1 / 13

Cultural Diversity and Aging Families

Cultural Diversity and Aging Families. HDFS 301 November 26, 2012. Defining Old Age. What is “ old ” ? Old and aged are social definitions that vary from society to society Elders are respected in certain cultures Japan & Native American “ Young old ” (65-85) “ Old old ” (over 85).

paley
Download Presentation

Cultural Diversity and Aging Families

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Cultural Diversity and Aging Families HDFS 301 November 26, 2012

  2. Defining Old Age What is “old”? • Old and aged are social definitions that vary from society to society • Elders are respected in certain cultures • Japan & Native American • “Young old” (65-85) “Old old” (over 85)

  3. Stereotypes & Discrimination • Ageism = Stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or groups because of age • Gerophobic culture – fearful, pessimistic view of aging as decay • Culture is when people equate aging to disease and pathology

  4. Aging and Family Relationships • Family relationships are constantly changing • Longer life spans • Lives of family members are interdependent • Increasing age of one member affects all other members • Family issues affected by longevity: • Grandparenthood • Caring for elderly parents

  5. Theoretical Approaches • Stress Theory – caregiving stress • Ex. Taking care of grandchildren; taking care of partner • Life Course Perspective - age norms & timing of life transitions • Marriage, widowhood, grandparent hood • On-time vs. off-time • Selectivity Theory – selective in social partners • Importance placed on relationships with close family & friends • Adaptive way to cope with shrinking social network

  6. Partnerships in Later Life • ½ of 65+ are married • Men more likely to be married • Women more likely to be widowed • Women more likely to live alone • Poverty • Divorce has increased and places women at higher risk of living in poverty

  7. Partnerships in Later Life • Long-lasting relationships higher marital satisfaction • More time & resources for individual & shared pursuits • Companionship & caregiving • Sexual contact less frequent, but intimacy may deepen

  8. Partnerships in Later Life • Retirement –significant milestone and adjustment for individuals and couples • Men – loss of meaningful job roles, status, productivity • Central to male standards of identity & self-esteem • Successful transition- reorientation of values & goal; redirection of energies and relationships • Women – retirement can be a financial disaster • 40% have no pension • 34% have no health insurance • Many women continue working past retirement age • Traditional marriages – couples have difficulty with retirement • Renegotiate relationship to achieve new balance

  9. Siblings • Long lasting family relationships • Increase in intensity & contact during the later years • Main functions: • Emotional & instrumental support

  10. Grandparenting Style • Grandparenthood is a near universal experience • Remote – largely symbolic, little direct contact • Companionate – leisure activities & friendship • Involved – active parental role • 2 Additional styles among Native Americans • Ceremonial grandparents- live far away, but have frequent contact • Cultural conservator- co-residence for the purpose of teaching the Indian way of life

  11. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren • Caregiving stress • Contextsituation that lead to grandparents raising grandchildren; problems of the parent are a major source of stress • family support- Is there support from other family members? • ethnicity- prevalence of custodial care among Whites is low, may result in more stress: Latino families are more interdependent on one another, may result in less stress • African American grandparents • Teacher, role model

  12. Family Caregiving • Informal vs. formal support • Informal =family, neighbors, friends • Intragenerational vs. Intergenertaional • Formal =in-home services & institutional-based care • Ethnic minority families more likely to use informal support • Close & extended family members provide care • Co-residence more common in ethnic minority families • Filial Piety; Familism • Sandwich Generation- adults in midlife caring for children as well as aging parents simultaneously

  13. Family Caregiving • Filial Piety – obligation to provide support to elderly parents • Factors related to filial duty: • Geographical proximity • Financial standing • Parental need for assistance • Parental need for emotional support

More Related