Key Terms
- 401(k) plan
- common retirement plan in the United States, in which employers match employees’ contributions but individuals are responsible for investing their own retirement account
- activity of daily living (ADL)
- action required to care for yourself, such as feeding yourself, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, and moving around your environment
- activity theory
- theory that suggests being more active and socially engaged is beneficial for older adults
- adult daycare
- facility that provides supervision and activities for older adults who are not capable of safely staying at home unsupervised
- ageism
- discrimination against or different treatment of someone solely due to their age
- aging in place
- effort to live safely and comfortably at home while maintaining as much independence as possible
- assisted living
- institutional housing for individuals who have physical and/or cognitive limitations that prevent them from living independently or at home
- bridge employment
- paid work after retirement, either in a similar job as before or in a new profession
- caregiver
- individual who looks after and assists those with health problems and functional needs such as ADLs and IADLs
- congregate housing
- residential community or facility that offers older adults more access to resources, including common areas, that typical independent living communities may not provide
- continuing care community
- housing facility that provides a wide range of types of care for older adults, often ranging from independent living to nursing home care
- disengagement theory
- theory that describes shrinking social networks as evidence that separating yourself from your social ties is a normal part of aging
- elder abuse
- mistreatment or neglect of older adults
- home health aide
- individual who travels to older adults’ homes and provides assistance with health care, ADLs, IADLs, and other tasks needed to help the individual live at home
- instrumental activity of daily living (IADL)
- task essential to functioning independently, such as using the phone, shopping, preparing meals, performing home maintenance and housekeeping, doing laundry, using transportation, managing medications, and dealing with finances
- integrity versus despair
- final stage of Erickson's psychosocial development, which involves undertaking a life review that includes integrity and accepting life in its entirety with a positive outlook
- kinkeeper
- family member who takes on the responsibility of organizing family events, maintaining family traditions, and helping family members stay in touch
- life review
- someone’s reflection on the life they have lived, their behaviors, accomplishments, relationships, and decisions
- locus of control
- extent to which we believe we have personal control over our own life and life outcomes
- negative affect
- extent to which someone experiences negative emotions such as anger or sorrow
- nursing home
- institutional housing similar to assisted living but for residents who need medical care and supervision, including skilled nursing care
- pension plan
- traditional retirement plan in the United States, in which employers provide a lifelong financial benefit to retired employees
- phased retirement
- process of decreasing hours and responsibilities at work to retire gradually over a period of time
- positive affect
- extent to which someone experiences positive emotions such as joy
- selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) theory
- theory suggesting that older adults become more selective in the activities they pursue, engage in activities to enhance their performance, and change their strategy to adjust for declines
- social convoy
- analogy for the way in which social networks change over time as some new members join and others fall away
- social network
- complex variety of people with whom individuals are socially engaged
- social support
- practical or emotional support provided by people with whom we interact socially
- socioemotional selectivity theory
- theory suggesting that increased focus on emotional goals makes older adults more selective in their social partners, leading to a smaller social network that is more emotionally satisfying