Title: Challenges Facing the Elderly | Introduction to Sociology
Headings: Challenges Facing the Elderly
Challenges Facing the Elderly
Learning Objectives
Poverty
Ageism
Mistreatment and Abuse
The National Center on Elder Abuse encourages people to watch for these signs of mistreatment. (Chart courtesy of National Center on Elder Abuse)
World War II Veterans
Summary
Question #1
Short Answer
Glossary
ageism
elder abuse
gerontocracy
senescence
Further Research
References

Content: Some older members of the workforce felt threatened by this trend and grew concerned that younger employees in higher level positions would push them out of the job market. Rapid advancements in technology and media have required new skill sets that older members of the workforce are less likely to have. Changes happened not only in the workplace but also at home. In agrarian societies, a married couple cared for their aging parents. The oldest members of the family contributed to the household by doing chores, cooking, and helping with child care. As economies shifted from agrarian to industrial, younger generations moved to cities to work in factories. The elderly began to be seen as an expensive burden. They did not have the strength and stamina to work outside the home. What began during industrialization, a trend toward older people living apart from their grown children, has become commonplace. Mistreatment and Abuse
Mistreatment and abuse of the elderly is a major social problem.