Beliefs, Hopes, Fears and Expectations

¶ … beliefs, hopes, fears and expectations for your own aging.

As I grow older, it is my hope that I will have taken the necessary steps to prepare a transition in support needs. This includes surrounding myself with a loving support system, taking proper medical steps to improve quality of life and making the proper decisions as a functional adult so that my wishes can be carried out when I no longer have the wherewithal to express them. I am increasingly aware today that the ways I prepare for later life as I grow older in terms of lifestyle and planning will determine how I live as I age.

Describe what is meant by the diversity of older adults and the effects of gender.

The diversity of older adults is comprised of the variance in ages that are implicated by the term. The categories of elderly are distinguished by advancing age sets in which certain health concerns become larger and more permeating. Where gender is concerned, many of these needs divide across this dimension as particularized health risks such as prostate cancer in men or breast cancer in women are concerned.

3. Define in one sentence each of the following concepts of chronological age, identifying its relativity, the concepts of 'young-old,' 'old-old,'? And 'elite old', functional, chronological and biological/physiological age.

According to our research, young-old refers to those just entering retirement age and typically falling between the ages of 65 and 74. Old-old refers to adults between the ages of 85 and 94, at which many of the advancing health and physical challenges of aging become persistent. Elite-old adults are those who advance to 95 years and beyond. Functional age refers to the capacity of the individual to continue to perform in certain faculties such as physical mobility or mental comprehension as one grows older. Chronological refers to the actual age of the individual in years. Biological age refers to the relative fortitude of the aging individual's health and faculties.

4. In one paragraphe, discuss your own attitudes toward aging and ageism.

All too often, the elderly in our society are not shown the value or care they deserve. Aging often leads to social isolation, economic insecurity, loss of a life-partner and a decline in physical capabilities. Quality of life in such instances can only be assured by a compassionate support system. An absence of such a system is a leading factor in one's vulnerability to ageism. Here, opportunities for quality of life become decidedly limited.

5. Identify and discuss health care disparities that you have read or heard about in the past 1-2 years in the news media.

Recent years have led to greater acknowledgement of terrible disparity in life quality for older adults as a function of socioeconomic differences. Financial resources are a top determinant of the way that older adults live in their final years.

6. How could you apply the theories of Erikson and Peck to the promotion of wellness in well Elders?