As James Birren (2008) asserts, “the study of aging is one of the most complex and important subjects facing science in the 21st century” (p.271). Keeping this in mind, we need to consider the pressing issues facing gerontology. Gerontologists will be needed to address social policies, in a wide-range of areas such as healthcare, work, retirement, housing, and end-of-life care, to handle the influence of the largest aging population this country has yet to experience. Birren (2008) further notes, “gerontology is expected to contribute to increasing the numbers of late-life bloomers, increasing quality of life, and decreasing the number of disabled and unproductive elderly who are unable to maintain independent lives” (p.279).
Collaboration In addition, as Achenbaum (2008) asserts, “gerontologists need to reach out to disciplines and professions here and abroad with a stake in investigating labor force and health care issues embedded in the political economies and institutions of aging societies” (p. 144). Due to the impact of aging on a global scale, gerontologists will broaden educational outreach to develop theories that further develop our understanding of human resiliency, adaptation and the relations between generations. Gerontologists must ultimately convert research into practice to help reframe the stereotypes of aging and eliminate ageism.
As I continue in the field, I intend to collaborate with other stakeholders to address complex issues associated with aging. I have had the opportunity to work with the correctional system community to address the needs of older inmates, in and out of the corrections system. In the Adult Development course, I prepared a paper on the psychological factors that influence the well-being of older inmates.
My hope as a burgeoning gerontologist is to be a part of the movement to reverse ageism, so that all generations can see the value each brings to the overall society. I hope that my work will lead to greater intergenerational cooperation in order to find solutions for the complex issues of our time. I also hope to show that the negative stereotypes of aging that currently permeate our society, greatly influence our ability to have a positive aging experience. Overall, I hope to play a small part in what Donald Kent asserted in 1962: “What is needed is a change in our attitudes toward aging" (as cited in Achenbaum, 2008).
Families, the medical profession, and long-term care providers all play an important part in providing for the well being of older adults. It is necessary for gerontologists to understand the true nature of this dynamic relationship. Gerontologists must continue to work to enhance and foster these “partnerships” of care in order to promote opportunities for individuals to be cared for in a way that is respectful and allows for living a meaningful and fulfilling life regardless of age or ability.
Social Support Social support is another critical component that contributes to a person’s ability to cope with stress (Lavretsky, 2014). It is important to understand the vital role social support and relationships play in helping individual’s cope with the stress during aging. Having good quality relationships and social supports within a community can provide a protective element against the impact of adversity (Hildon, Montgomery, Blane, Wiggins, & Netuveli, 2009). Along with a positive outlook that also seems to attract close bonds in relationships (Lavretsky, 2014), individuals need “social capital” (Hildon et al., 2009). Social capital is defined as the combination of social relationships that provides ancillary support and is considered a key variable in the process in resilience (Hildon et al., 2009).
As I continue on in the field of gerontology, the values that are most important to me centers on the sense of self and the relational nature of aging. It is important to me to recognize the child-like treatment of older adults, both in our protection of them and our care of them. These individuals have likely been parents, teachers or CEO’s, served in wars, and experienced a great deal of life, therefore it seems belittling to treat them as children by our actions or in our speak.
I also deeply value allowing older individuals to express themselves in a way that honors their values and who they are at their core. As Holstein, Parks, and Waymack (2011) note, it is essential for individuals to have the opportunity to remake their identity, even in conditions of frailty and dependency and when so much that has been familiar is eroding. What is the point of being kept alive if the quality of life is diminished? In the Aging Values, Attitudes, and Ethics course, I prepared a paper that explored the obligations, rights, and responsibilities between generations.
Resilience As has been noted in much of the literature and few have argued against, getting older can be stressful. Later life is a period of time often marked by significant losses, such as the loss of personal relationships, finances, health, independence, cognitive and functional abilities (Lavretsky, 2014). Thus, the phenomenon of individuals coping and continuing to thrive in the face of multifaceted losses, has led to the emergence of the concept known as resilience. Resilience is considered a vital component for the achievement of successful aging. However, the concept of successful aging has come under scrutiny due to its limiting definition focusing on the absence of disease and disability (Rowe & Kahn, 2015). At the heart of the debate regarding successful aging is the very definition of the concept and how to measure it, as well as “the appropriateness of the successful aging framework for understanding the contexts of adversity and challenge” (Pruchno & Carr, 2017, p.201). In other words, can successful aging even exist in the face of adversity and challenge (Pruchno & Carr, 2017)?
Whereas successful aging is an end point, resilience is the process of how individuals respond to adversity (Puchno & Carr, 2017). Aging is a multidimensional process of human development, therefore individuals experience aging through the various aspects of biology, psychology, sociology, and cognition. Within each of these domains, the process of resilience can manifest. In the course, Advanced Topics in Gerontology, I explored the relationship between spirituality and resilience and the role both place in well-being in later life. As a gerontologist it is my desire to foster resilience in older individuals through the development effective social programs and services.
References: Achenbaum, W. A. (2008). Kent Award Lecture: An Historian Interprets the Future of Gerontology; The Gerontologist, Vol. 50:142-148.
Allen, R. S., Haley, P. P., Harris, G. M., Fowler, S. N., & Pruthi, R. (2011). Resilience: Definitions, ambiguities, and applications. In B. Resnick et al. (Eds.) Resilience in Aging (pp. 1-13). Springer New York.
Birren, J. E. (2005). Gerontology—Past, Present, and Future. In Sheet, Brady, and Henricks (Eds.). Enduring questions in gerontology, 271-286.
Holstein, M. B., Parks, J. A., & Waymack, M. H. (2011). Ethics, aging, and society: The critical turn. New York, NY, US: Springer Publishing Co.
Lavretsky, H. (2014). Resilience and aging: Research and practice. Baltimore, MD: JHU Press.
Pruchno, R., & Carr, D. (2017). Successful Aging 2.0: Resilience and Beyond. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 72(2), 201-203.
Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (2015). Successful aging 2.0: conceptual expansions for the 21st century. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 70(4): 593-596.