Families and Aging

Patricia Drentea is Professor of Sociology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology from The Ohio State University. She has numerous publications on aging and families, caregiving, and dying. Her work has been published in journals such as The Gerontologist, The Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Social Science & Medicine, Sociology of Health and Illness, CANCER, and the Journal of Aging and Health.

• AcknowledgementsPreface Introduction to Aging FamiliesData and MethodsStructure of the ChaptersOrganization of the bookChapter 1. Introduction to Aging Families Provides an overview of major social changes in aging Vignette-Older woman who is more what the face of the future will be than what is todayChapter ObjectivesIncrease of older adult populationThe Baby BoomersLife Expectancy in the United StatesThe past, present, and futureBox-How to become a centenarianChanges in world populationBox about future world populationBox-What is a family? Facts about familiesDiverse Family FormsMore optionsTrends in the Aging Family Longer Life SpanMore Needs for Caregiving Changes In Diversity-Race And EthnicityCurrent Versus Future Population in the U.S.The Changing Landscape of the PopulationChanges in socioeconomic statusIncreased Standard of Living for MostContinued InequalityChanges in health Healthier than beforeChronic illnessCommunicable IllnessHealth DisparitiesSummary Critical Thinking QuestionsChapter 2. Diversity in American SocietyThe story is one of diversity in the 21st century. Begins with postmodern theory about diversity of society etc. Diversity is about changing landscape of more common and visible types of families.Chapter ObjectivesTheory of postmodern complex lifeIncreasing diversity of familiesModern versus traditionalIncreasing diversity of realitiesMajor trends in intimate relationships: the impact on aging familiesDivorceRemarriage and stepfamiliesSingle parentingCohabitationSinglehood ChildlessnessBox-Childfree by Choice DINKSLGBTQ FamiliesFamilies of ChoiceBiracial and Multiracial/Multiethnic FamiliesReligiosityTraditional PullsSummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsChapter 3- Changing Gender Roles: Effects on Aging ExperienceWomen now are coming of age during time of more options, different family patterns, more work, more likely to have different expectations of men. For many older women, they came of age in the 1970s, during the women’s revolution, after the civil rights movement, and during a time when the world was opening up to them. Chapter ObjectivesFeminist Theory Six PropositionsChanges in Gendered Lives Over TimeSpouseParentingWorkerGender, Dating and SexualityDating Sexuality in Later LifeSTIs and AgingWidowhoodSocial Roles, Sex Roles, and Mental HealthSummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsChapter 4. Parenthood Later In LifeProvides an overview of having children in later life, and issues relevant to all parents as they get older.Chapter ObjectivesThe life course paradigmincreasing heterogeneity Increasing Age at First BirthReproductive Medicine and TechnologyAdvanced maternal age-women 35 and overchart- Risks and Benefits of Women Having Children Over 35Down SyndromeTable 5.1 Incidence of Down syndrome by age of motherBox-World’s Oldest MomsTwins and multiplesOlder Parents and Psychosocial ImplicationsBoomerang childrenIntergenerational linkagesThe Sandwich GenerationtransfersDispossessionSummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsChapter 5.Work and RetirementThe story of how people interact with their cohort and the social structure. Each cohort is different because it is had different experiences. New cohorts will be different from before because women have worked, more educated population, rise of technology. How economic and family issues affect work careers, retirement etc.Chapter ObjectivesTheory-age stratificationChanges in the dependency ratioChanges in estimated work lifeEstimated Work LifeWork in later lifeWork and Family in Later LifeRetirementDuration and Reasons for Increase in retirementBOX—Financial Planning for RetirementPhased retirementSavings in later lifeThe great recession and the effects on workingDebt UnemploymentSummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsChapter 6. Activities in Later Life The story to tell is about activities in later life, work, and retirement with trends in both early retirement and working later in life. Activities may center around things people liked to do their whole life, but also when an extra 30 years is appended to a life. One activity is increasing grandparenting. Discussion of where seniors live.Chapter ObjectivesTheory-activity theory and continuity theoryActivities in later lifeMore leisure time and opportunitiesConsumerism: America’s favorite hobby-shopping?The other sideTravel and adult education programsGrandparentingextended time grandparenting, quality and quantitygrandparenting as an identitystyles of grandparentingBox-an example of custodial livingDivorce/reconstituted families and grandparentsMoving, activities and families in later lifeTechnologyConnectivity and social media SummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsChapter 7. Health and Caregiving Story is that we are living longer, and generally healthier. There’s been an expansion of morbidity, but also a compression. We can be healthier longer, but have new things to worry about such as wear and tear of joints, being kept alive artificially too long etc. Increasing need for caregiving.Chapter ObjectivesTheory-cumulative advantage and disadvantageImproved health overall, vitality and aging wellHealthActivities of daily livingD. Expansion versus compression of morbidityE. Socioeconomic status and healthF. Caregivingcaregiving measuresmen’s caregivingincrease in male caregivingNeed for social supportAlzheimer’s disease-a special case in caregiving and social supportBox-warning signs of Alzheimer’s DiseaseLiving arrangementsAssistive technologyAssisted Care, Advanced Care Planning, and End-of-Life DecisionsSummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsChapter 8. ConclusionChapter ObjectivesIntroductionSocietal ChangesDominant Social Changes: Future Directions for SocietyTechnology and CommunicationGlobalization and familiesIntercultural marriage and increasing heterogeneity of familiesIncreased distance from familiesIncreased choices for living arrangementsMore social roles for later life Elder MistreatmentSummaryCritical Thinking QuestionsGLOSSARY REFERENCES INDEX