n stereotypical prejudice
discrimination through retirement legislation
- pension age used to be 65 for men and younger for women
- it should be an individuals choice, not society
- people aren’t in the position financially to retire
crisis of elderly overpopulation
- by 2021 33% of the UK population will be over 55
- issues such as dependency and healthcare
- more people needing social services and housing
child poverty
- 3.5million children in poverty in the UK
- this figure is constantly rising
elderly poverty
- 16% of pensioners in the UK live in poverty
- fuel poverty being a big issue where people have to choose between food and heat
- since 2013 an extra 300,000 pensioners are living in poverty
Gentleman (2009)
- studied a care home in Ipswich
- even with good care and a safe environment its an unpleasant experience
- families never visit and it’s seen as a place where elderly people are left to die
digital generation gap
- the digital divide causes problems for employment as older people are less comfortable with technology
- they feel like strangers in their own land as they don’t get along with the youth or understand them as they’re not on social media
2019 Ageist Britain report
- 34% of Brits admit they have discriminated against someones age
- 68% of over 50’s say ageism is apparent in everyday life
- 1 in 3 have experience ageism at work
elderly and isolation
- loneliness is experienced the most by the elderly
- lack of income and physical mobility limits them
- basic care in their homes can sometimes breach human rights
elderly and health
- COVID 19 as an example, no PPE, deaths in care homes as not being admitted to hospital
- older people denied surgery due to age and not ability
- dementia affects 700,000 older people
media representation of the elderly
- negative portrayal of older people
- seen as grumpy, a burden and drain of resources
- due to longevity of life and greater dependency ratio
government policies for the elderly
- triple lock guarantee so state pension is uprated by which is higher, earnings, prices or 2.5%
- key areas of support like free eye tests and prescriptions
- cold weather payments have been increased
age
chronological divisons in years
biological age
physical state of the body
life course stratification
birth, puberty, adulthood, old age, death
seven ages
babies, childhood, teenage years, young adults, middle age, the retired, the elderly
stratification
- dividing society into layers
- compare the layers to see how lifestyle and behaviour differs
- social mobility is moving between layers
young people
ages 16-25/30
youngism
- aren’t given the same rights as adults (e.g. political)
- lower pay for the same jobs
- schools give no practical advice for adulthood
- will have to face some of the biggest issues we face today
youth culture
- time of stress and change
- period between childhood and adulthood
- key changes in the 19th century to protect the youth
- extension on schooling and not forced labour
age inequality towards youth
- face many legal restrictions
- COVID 19 is an example as they’re losing education
- not shown as a priority in society as can go to pub but not school
- more likely to lose their jobs