Federalism and aging policy in the 1980s: implications for changing interest group roles in the 1990s

Shifts in the American political landscape during the 1980s had impacts on aging policy and on the behavior of aging interest groups through that decade. But perhaps even more important are the likely effects of those changes on aging policy and on the roles of age-related groups in the 1990s--and probably beyond. First, some of the major policy trends of the 1980s are sketched out, especially the renewed emphasis on federalism. Then, an assessment of their effects on aging policy and aging interest groups is provided. Next, a rationale for focusing on state-level policy and a discussion of current aging interest-group mobilization at the state level are presented. Last, the prospects for aging interest-group influence in the 1990s--a period in which the prior decade's emphasis on dual federalism is likely to continue--is addressed.     

The effects of religion on subjective aging in Singapore: An interreligious comparison

This interreligious comparison deals with Buddhist and Christian Chinese elderly Singaporeans. Based on the data gathered from in-depth interviews with five Buddhists and five Christians, this article explores how religion plays a role in the adjustment to the physical, social, and existential aging processes. It investigates the similarities and differences between Buddhist and Christian beliefs in terms of their effects on the subjective experience of aging. Findings indicate that religion can play an integrative role that facilitates adjustment to the aging process. Also, they suggest that though there are fundamental, irreducible differences in terms of religious beliefs and practices between Buddhism and Christianity, there are far less differences in the ways they impact on the integrative aging process. Some negative effects of religion on aging and some viewpoints about successful aging are presented in the discussion.     

The penalties of passion and desire: love and the aging male in early 20th-century film

In popular feature films of the 20th century, the aging male is generally presented as a kindly, if feeble, old grandfather or as a ruthless villain. A handful of films from this era broke with tradition and took the bold step of exploring the social and medical implications of latent sexual impulses in this age group. Love for aging males was typically presented as a dangerous aberration that held the promise of tragic consequences. This paper will demonstrate that cinematographic presentations of geriatric male sexuality faithfully adhere to the medical dogma of the day.     

Is DNA cut out for a long life?

Much attention has been focused on the DNA repair hypothesis of aging. Studies in mammals that seek to test the validity of this model are complicated by both the functional redundancy and the essential nature of genes involved in the repair process. Compared to mammals, the study of DNA repair and aging in yeast has considerably fewer complicating factors. In this Perspective, I discuss results presented in this month's issue of Aging Cell that address whether the types of DNA damage repaired by the base excision repair pathway cause aging in yeast.     

Theories of Aging and Social Work Practice with Sensitivity to Diversity

Abstract

Aging experiences are multidimensional, and social workers need to know theoretical perspectives on aging which are useful in understanding the diversity of experiences of individuals in later adulthood. This article describes and discusses four theoretical perspectives on aging which are not usually presented in Human Behavior and the Social Environment textbooks but which contribute to understanding of diversity in later adulthood: Atchley's continuity theory; Fisher's age-independent periods; Stoller and Gibson's perspectives on gender, race and ethnicity, class, and the life course; and Friend's theory of successful aging of gay men and lesbian women.     

The complementary self: Multiple perspectives on the aging person

The notion of self in older age has been extensively explored from a variety of disciplines. Using personal narratives, researchers have attempted to identify key features of the articulated self in later life. However, often missing from discussions of the self is a deeper exploration of old age as it is culturally constructed, narrated and interpreted in Western society. Narrative form and overriding cultural ideals often shape what is presented, leaving one to ask whether narratives on aging are more about the cultural identities of the elderly rather than the aging self. This article readdresses the idea of a complex interplay between an active though often unarticulated “complementary” self in tandem with the externally presented self.     

Active aging—spunky survivorship? Discourses and experiences of the years beyond breast cancer

Recent critical gerontology has drawn attention to the origins, functions and consequences for elders of the ‘successful aging’ discourse. In this paper we describe parallels between successful aging and what we are calling ‘spunky survivorship,’ the contemporary subject position made available to women in the years after a breast cancer diagnosis. The central focus of the paper is a study about the intersections between a dominant discourse of breast cancer survivorship, and the perceptions and experiences of women living the years beyond breast cancer. It is our hope that the analysis presented here will suggest new pathways for exploring the relationship between discourses of successful aging and people's ideas and feelings about growing older.     

Ethical implications of the promotion of elder volunteerism: A critical perspective

This critical inquiry explores the question: What are the ethical implications of promoting normative ideals for healthy aging, such as volunteerism and civic engagement, that specifically emphasize productivity and contribution? In this paper, we identify the values and ethical standpoints embedded in the discourse promoting volunteerism and productive aging and then describe what this suggests about how older adults are viewed, valued and judged. More specifically, we argue that older adult volunteering has at times been framed in a manner that dually suggests: a) lifelong productivity is a necessary condition to be a good old person; and b) lifelong productivity is a necessary condition to be a good old citizen. We then demonstrate that the current promotion of older adult volunteerism and productive aging is ethically troubling because: 1) it fails to capture the full potential of the self — and in particular, the aging self; and 2) it grounds justice in a narrowly defined and unfair distributive scheme. An alternative model of aging is then presented based on equal regard for all persons insofar as this approach is inclusive of the diversity of older adults and aging processes, and policy implications are discussed.     

Aging with HIV: Historical and Intra-Community Differences in Experience of Aging with HIV

Gay men living with HIV/AIDS face a complex of health issues, including those associated with the aging process, long-term HIV infection (25 years or more), and side effects from Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART). If aging can increase marginalization, this is more likely for the aging HIV positive gay man, who is already marginalized for being queer and living with a stigmatizing disease. This article presents findings from a study of a long-running HIV support group. It locates the members, all gay men living with HIV, in a specific historical and political context to explore how feelings of loss and the struggle to sustain community affect long-term survivors and other older HIV+ gay men. We identify specific challenges presented by aging for men who contracted HIV early in the epidemic, contrasting them with those faced by men infected with the virus later in life. While both groups appear to struggle with a vision of what life could have been, had AIDS not forced loss and change, they also celebrate the community their shared plight has enabled.     

Support for aging policy: Self-interest, social justice, and political symbols

This article explores and evaluates theoretical assumptions implied by the familiar hypothesis that anti-elderly scapegoating rhetoric is producing attitude change with respect to citizen support for aging policy. An explanation—the self-interest model—that is consistent with both this hypothesis and existing attitude theory is presented. It is contrasted with a second hypothesis emphasizing the role played by symbolic political attitudes in the formation of citizen policy positions. Survey data from the state of Kansas indicate no support for either the self-interest explanation of aging policy attitudes or for the hypothesized impact of anti-elderly rhetoric.     

The role of mitochondria in conserved mechanisms of aging

The European research project MiMage, supported by the European Community's Sixth Framework for Research and Technological Development, focuses on elucidating the role of mitochondria in conserved mechanisms of aging. This Perspective summarizes a selection of talks presented in April 2006 at the second MiMage symposium by members from participating laboratories and invited speakers.     

Themes of Adult Sibling Sexual Abuse Survivors in Later Life: An Initial Exploration

This paper examines the thematic treatment issues presented in a small, clinical practice setting by eight women aged 56 through 69 who were sexually abused by their brothers/stepbrothers during childhood and seeking therapy for issues dealing with a terminally ill and/or dying parent. The reemergence of traumatic issues and family dynamics with aging parents and end-of-life-issues, dealing with a previously abusive brother, and treatment recommendations on managing reactions, affect, and boundaries are presented.     

Subfield history: Caenorhabditis elegans as a system for analysis of the genetics of aging

This article reviews key events in the genetic analysis of aging in the worm. The events are presented in the form of a timeline and include landmark papers, key meetings, and the development of important funding agencies. I also speculate on events that might appear in this timeline if this review were written in the distant future.     

Sexual health behaviors and outcomes among current and former foster youth: A review of the literature

This review examines literature related to pregnancy, sexual health outcomes, and sexual risk behaviors for foster youth and youth who are aging/have aged out of foster care. Using the search terms foster youth, aging out, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, sexually transmitted infections, sexual risk, sexual behavior, and sexual health, 26,376 sources were initially identified. After removing duplicate sources and those that did not meet inclusion criteria and adding others identified through the references of identified sources, 53 sources were included in the review. Outcome measures were grouped into broad categories of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and risky sexual behaviors, with each having several subparts. Implications for social work practice and policy are presented and directions for future research are highlighted.     

The reification of age: Age stratification theory and the passing of the autonomous subject

Sociology has always been charactereized by a joint interest in social structures and individual lives as well as in their interaction. Social gerontology, however, has developed in a lopsided manner with disproportionate attention focused on individual attitudes and behavior. The principal sociological theory of aging, the age stratification model (ASM), has failed to provide an adequate structuralist counterpoint to the prevailing reductionism in social gerontology. The problem with the ASM lies in its preoccupation with a functionalist understanding of structure that is grounded in the concept of role. Because of its view of structure as a framework of social roles, the ASM neglects the realm of autonomous individual activity and the corresponding dialectics between social action and social structures. To remedy this neglect of micro-macro linkage in the ASM, Seve's concept of use-time is presented as the basis of an alternative theory of aging and age relations.     

Unearthing Loci that influence life span

It is known that certain hormones are involved in determining longevity (for example, insulin and insulin-like growth factor). Results presented in a paper published in this week's issue of Science allow us to add steroid hormones to this list. Anne Simon and colleagues show for the first time that a sterol hormone--ecdysone of the fly Drosophila melanogaster--regulates life span. In this Perspective, I discuss the implications of this result in the context of gene regulation and mechanisms of aging.     

Financial therapy in foster care

The introduction of prevention-oriented financial therapy in foster care is presented. Consideration of emotional demands in financial literacy and therapy is examined and remedies provided that address them. Revisions to the five-step model of financial therapy are considered in terms of the needs of foster care client populations. A pared down prevention model provides aging out foster children with a means of successfully navigating lifestyle challenges. The need to empirically evaluate the prevention model is advised to demonstrate its value with this population.     

Experiences from Pagan women: A closer look at croning rituals

In this qualitative study I explore how Pagan women conceptualize aging, more specifically social aging, through the ritual process of being a Pagan and becoming a Crone. The central question of this research revolves around how older women who identify as Pagan experience, understand, and conceptualize their social aging and their role as aging women in American society. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data and explore the meaning of aging for women identifying as Pagan. Major emergent themes within the data demonstrate that the croning ritual, a central aspect of Paganism, affirms these women in their process of aging. These women, through the ritual of croning, are able to understand their aging as celebration, maintain a positive sense of self while aging, and reclaim visibility as aging women. These women were able to embed their experiences of aging within a unique and specific cultural framework, a spiritual and foundational framework cultivating a spiritual connection with nature.     

Lessons on social and health disparities from older lesbians with alcoholism and the role of interventions to promote culturally competent services

ABSTRACT

Older adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) face greater health risks and possibly more costly care because of their reluctance to seek out health and long-term care services because of limited cultural sensitivity of service providers. This is particularly evident in older lesbians who face substantial risk of health problems associated with alcoholism and are less likely to be open with health care providers because of stigma combined with feelings of alienation, stress, and depression. An estimated 4.4 million older adults are predicted to have problems with alcohol by 2020, and the rates of alcohol-related hospitalizations are similar to those for heart attacks, creating exorbitant medical costs. More culturally competent health and long-term care may reduce health care costs by effectively addressing the dynamics of alcoholism, aging, and lesbian culture. Training initiatives such as those developed by the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging have begun to address the need of a more culturally competent aging services network. This article provides exemplars from empirical data on older lesbians with alcoholism to highlight some of the health, economic, and social disparities experienced in the aging LGBT community. Current interventions in the form of cultural competence training for service providers are presented as a potential step toward addressing health disparities among LGBT older adults.     

A city within a city: A “snapshot” of aging in a HUD 202 in Detroit, Michigan

Because of a recent surge of aging in place literature, we know a considerable amount about how older adults wish to remain in long lived-in homes and communities. However, there are still gaps in our knowledge. What happens when older adults live in a community that does not support their everyday needs? This paper represents an initial attempt to explore how one group of poor, non-white, central city residents in Detroit, Michigan make sense of and organize a new age-segregated home. Findings presented in this article are based on 30 in depth and photographic elicitation interviews with African American, low-income, older adults living in one Housing and Urban Development 202 (HUD 202). Findings suggest that participants in this sample cultivated a new urban space within the facility to compensate for the deficiencies of a deteriorated inner-city neighborhood. I use these findings to encourage broader conceptualizations and consideration for the aging in place model to be more inclusive to the lived experiences of older adults who occupy oppressed places.