The Social Issue of Aging

The social issue of aging is primarily concerned with both how an individual age as well as the society by which that individual ages within. There are a variety of factors associated with both an individual's experience with aging as well as society's that warrant explanation within the realm of sociology such as economics, health and social support. The sociology of aging, which is also referred to, though slightly different from, as gerontology is a distinguishing branch of medicine that analyzes the ageing population in society as well as the principles associated with the changing roles and dynamics associated with one who ages. The social issue of aging has often contrasted many of the theoretical models associated with the field of sociology.

Sewell (1992) noted that much of the social issue of aging is related to social structure. Structure is considered one of the more elusive concepts in the social sciences, yet, it provides an essential perspective within the sociology of aging. There appear to be two key indicators of social structure: social status and the roles that individuals play in society. Age is stated to be a significant concept within both key indicators. From the life course perspective, we learn that as individuals age, they move through the varying trajectories of life and while these roles are assumed to be individual choice, they are in fact the mechanics of structure. Individuals play a large number of roles throughout their life (Clarke et.al, 2011). These roles contribute to their status as an individual in society and thus, when these individuals are in the later stages of life, their status begins to change. 

One prominent theory that has been established when discussing the social issue of aging is the social structure theory of mental health. Mirowsky and Ross (1992) theorized that as an individual matures, so does their physiological and psychological process and because age is a structured system, their roles and the opportunities they are afforded begin to dwindle as a consequence. Mirowsky (1996) argued that the system of age, or rather using age as a marker is a form of role allocation. In other words, society utilizes the social structural theory of mental health as a way of differentiating individuals who age versus that society considers to still be progressing through the various trajectories of life. It is here often that the sociological discussion regarding ageing begins to branch into many discourses on the reasoning’s behind ageing. Discussions are usually structured around race and ethnicity and socio-economic status within the realm of mental health. Sociologists reason that mental health has an effect on an individual's role in society, thus, their race and ethnicity as well as their financial status plays a noteworthy factor in their mental health (Clarke et.al, 2011).

Aging has also produced a stereotypical construct known as ageism. Ageism has been defined as a set of attitudes towards the elderly or older individuals in society. Coined by Butler (1969), ageism has also been utilized when describing younger children; however, is more notably known within the social issue of aging. There is a myriad of information known regarding the social issue of aging. Research has continually explored how older individuals’ progresses in society, using many different applications in their research to further understand their existence within the societal structure. The American Sociological Association has created a specific model as well that explores the processes and successional changes that occur within society and individuals when they age. The branch of aging is currently concerned with the insinuations of professional practice and public policy in the context of structure. This allows for a practice assessment and research of the issue of aging. Within the last 15 years, discussion has focused itself primarily on public policy issues such as Social Security, affordable housing, healthcare access and disparities in the context of aging. Sociologists have promulgated that there is research yet to be performed on the multidimensionality of these issues and how they relate to the elderly and seniors (Payne, n.d.; Dominick and Ebrahimi, 2013; "Section on Aging and the Life Course," 2013). Journal, magazine and newspaper articles when discussing aging have focused them inherently on public policy. 

The discussion of late has been focused on Social Security. Given its central dominance to most of the aging in society, it can be reasoned that society is taking aim once again at the aging. Many have referred to those over 65 as "issues [and] bundles of needs to be ministered to" (Kingson, 2010). This speaks to directly to the social structure theory of mental health and how society has been structured in a way to believe that all individuals who age need assistance and can no longer play their role in society as an effect. The field of sociology can use more research on this issue. Why is it the case? Why are all individuals who age, deemed to no longer have viable roles within the society that they were raised in? "After all they have given much and contribute[d] to society" (Kingson, 2010). It seems as though society's thoughts on the aging population is that they are to be discarded and placed in homes or adult daycare centers once they reach a certain age, which is why it is such a hot button issue.

As the population within the United States, in particular, continues to have lo anger life expectancy rates, the challenges associated with this will be many. Within the field of sociology, researchers will have to come up with further research to ascertain the causes, and implications of this to society and in the overall context of aging. Certain factors have to be continually assessed to determine if they are still viable metrics for approaching the perspective of individuals and their place within the social structure of society. The social structure theory of mental health many are not a viable theory anymore given the rise in the number of people aging within the last 15 years or so. Society will have to become more adaptable to the shifting dynamics of the gerontological situation.

References

Clarke, P., Marshall, V., House, J., & Lantz, P. (2011, June). The Social Structuring of Mental Health over the Adult Life Course: Advancing Theory in the Sociology of Aging. Social Forces, 89(4), 1287-1314.

Dominick, B., & Ebrahimi, S. Z. (2013). Young and Oppressed. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from National Youth Rights Association website: http://www.youthrights.org/research/library/young-and-oppressed/

Kingson, E. (2010, April 22). Social Security, Ageism and the President's Fiscal Commission. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from The Huffington Post website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-kingson/social-security-ageism-an_b_548182.html

Payne, R. (n.d.). Some Theoretical Approaches to The Sociology of Aging. Bureaucracy and Rehabilitation, 359-362.

Section on Aging and the Life Course. (2013). Retrieved June 11, 2013, from American Sociological Association website: http://www.asanet.org/sections/aging.cfm