Individual aging

vs
population aging

Zcmiraflores,rn,mn
Why do our bodies age?
Changes that individual experience
1. Chronological order  number of
years an individual live since
birth
Ex. 20,30,40

Not always congruent with

physical age
 People with same chronological
age may be quiet different in
their bodies
2. Physical signs

changes that are

observable and
remarkable
 What are the
physical signs of
aging?
1.Grey hair
2.Laugh line that becomes
permanently etched
around the eyes
3.Poor eyesight requiring
glasses
4.Lapses in one’s ability to
recall names and faces
5.forgetfulness
SOME LOOK
OLD AT “50”
WHILE
OTHERS
LOOK YOUNG
AT “70”
CHANGES DEPENDED ON
INTERRELATED FACTORS:
Heredity
Nutrition
Habits and vices
Working conditions
Lifestyle
Attitudes towards life in general
3. Functional age

reflects an ability to carry

on an independent, self
sufficient life in taking care
of own basic personal needs

e.g SELF-CARE
Peer activity:
Basing on our discussions answer the
following questions:
1. What do you think are the factors
that makes physical age different
from chronological age?

2. Give specific examples of the above

factors.

3. Which of these factors are most

important in individual aging? Why?
POPULATION AGING
CONDITION THAT DESCRIBES THE STATE OF
A POPULATION

e.g. decline in fertility and mortality

population aging or “graying” of the

population
Causes of population aging:
Can bests be explained by the theory of
1. demographic transition:

According to this theory, the growth of

population over a long period is
characterized by 3 stages:
a. pre-transition stage  almost zero
growth, many birth of women in
population but counter balance by Young populations
equally high number of death; people
on average lived shorter lives
b.Post-transition
stage  there is again
very low growth in
population numbers Young
because both growths populations

and deaths are

equally low
c. Transition stage
there is a decline in
births and decline in
deaths but not at an
equal pace; death old populations
declines much faster
that birth explosive
growth of the population
Fertility and
birth play a
more important
role……
2. Mortality decline
While births have been decreasing improvement in
human condition results ( advances in food production,
public health and medical sciences decreases death
among the young)

Under low mortality regime, people on AVERAGE expect

to live longer
e.g countries: Japan, Italy, Germany and
Canada aging populations

Thailand ,Philippines and Malaysia various stages in

completing the demographic transition
TRENDS IN FERTILITY
Total fertility rate (TFR) is
the average number of
children that a woman
INTERPRETED
expects to have if she
as: the
were subjected to the average
same schedule of fertility completed
family per
as the women of that
family size
population at that
specific point in time
Trends in mortality
Can be observed in the life
expectancy of a population

LIFE EXPECTANCY refers to the

number of years that a person
expects to live subjected to the
same risk of dying prevalent in the
population at that time
Most popularly QUOTED
figure: Life expectancy at birth is defined
as the average number of years
that a newborn could expect to live
if he or she were to pass through
life subject to the age-specific
BIRTH EXPECTANCY  mortality rates of a given period.

number of years a
newborn is expected to
live if he/she were
subjected to the same
risk of dying prevailing
at the time of his/her
birth
Trends in mortality
Can be observed in the life
expectancy of a population

LIFE EXPECTANCY refers to the

number of years that a person
expects to live subjected to the
same risk of dying prevalent in the
population at that time
IF MORTALITY RISK
ARE HIGH AT ALL
AGES THEN LIFE
EXPECTANCY WILL
BE LOW AND VICE
VERSA
Video clips:
PH moving towards aging population
 TOPIC 2
O ECONOMIC AND
SOCIOCULTURAL
IMPLICATIONS OF
POPULATION AGING

O zcmiraflores
 Objectives
O 1. describe the economic implications of an
aging population

O 2. describe the socio-cultural of an aging

population
O Regardless of the
age or life course
stage at which the
culture may define
one to be old ;the
concerns of older
people are the same
across cultures
O Increase in numbers and
proportions of older
populations

O Increase in demand for

services by a a sector most part
is no longer active
 Economic implications
O When birth rates starts to
decline

O time to evolve social safety

nets to guard against poverty in
old system
Taxations and
pensions
Most developed economies
used:
O PAY AS YOU GO
SYSTEM
Collecting funds by taxing the working
age population of today to pay the
pension of the retirees of today ( to cover
basic expenses of the elder)

Disadvantage: number of working people

is proportionally smaller than the
pensioners and birth rates who the future
entrants projected to be smaller e. g
Germany and France
In developing countries:
Philippines
O SSS (Social Security system)
O GSIS (Government Service
Insurance System)

O Which cover only formal sector

employees in private and public
However those who contributed when
they were still working ;pensions are
not enough to cover their basic
economic needs after retirement
 PROBLEM?
O NO PROBLEM with STRAIN of having too
many old retirees

O PROBLEM: amount of contributions that

can be extracted from the working age
population (low wage level) and some
sectors who are not covered by the
system

O SURVEY SAYS! Only 10% who

reached retirement age were
receiving pension (1996)
 Cost of healthcare:
O TENDS TO RISE in old age

O So in some countries 
Formal system of health
insurance was developed
(young and old)

O Compulsory for all and

requires substantial
contributions for its members
O Traditional support
system

O SOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEM

of family and kin networks

O Mainly children of elderly

(residence /live with family)
 Senior citizens:
O Benefit:
O 20% discount
in medicines
as mandated
in the senior
citizens act
 Video clips
O Aging in america
Individual
activity:
O 1. What are the advantage and
disadvantages of pension system in
developed countries that have adopted the
pay-as-you go system?

O 2. Is the traditional support system in

developing countries enough to provide
financial support for older persons? Discuss
Sociocultural Implications
As people grows older

Lose some of the abilities to function

Depended on the closest kin ( children,

siblings, relatives and friends)
-Confucian ethics (China, Taiwan, Japan,
Korea-primary source of support 
eldest son
-cultural beliefs “utang na loob”
In developed countries: other
cultures
O Elderly appears less dependent on
family networks

O Prefer not to co-reside with a child

or a kin (leaving alone is their ideal
arrangement) Worries on:
A. loss of independence
B. ability to live by oneself
C. take care of ones basic needs
 When population aging
proceeds RAPID pace
cultural ideal changes: e.g
children taking care of older
parents
Reasons:
O 1. long term fertility decline –no
more will take care of
aging parents
O 2. Modernization  higher
workforce for
women; deprive
older people of
traditional
caregivers

O E.g japan (daughter-in –law

traditionally takes care of
the parents)
O3. Increased
longevity
caregiver is
also aging
themselves
 Video clip:
O Aging in america: crisis in long term
 Epidemiologic transition:
HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF
AGING POPULATION
Epidemiologic transition describe the long
term trend in mortality across
population
Reasons:
a. Causes of death shifts to chronic illness
(treatable due to presence of medical
science); infectious disease (some can be
irradicated)
O Question:

O What do you think are the

implications of the high
prevalence of chronic
diseases in an aging
population?
 Implications of aging
population
O 1. high health care costs DM
and HPN (needs medications
and medical consultation to
effectively manage condition)

O 2. need to build the kind of

health services and health
infrastructure required
O focus on preventive services
than curative services
O 3. increasing average
length of time
between the onset of
illness and death
 Video clips:
O Global aging
 Seatwork:
O 1. Can you think of other
possible implications of
high prevalence of chronic
diseases in a population?

O 2. Why do you think

women tend to live longer
than men? Support your
answers
 Addnl.video
O A growing and aging
population
PROFILE OF OLDER FILIPINOS
United nations data
,the size of older
population aged 60 PHILIPPINES
IS NOT YET
and over  rising AN AGING
steadily for the past 50 POPULATION
NOT UNTIL
years 2025 older
population is
From 1 million in 1950 projected to
reach 10
to 4 million in 2000 percent

Projected to reach 11
million in 2025 and 25
million in 2050
Who are the older
Filipinos of today?
and
What are their
major
characteristics?
1. Age and Sex Distribution

In 2000 census

4,557,134 people aged 60
years and over
Oldest 109 years old
Of the total population:
45.9% were male 54.1 %
were female
 2. Marital status , education
and regional affiliation
 most are currently married, followed
by widowed and 5% were never
married
 Most elderly are : formally educated in
their education profile,1 out of 10 has
not gone to school, majority have gone
thru elementary schooling only and 10%
have gone to college
 Highest concentration of older people is
more on Central Luzon, Southern
tagalog, NCR and West Visayas
 Least populated: ARMM,CAR and
CARAGA
 3. Labor participation
Pension benefits are not enough

Some are forced to work still

though other enjoy working and
remaining financially independent
(mostly in rural areas (e.g
fishing, farming etc.) while urban
is low( younger people compete
for jobs e. g office works)
4. LIVING ARRANGEMENT

 PREDOMINANT PATTERNS of
living arrangement are a
reflection both of cultural
preferences and economic
imperatives

 Dominant: living with a child

 Western countries: living alone
and living with spouse
 5. Activities of daily living

 Data from survey presents self reported -Without

difficulties in selected activities of daily as
elderly grow more older which are: the
presence
A. walking around the house
of illness
B. eating without assistance
C. Bathing/using the toilet -provided
D. Dressing by people
with
whom
the older
people
lives
Performing ADL’s increases with age
DYNAMICS OF
THE AGING
PROCESS
Life course
perspectives and
Theories of aging
Each individual may
have his own way of
looking at the life
course , but there is
only one pathway we
will pass thru

the pathway
towards
growing old
 The Framework of life course

Life is a 3 pronged course:

ACQUISITION-------STRUGGLE-------LEGACY
ACQUISITION:

IS COLLECTING ALL

THAT we experience and
pick up in life from the
time we come into
existence
Acquire things from the
moment person begins to
live (negative/positive)
E. g womb: nutrients ,
emotions, genes
Starts also when we were
children to adults.. e.g starting
to read graduating to college
EXPLORE
THE
All quality for what we have
WORLD
acquired: WE LIVE
IN

gives us the strength , grace,

and force to undergo whatever
trial, crisis, struggles meet
along later in life
2. Struggle
 As person grow and develop oneself
challenges and trials tempt to walk away
from the righteous path of life

 The quality an individual acquired and

learn helps person cope in moments of
struggle

 Acquire good and positive things to have

a better coping mechanism

 Positive things are the ones that propel a

person to move forward, face the
challenge, and win the battle
In aging process, and
individual grow old
gracefully is due to the
quality of coping with
crisis and struggles
Individual activity:

Reflect on your life at

present, what
things/experiences you
have previously acquired
that leads you to were you
are right now. (Use the life
framework of acquisition ,
struggle and legacy)
1.Wear and tear theory

Supposes that a person gets

old

cells , nerves ,muscles are

worn out through the years
 2. Somatic Mutation Theory

 Describeshow exposure to low

doses of radiation accelerates the
aging process

 Theoryassures the these

exposures shortens the lifespan by
mutating cells

 E.gexposure to the sun

(accelerates aging of the skin)
3. Deprivation theory

 Suggestthat lack of
essential nutrients and
poor oxygen delivery to
body cells leads to aging

 Thisis evidenced by
localized brain cell death
following a stroke, or
deprivation of oxygen
4.Stress theory

Describes aging as the

cumulative effects of
the stresses of living

Stresses leaves
essential effects that
are accumulated over
ones life depleting the
physiologic body
5.Adaptation theory

 Theory leads aging to

failure for body
mechanisms to adapt to
stress

 These are evident in the

lowered immune system
in old age or diminished
pulmonary function
 1. Disengagement theory

 Involveswithdrawal of older
persons from the roles
characteristics of middle age,
socialization and work related
activities

 Ex.Older person stops being

involved in social clubs or
organizations
 2. Activity theory

 Holds that the self-concept of an

older person is related to his/her
social roles

 Older persons who are more

active have greater satisfaction
in life

 Thistheory encourages continued

activity and involvement in
social activities
3. Continuity theory

States that the factor

in adjustment to old
age are the previous
coping mechanisms
and continuous roles
and activities
Among the theories discussed,
choose at least 3 and provide
1 example on each chosen
theory.