Inequality due to Age

1
Inequality due to Age

• Ageism prejudice discrimination against
  people on the basis of age
• Every day in the US
• 1.963 babies are born into poverty
• 76 babies die
• 144 children are reported abused or neglected
• 4,320 children are arrested
• 10 people under 18 die from gun wounds

2
Inequality due to Age

• Adolescence did not exist before 20th Cent
• Can be teens or 15 to 24 years of age
• Often are stereotyped as rebellious, paranoid,
  full of angst, druggies, sex fiends, violent

3
Inequality due to Age

• Life expectancy
• 1900 47 years
• Today it is 76 years
• 2010 78 years
• 2050 82 years

4
Inequality due to Age

• People cope with dying in various ways
• Stage-based approach
• Dying trajectory
• Task-based approach

5
Inequality due to Age

• Stage-based approach (Kubler-Ross)
• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Depression
• Acceptance

6
Inequality due to Age

• Dying trajectory not all people move toward
  death at the same speed in the same way
• Acute phase maximum anxiety
• Chronic phase confronts reality
• Terminal phase withdraws from others

7
Inequality due to Age

• Task-based approach fulfilling certain tasks
  makes the process of death easier on everyone,
  not just the dying
• Physical minimize physical distress
• Psychological maximize security, autonomy
  richness of experience
• Social enhance interpersonal attachment
• Spiritual foster hope

8
Inequality due to Age

• Workplace discrimination Age Discrimination in
  Employment Act of 1967 protects those 45
• Retirement is the institutionalized separation of
  an individual from her/his occupational position,
  with continuation from a retirement pension based
  on prior years of service

9
Inequality due to Age

• Malnutrition is a problem for 25 of 65
• 16 of all seniors consume less than 1,000
  calories a day
• 7 of 10 deaths are due to heart disease, cancer
  or stroke
• Seniors account for 1/3 of all money spent on
  health care. This is expected to rise.
• More than 1 million are abused each year

10
Inequality due to Age

• 49 of women 21 of men live alone
• Only 5 live in an institution
• Ages 65-74 1.1
• Ages 85 18.2
• White 90
• Black 7
• Latino 2.5
• Native American and Asian/Pacific 0.5

11
Inequality due to Age

• Functionalist Perspective
• Society requires that older people detach
  themselves from their social roles and prepare
  for their death (disengagement theory)

12
Inequality due to Age

• Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
• Interactionist activity theory older people who
  are active are happier and better adjusted. They
  must maintain middle age lifestyles as long as
  possible
• Role theory what roles are available for the
  elderly?

13
Inequality due to Age

• Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
• Minority theory the elderly find active roles
  within their own ethnic group. They exchange
  their knowledge for deference and respect from
  younger people

14
Inequality due to Age

• Conflict Perspective
• Class inequalities block the elderlys access to
  valuable resources such as income housing
• Capitalism exploits the elderly through the
  health system including pharmaceuticals

15
Inequality due to Age

• Dependency ratio the number of workers
  necessary to support the dependent population
  (those under age 15 and over age 65)
• Currently is 51
• 2010 is projected to be 31