Age Stratification

Chapter 13: Sociology, Schaefer, 1995-2008.

• Youth oriented culture
• Imagine your grandparents making love.

• A simple natural process?
• Sociological Imagination: Cultural and social structural changes have altered this process significantly over the past 150 years.
• Medicine, Work, Power, Social Meaning, Urbanization.
• MODERNIZATION and STRATIFICATION
• Cross cultural variation (Tiwi)

• Changes in health care, environmental and lifestyle impact.
• Gradual, but not uniform across individuals or for a single individual. (Mind vs. body etc.)
• Life expectancy vs. Quality of life

• Self-concept
• Status
• Roles
• Mix between the physical and social elements: Interactionism and the Self as a Social Product.

• Describing the reality and explaining the process.
• Myths and stereotypes (men and women)
  • Health
  • Psych. stubborn, forgetful, slow
  • TV image: unrealistically favorable in 80's, esp. wealth and power, women.
  • Rocking chair image (in general, male v. female)
  • Sexual activity (partner availability)
  • Nursing homes and family relations (family still major source of care: see also, http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/2006/3natlsur.pdf
  • Nearness to and visits by relatives
  • Exclusion, Segregation, and Institutional inclusion

• What is Old?
• Atchley: Labeling, Work and personal value. Economic Reality
• In Our Society today Reality:

1. Suicide

1. Victim of Crime, No, but fear! Yves Brillon: "Generalized fears"
2. Work and self worth: Retirement and lack of roles. Competition for jobs: 1:6 work, vs. Job stealers, dependable and committed employees
3. Income: as a group good--90% of younger; Blacks: 32% below poverty ; Widowed women: 25% live below poverty line. Of those receiving only SS: 29% ~$537/month (1992)
4. Health: 3x the $ costs, 1 of 3 beds, Chronic Illness, Nursing home 1.3 million (5.3%)

Sociology seeks to answer : WHY? What has changed and how do the social changes affect the lives of individuals, families and entire categories of people?

Functionalism:

• Institutional change
• Primary-secondary shift (mechanical/organic, population size, mobility)
• Process of DISENGAGEMENT: Retirement, skills, leisure time, rewards, prepare for death, etc.
• Problems: Lack of anticipatory socialization, lags, bureaucratic introversion: failure of secondary care institutions--Post Dispatch 6/13 1992: MO as older than average >14%; MO 9.6 vs. U.S. 6.3% serious violations in nursing homes: MO 6.7 vs. U.S. 2.7% multiple violations. (number of residents, payment method, Medicaid system, politics)

• Label and Stigma
• MASTER STATUS
• Labeling and Self Perception
• Self-fulfilling Prophecy
• Looking-Glass Self
• Ageism (institutional)
• Sudnow and decisions to resuscitate in ER
• Role reversal, Role Ambiguity, Resocialization, Desocialization.
• ACTIVITY THEORY. Not same, but some role!
• Exchange Theory

Analysis of the aging process involves an examination of the changes in meaning that have been socially constructed and how these changes affect everyone in a society. Example: Old age/senility vs. Alzheimer's, depression, malnutrition. Difference between what is expected and accepted versus the search for cause and constructive treatment.

Conflict Theory:

• Changing power base (Bismarck and retirement)
• Economic structures of work and wealth have shifted
• Industry's need for new skills vs. old wisdom
• Limited resources
• Life expectancy and inequality
• Aged as a MINORITY GROUP: Stigma, discrimination, group solidarity (segregation), ascribed (we all get old), endogamy
• Elder Abuse
• Political power!! AARP, Gray Panthers (>65 vote at higher rate than rest of pop.) : Social change! Leaders can't ignore, voluntary associations and interest groups. (~30% federal budget to old vs. 3% to young)

Back to Patterns of Intergroup Interaction

Back to Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Still RESOURCES are limited:

• If poverty among the elderly has been reduced, why the continued perks?
• In 2007, 34% of men and 25% or women aged 65-69 were workin gin thepaid labor force, and 8% of women and 14% of men over the age of 70 were still working. (2007 Bureau of Labor Statistics).
• Why 80% federal health care budget to the elderly
• Dependency ratio: 1990 5:1, 2005 3:1, 2035 2:1.

• Baby Bust generation already forming revolt.

  Over the next few years as the Baby Boomers get old, with money, images and roles for the elderly are likely to improve, but as the baby busts come into their own; power through control of information production, conflict between the two groups is certain.

  Also: Elderly as not a unified group: Social class, Gender, racial and ethnic distinctions. Yet, collective consciousness is emerging (AARP)

  Social structure impinges upon all aspects of our lives, even those which appear to be purely natural processes. The Stratification of society based upon age helps determine the availability of social roles, the meaning attached to members of various age groups, and the opportunities provided to the members. Social structure, the patterns of interactions and expectations we have with others, shapes the reality of our everyday experiences.

  Aging in any society is shaped by cultural expectations and possibilities. It is understandable that every society will have some form of stratification and differentiation based on age. Sociology seeks to understand the reasons and effect current forms have on the social experiences of a graying population.

Social Institutions: The Family