The Impact of Culture and Aging

Paper Summary:

This paper studies the impact culture has on the aging process and discusses the concepts of successful aging, productive aging and comfortable aging. The author looks, in particular, at the American culture and how it affects the process of aging and concludes that as the American culture attaches a great deal of significance on financial independence and individualism, these are the factors that will contribute to the behavior of elderly people and their mentality as they age.

From the Paper:

" It is worth mentioning that every culture has its own behavioral code for every age group, therefore, there are certain stereotypes or standards, which should be met. Analyzing the impact of American culture on the process of aging, disease management and pain control, we must first identify the main features of American mentality. Having West-Indian origins, American culture can be characterized by the fear of aging; probably, it would be better to say the fear of death. Therefore, the elderly attempt to decelerate the process of aging in every possible way, for instance anti-aging drugs or plastic surgery."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Aging Research Center (2008). The Process of Aging. http://www.arclab.org
• Cruikshank , M. (2003). Learning to be Old: Gender, Culture, and Aging. USA: Rowman & Littlefield.
• Department of Health and Human Services (2008). Health Ageing http://www.cdc.gov/aging/
• Hummert, M (2001). Aging, Communication, and Health: Linking Research and Practice for Successful Aging. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Minkler, M., Fadem, P. (2002). "Successful Aging: " a Disability Perspective. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 229-235.

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