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4СОЦИОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ НАУКИ
AGING AND PERCEPTION OF SENIORS IN SOCIETY
doc. PhDr. Ol'ga Bocakova, PhD.
Associate professor Ss. Cyril and Methodius University Faculty of Social science in Trnava
Slovakia
ABSTRACT
Ageing is accompanied by a deteriorated social adaptation processes, entering retirement and a reduction in activity. Old age brings with it a period of major life crises. Senior loses certain social tasks, before gained contacts, perspective and value system is changing. A major breakthrough is leaving to retirement and empty nest. A man living work and family life must shift to another activity, it means to culture, sport, own interests. These changes should be gradual and non-violent.
Key words: Man. Ageing. Age. Social roles. Retirement. Life. Crisis. Adaptation.
The social isolation of the seniors is associated with their leaving to the retirement and the abandonment of a productive way of life, but also related to social networking and linkages, by sequential losing the peers, the loss of orientation in the modern world. The old man is gradually getting to the edge of the society and civil life, gradual loss of interpersonal and social contacts reduces the level of awareness and a criterion of use of cultural resources, realization. The fact that their social mechanisms are on the edge of society, is increasing among the elderly a sense of uselessness and subsequently contribute to their segregation and isolation by themselves inadequate defence mechanisms «by downloading to your shell». Despite all the general segregation and exclusion of the elderly from the majoritariansociety, however, we must, on the other hand, note that today is the greatest potential to interfere with the life of the elderly
This group of the population is becoming increasingly numerous and in neighbouring countries,partly in Slovakia too, we can see the formation of interest groups, respectively lobby in order to meet the requirements and the objectives of this group of the population [1, p. 459]. Such political influence may then seniors use, for example, in the fight against ageism, discrimination and the creation of stereotypes, on the basis of age. It also notes that «elderly people should seek to influence policy that relates to their lives, but also the overall life of the society uthrough their organizations and political leaders. It is therefore necessary to help create the association of older people, and promote those one that already exist» [3, p. 117]. Poverty as a negative stimulus of the elderly life quality is a very common phenomenon. By The abandonment of a productive way of life and retirement, the income is reduced rapidly, so that an individual must adapt. In the past, but even today we can hear occasionally of a poverty and low living standard of the seniors. On the basis of these facts, we could record some of the actions of the government of the Slovak republic, which gradually increases the pensions and at the same time, for a long time transformrs a retirement system, which already
showed as unsustainable. An important issue is also the overall quality of life of the elderly, so not only their socioeconomic situation, but also the subjective perception of quality of life.
As they get older, the shabbiness of the body grows and various forms of health problems that complicate the lives of the elderly appear and then reduce their ability to take care of themselves, to be self-sufficient and independent from the surrounding area. Repeatedly, we must emphasize the individuality of such a type of problems and strategies of individuality solutions to these problems. Being old is not bound to be sick, even though the likelihood of this «causation» as they get older increases. Lincenyi (2015) states that the mass media can play an important role in enhancing the quality of seniors who are in the 21st century increasingly sanctioning ageizmom, that age discrimination. It perpetuates the human age and therefore there is a requirement for a higher quality of life as well as fulfillment of wishes of seniors about their old age [5].
The attitude of society towards old age and ageism are interesting contexts toward seniors. Nowadays, there is no discrimination against older people in society. This phenomenon is called ageism, and we understand the attitude that reflects the beliefs of its low value and the incompetence of age and this is reflected in the deprecation and resistance to older people. The term ageism is used to render the harmful negative tendencies directed against the elderly. This position can unfold in two planes. The first is subjective perception of discrimination against the elderly compared with the relationship with another part of the population. The second cause is the persistence of myths about old age and death, which is nothing else than practicing ageism. Ageism takes place in all areas of social and private life. At the level of the institution, i.e. inter-level, ageism can be seen at the offices, which takes the form of a barrier-free access to public places and offices of the vulnerability, but it is also reflected in the impatient attitude of civil servants towards the elderly. Causes of ageismis giving priority to youth, and one of those reasons, are:
- young people can make mistakes, without being
attributed the label of senility
- young people may forget the name and address, without being judged by others
- young people can be annoying without being perceived as creepy
- young people may disclose their feelings and sexual cravings, without being called bawdy grandfather
- young people can express diseasewithout any of them has been attributed to the age.
The emphasis is on youth and physical beauty, youth and beauty is the most important nowadays and highlighting the youth and beauty is a part of everyday life. We also need to look at how seniors perceive themselves. And in many life situations we encounter how seniors degrade themselves and so are also presented. Seniors have little self-esteem and little ability to enforce.
Linking productivity and economic potential in purview with the elderly is seen as the most unproductive group, including children. It is accepted for children. Conversely, seniors are oblivious to the fact that the seniors have their economic potential and productivity of the society commited.
Overview of myths about old age [2]:
The myth of false ideas - the satisfaction of senior is conditional on sufficient material. Compliance with this condition shall lead to the achievement of satisfaction of senior. For many seniors is sufficient material security and their economic situation is not the most and the only condition for satisfaction. Conversely, seniors often change priorities, review ranking of living values. They become aware of the transience of material security and, conversely, often change priorities, reviewed their life values ranking. Often, they prefer other nonmaterial values of (spiritual) and focus more on the consolidation of the family, and other emotional ties.
The myth of simplified demographics - the old man is considered to be who stopped working and left for retirement. Termination of employment, retirement leave means the categorizing man in the category of «senior», which is excluded from the active life and is considered to be unnecessary. In doing so, the transition into retirement means enjoying the rest, dedication to hobbies.
The myth of homogeneity - it is believed, that seniors look all the same (wrinkled face, grey hair, slow movements, impaired vision, hearing, etc.) They are hardlydistinguished, they share the same characteristics and needs. But the reality is exactly the opposite. Among the elderly is the biggest number of differences. This is a very diverse group. Some seniors take care of the way they look, showing its originality. Theirhealth problems such as lack of ability to move, impaired vision are solved according to needs, by operations and various medical devices.
The myth of useless time-seniors are a burden for the society, they are not working and therefore are ineffectual. However, this is an erroneous view, one that does not work, may be useful for the society in different way. For example, by his advice, help and support. The use of lifetime experience can be of great benefit to the younger
generation.
The myth of ignorance - for the society are seniors ineffectual, have no value. They are an economic burden. No one takes into account their opinion. Denying is a form of racism aimed at seniors and a group of elderly people, it is therefore a sign of ageism.
The myth of atherosclerosis or senility - the societylooks at the elderly as people, who have nothing to remember. Senility and sclerosis are understood as a sign of aging. Even though multiple sclerosis and dementia for some elderly occurs, it is not necessary to perceive them as an integral part of the aging process. It is therefore necessary to focus on prevention and active training of brain cells and the accurate lifestyles. Most of the seniors is satisfied with his health status. Those seniors who suffer from these diseases are placed into a retirement home and therefore the idea that sclerosis and dementia are an integral part of the aging process is more and more expanding.
Kubickova (2015) states that the quality of life of any society is directly dependent on the quality of family life. Transformations that accompany the transformation of our society directly affected the family. [4]
From the relationship of society to seniors, it is seen her maturity and moral level. In individual societies big differences in their attitudes towards seniors are seen. Often we encounter with a devaluating attitude to ageing. Ominous is that this problem is shifting more and more to a lower age, this means that more and more younger people and children make fun of everything related to the old age and younger persons are still referred to as the old, unnecessary, redundant. The situation is that at the moment people in their fifties are often refusedin terms of recruitment, because they are «too old». They are not even given a chance to prove their skills.
The society is a subject of the charms of youth, flexibility, performance, maximum deployment, adaptability and forgets the experience, wisdom, balance sheet, recognition, appreciation and humility. Examples of the natural respect in the behaviour and attitude, respect for ageing, recognition andawards - hence the actual values that should be a matter of course, we do not see much around us.
Bibliography:
1. GIDDENS, A. 2001. Sociologie. Praha : Argo, 2001. s. 491-502. ISBN 80-7203-124-4.
2. HASKOVCOVA, H. 2006. Fenomen stari. Praha : Panoraama. ISBN 80-7038-158-2.
3. KALANIN, P. 2003. Old man among us. Ruzomberok : Catholic University in Ruzomberok-Faculty of Pedagogy, 2003. p. 115-117. ISBN 80-89039-31-6.
4. KUBiCKOVA, D. 2015. Rodina, jej podstatna dimenzia pri formovani osobnosti cloveka. In Supplement vybranych dimenzii socialnej problematiky. Brno : Tribun, 2015. ISBN 978-80-263-0929-1.
5. LINCENYI, M. 2015. Niektore aspekty posobenia medii na verejnu mienku. In Supplement vybranych dimenzii socialnej problematiky. Brno : Tribun, 2015 ISBN 978-80-263-0929-1.
