Social Gerontology and Population Aging Practice Flashcards

Flashcards covering the foundational concepts, theories, and policies of social gerontology based on the lecture material.

__________ is a specialized subfield of gerontology that focuses explicitly on the social, psychological, and structural aspects of aging.

Social Gerontology

While chronological age is used for legal milestones, __________ age is a holistic measure of age determined by physical, cognitive, and social capabilities.

Functional

Individuals who are healthy, active, and fully independent are categorized as the __________ elderly.

well

Sociological data shows that most individuals report a __________ age which is significantly younger than their chronological age after early adulthood.

subjective

A __________ is a group of individuals who experience the same significant life events within the same specific historical time frame.

cohort

The paradigm of successful aging popularized by __________ and Kahn requires low probability of disease, high functional capacity, and active engagement with life.

Rowe

While a transition is a discrete role change, a __________ is a long-term pattern or pathway that connects multiple transitions over time.

trajectory

The __________ is a prescriptive, internalized cultural timeline that tells individuals when specific life transitions should occur.

social clock

A __________ effect is the systemic impact of a major historical event, such as the Great Depression, that affects all age groups simultaneously.

Period

The __________ Theory, proposed by Cumming and Henry, argues that normal aging involves an inevitable, mutual withdrawal between the individual and society.

Disengagement

The __________ Theory asserts that the psychological needs of older adults are identical to those of middle-aged adults and requires replacing lost roles with new ones.

Activity

The __________ Theory by Atchley states that older adults adapt by attempting to preserve existing internal and external structures.

Continuity

The scientific study of human populations focusing on fertility, mortality, and migration is known as __________.

Demography

In Stage 2 of the Demographic Transition, __________ plummet due to improved sanitation and medicine while birth rates remain high.

death rates

A __________ or column-shaped population pyramid indicates a stable, low-fertility, and rapidly aging population.

rectangular

The __________ dependency ratio measures the number of adults aged 65 and older relative to every 100 working-age adults ($18\text{ to }64$ years old).

Elderly

Social Security, established in 1935, operates on a __________ model where current worker contributions pay for current retiree benefits.

pay-as-you-go

__________ is a means-tested federal income supplement program reserved for older, blind, or disabled individuals falling below a specific income threshold.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

The __________ Act of 1965 established the Administration on Aging and funds programs like Meals on Wheels.

Older Americans

In social gerontology, __________ is critical because it is the primary funding source for long-term nursing home care after assets are exhausted.

Medicaid

Medicare Part __________ provides hospital insurance and is funded via mandatory federal payroll taxes.

A

Medicare Part __________ requires a monthly premium and covers outpatient services, physician visits, and lab tests.

B

Medicare Advantage plans, which are private managed care alternatives, are also known as Medicare Part __________.

C

The demographic shift toward a tall, thin "beanpole family" tree structure is called __________.

Verticalization

The __________ Model of Social Relations conceptualizes social support as a dynamic network of concentric circles surrounding an individual.

Convoy

The Theory of Intergenerational Solidarity, developed by __________, measures cohesion across six dimensions including associative and affective solidarity.

Bengtson

The most common grandparenting style, characterized as warm and friendly without direct parental authority, is the __________ style.

companionate

The systematic collective movement of older adults to warm-weather destinations is known as a __________ stream.

migratory

__________ housing is an umbrella term for independent living that integrates affordable housing with on-site personal care services.

Supportive

__________ provide a complete tiered continuum of housing, from independent living to skilled nursing, on a single campus.

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs)

In a __________ retirement, members of a married couple retire at different times due to age differences or career trajectories.

sequential

The __________ transition tracks the shift from infectious diseases to chronic, progressive, and degenerative conditions as the primary causes of death.

epidemiologic

The __________ Advantage/Disadvantage Theory asserts that early-life socioeconomic inequalities compound and multiply exponentially over time.

Cumulative

In the Stage Theory of Dying, the __________ stage involves attempting to negotiate for more time, such as living to see a grandchild graduate.

bargaining

The __________ care philosophy focuses on palliative care for patients with a clinical prognosis of six months or less to live.

hospice

In the United States, death is characterized by a culturally pervasive __________ attitude where high-technology interventions are used to prolong life.

death-denying

While younger populations make more attempts, older adults—particularly older __________—have disproportionately higher rates of completed suicide.

white males