Aging  (Page 10/10)

Sex and gender

Due to the traditional sex-typed roles practiced by women and men who are currently among the old-old (85+), gender differences in role continuity tend to exist with women much more likely than men to maintain close family connections (Barer 74). Women also tend to socialize with peers and be more actively engaged in close interpersonal relationships than men (Barer 74). However, white women outlive white men into old-old age so that Amore men than women, aged eighty-five and over are still married, 48.7 percent of white men in comparison to only 10.3 percent of white women. . . . As a consequence, more women live alone in late-late life, two-thirds compared to one-third of men.” Barer in Annual Editions: Aging. Ed. Harold Cox. Dushkin: Guilford. 1995.

To compound the difficulties inherent in widowhood and living alone, the socioeconomic status of women is

relatively poor. . . . Twenty-three percent of women aged eighty-five and over live in poverty, compared to 16 percent of men

greater physical disability because of chronic health conditions [which makes women] less able to independently manage their activities of daily living

all of American society face[s] the challenge of anticipating and preparing for the changing needs and desires of a diverse, aging U.S.

Even though the gender related age gap will continue to exist among the elderly and particularly the old-old, that gap may be closing as Americans become more aware of health issues and practice preventive maintenance (Kirkland 22; Tauber 65). According to Richard I. Kirkland, the

advances that will make us live longer and healthier . . . range from the marvelous to the mundane

[m]ore targeted medical weaponry

[t]he culture still too often patronizes and stigmatizes its elderly citizens

The late thanatologist Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, was a physician who took on only patients were all terminally developed a stage theory of dying. Dying, assuming one lives long enough to complete it, is for the terminally ill, a process. According to Kübler-Ross the stages of dying are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. As the Baby Boomers age, euthanasia, which is helping the terminally ill to die free of pain and with as much dignity as possible, may become a major social issue. There are two forms of euthanasia—passive euthanasia which is allowing someone to die and active euthanasia which is helping someone to die Society in Focus: An Introduction to Sociology: 2 nd Edition. Thompson, William E. and Joseph V. Hickey. New York: HarperCollins. 1996. Sociology: Sixth Edition. Schaefer, Richard T. and Robert P. Lamm. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998. Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society . Andersen, Margaret L. and Howard F. Taylor. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. 2000. . On June 26, 1997, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling that said that there is no constitutional right to die, and states may make their own laws covering euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. How will we deal with this? What are your feelings about this issue?

As with all other forms of stratification there are serious consequences of ageism which includes elder abuse which is the mistreatment of older persons and takes several forms: physical abuse is hitting, pushing, shoving, starvation, and rape; psychological abuse includes threats, intimidation, verbal assaults; and exploitation which is the misuse or theft of financial assets. Society in Focus: An Introduction to Sociology: 2 nd Edition. Thompson, William E. and Joseph V. Hickey. New York: HarperCollins. 1996. Sociology: Sixth Edition. Schaefer, Richard T. and Robert P. Lamm. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998. Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society . Andersen, Margaret L. and Howard F. Taylor. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. 2000. How do you want to be treated when you are old? How can you change the way elders are cared for today?

For more information, please visit the following websites: National Council on Aging: Improving the Lives of Older Americans ; Aging in America: The New World of Growing Older from MSNBC News ; American Society on Aging ; The State of Aging and Health in America from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics .