ice age evidence and causes

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Chapter 9

Age and Social Age and Social InequalityInequality

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Myth or Fact? The exploitation of

child labor in the U.S. is largely a thing of the past.

Because most people in the U.S. today have retirement plans where they work, retirement income for the elderly in the future will not be a problem.

Myth Myth


The Functionalist Perspective

Functionalists argue that the stages of the life cycle are intimately related to the social needs of a particular society.

The treatment of the young and the old becomes a social problem when it is inconsistent with their capabilities and development, both biological and social.


The Conflict PerspectiveConflict theorists argue that the position of

the young and the old in society is related to their access to social, political and economic power. Ageism refers to an ideology or set of beliefs

holding that people in a particular age group are inferior, have negative attributes, and can be dominated and exploited because of their age.


The Age Structure of Society Demography is the study of the size,

composition, and distribution of human populations and how these factors change over time.

The age structure of a society is the distribution of people into various age categories.

A dependency ratio shows the relative size of the group in society that is economically dependent for support on others who are working.


Problems of the YoungFamily

Instability

Poverty

SexualAbuse

ChildAbuse

Economic Exploitation Dependency places

the young at considerable risk of being discriminated against or exploited.


Problems of the Elderly Work and Retirement

People are likely to enjoy retirement if it is voluntary, if one’s health is good and if some preparation has occurred.

Poverty and Financial Problems The poverty rate among people over 65 years of age in the

U.S. is slightly below that of people 18 to 64 years of age. Reasons for economic difficulty include: The elderly are

more likely to be outside the workforce and some elderly worked at jobs for years with no retirement pension plan.


Problems of The Elderly Social Isolation

Older people maintain relatively extensive contacts and involvements with friends and acquaintances.

People in advanced old age or with serious physical ailments are most likely to suffer from social isolation.

Domestic Violence Elders who are dependent on others for care face the potential

problem of physical and psychological abuse. Health problems

Almost half of people older than sixty-five years in the U.S. experience some limitations in the activities because of chronic illness.


Problems of the Elderly Fear of Crime

Older people commit relatively few crimes. The elderly tend to be the victims of crime, or at least

many elderly fear that they will be. Institutions and Nursing Homes

Only 5% of older adults live in nursing homes or extended care facilities.

Conditions in nursing homes are related to the tension between the necessity of making a profit and the desire to provide services to the residents, and the difficulty of hiring and keeping qualified staff.


Future ProspectsEfforts to improve the status of the young

focus on finding more equitable distribution of resources between the young and the old.

Many policies have focused on reducing the risks that youth may be exposed to such problems as poverty, family violence, sexual exploitation, and other forms of discrimination and exploitation.


Future Prospects Efforts to improve the status of the elderly

have focused on ensuring that more people have adequate access to financial resources including

retirement pensions, Social Security, and savings and assets;

better health care; and adequate living arrangements including alternative

arrangements such as age-integrated housing, government subsidized housing and supported living environments.

ice age evidence and causes

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