SOC 349 The Sociology of Aging

 
To complete please answer any 5 of the following questions:

36.  What is meant by the life course perspective? Why is old age not fully understood “unless we understand it as part of the entire course of human life”?
37.  How is looking at old age from the life course perspective different from looking at old age as a separate period of life?
38.  Describe the ways in which our changing perceptions of time have altered the way we think about aging and the life course.
39.  Why is the disengagement theory of aging criticized by some contemporary gerontologists?
40.  Compare and contrast images of aging in electronic media, mythic/religious literature, and early Western literature.
41. Describe the options that are available for dealing with the Struldbrugg problem, that is, a prolonged period of frailty and dependency at the end of life. What are the benefits and drawbacks of each option? Which option would you support, and why?
42. What challenges might our society face with respect to long-term care if all diseases were eliminated?
43. Many people fear the prospect of having to live in a nursing home.  Discuss some reasons for this prevalent fear, whether or not this fear is realistic, and the conditions under which living in such a setting may be appropriate.