Chapter 1 The Field Of Social Gerontology

Front 1

Ageism

Back 1

A systematic stereotyping of and discrimination against people because they are old.

Front 2

Chronological Age

Back 2

Number of years a person has lived.

Front 3

Cohort

Back 3

The aggregate of individuals who experienced the same events within the same time interval.

Front 4

Generation

Back 4

A term applied to studies of family processes, refers to kinship links.

Front 5

Social Role

Back 5

A set of expectations of guidelines for people who occupy a given position or status, such as widow, grandfather, or retiree.

Front 6

Subjective Age Identity

Back 6

How people subjectively define their age; most important factors in determining subjective age identity are activity level and health.

Front 7

Age Discrimination

Back 7

Negative behavior toward older people; acting on the basis of stereotypes.

Front 8

Cohort Aging

Back 8

The continuous advancement of a cohort from one age category to another over its life span.

Front 9

Cohort Effect

Back 9

A difference due to the experiences or characteristics of the particular cohort to which an individual belongs.

Front 10

Frail Elderly

Back 10

Older people who depend on others for carrying out their daily activities; they show some mental or physical deterioration and need care from family members.

Front 11

Functional Age

Back 11

A definition of age based on how people look and what they can do; in funtional terms, a person becomes old when he or she can no longer perform the major roles of adulthood.

Front 12

Generational Equity

Back 12

The view that there is a political trade-off between meeting the needs of the young and the old, that the flow of resources to the elderly has been inequitable, and that this issue will create intergenerational conflict.

Front 13

Gerontology

Back 13

The scientific tudy of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of aging.

Front 14

Middle-Old

Back 14

People aged 75 - 84

Front 15

New Ageism

Back 15

A tendency to patronize and be overly solicitous to the elderly.

Front 16

Oldest-Old

Back 16

People 85 or older.

Front 17

Senescence

Back 17

The study of the biolgical processes that cause mental and physical decline in old age.

Front 18

Social Gerontology

Back 18

The study of the social aspects of aging.

Front 19

Medicaid

Back 19

Enacted in 1965; a program of health insurances for the poor; pays a large share of nursing home costs.

Front 20

Somewhat Impaired Elderly

Back 20

People who are beginning to experience chronic ailments and need some assistance from family or community service agencies.

Front 21

Sterotypes

Back 21

A composite of ideas and beliefs attributed to people as a group or social category.

Front 22

Successful Aging

Back 22

The attainment of peak physical and psychological functioning and participation in rewarding social activities.

Front 23

Well Elderly

Back 23

People who are healthy and active, involved in social and leisure activities, often employed or busy with volunteer work, still carrying out family responsiblities, and fully engaged in the life of the community.

Front 24

Young-Old

Back 24

People 65 - 74.

Front 25

Medicare

Back 25

Enacted in 1965; a national health insurance program for all people 65 or older who are eligible for Social Security; granted as an automatic right to all qualified workers and their spouses.

Front 26

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Back 26

A federal means-tested, social assistance program for the aged, blind, and disabled poor.

Front 27

Social Security

Back 27

Old age insurance; public pension system for retired workers who have made payrol tax contributions; also includes benefits for the disabled, widows, and spouses.