1 11 12 Gerontology Population Aging Challenges and opportunities o Gerontology the interdisciplinary scientific study of aging and the aging process a relatively new study o Older adults Young old 55 84 Oldest old 85 99 Centenarians 100 o The meaning of age o Life expectancy Chronological age Calendar age Percieved age How old you feel Biological age Functioning of vital systems Psychological age Functioning of psychological abilities 120 is the limit oldest person ever Improvements in expectancy Reduction in acute diseases o Medical and public health improvements Reduction in infant mortality Reduction in female mortality at child birth Treatment advances in chronic diseases o Lifestyle changes affect this Life expectancy the number of years that will probably be lived by the average person in a given year American males 74 years American Females 80 years Depends on things like genetics and lifestyle o Demography Population aging term for shifts in the age distribution of the population toward older ages Cohort group of people born in the same year Population aging affects families social policy economics and well being Change in age structure of the US is related to Increase in average life expectancy Change in immigration patterns Change in fertility patterns across cohorts Gender variations Increase in female life expectancy The majority of older women are single o Highest poverty rates o More likely to be institutionalized hospital nursing home o Baby Boomers Cohorts from 1946 1964 1 4 of current US population Blamed for nation s problems and successes women s rights civil rights movement Profound effects on society from childhood through adulthood Higher level of education over previous cohorts The Baby Boom Cohorts experienced mass social change civil rights movement sexual revolution JFK etc Characterized by heterogeneity Leading edge vs Trailing edge 1946 mid 50 s vs mid 50 s 1964 Changes in work family Implies population aging o Implications of population aging Aging and the environment Structural changes o Transportation o Consumer patterns and marketing o Housing Marketing to Baby Boomers which has already started o Financial services healthcare travel hospitality and retirement Challenges and Opportunities with population aging o Challenge Changes in family structure housing etc Fewer children fewer caregivers Changes in divorced population Childlessness becoming more prevalent o Challenge Shifts in work and retirement Increase in years spent retired Baby boomers might start staying in the workforce longer Increases in retirement age retraining in popular culture and societal changes o Opportunity Evolving social insurance systems Social security age rising Was 62 now up to 67 Strain on social programs for older adults Dependency ratio age population ratio of those typically not in the labor force and those typically in the labor force o Challenge Growing burden of chronic disease Heart disease cancer diabetes Alzheimer s etc Age 85 Oldest old Multiple chronic conditions 1 5 of population but using 16 1 of Medicare Predicted increase in long term care programs institutions etc o Opportunity New roles for older adults Older adults have what everyone else lacks Time Life is settled not worried about school getting a job stabilizing etc The aging opportunity match between older adults and society s needs
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