Essay on Communication and Aging Population is published for informational purposes only. The free papers are not written by our writers, they are contributed by users, so we are not responsible for the content of this free sample paper. If you want to buy a quality essay paper on Essay on Communication and Aging Population at affordable prices please use our essay writing services offered by EssayEmpire.

The United States is becoming an increasingly mature country. The Administration on Aging ( 1998) published information, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, that in 1997 people 65 years old or older numbered 34.1 million or 12.7% of the U.S. population. Since 1900, the percentage of Americans over the age of 65 has tripled, while the number of these individuals has grown by a factor of 11. By the time the youngest members of the baby-boom generation reach 65 (in the year 2030), depending on how the estimate is conducted, between 58 and 78 million Americans, representing 19 to 21% of the total population, will be over 65. The present older population is, of course, also getting older. The fastest growing segment of the population is the oldest-old, those individuals 85 years old and older. This group increased by 274% between 1960 and 1994. For whatever reason, be it advances in medical technology, improved social programs for elderly people, or some evolutionary advance in the adaptational mechanism of the human species, we are all living longer. This longevity affects every facet of our lives, from marital relationships to marketing strategies to architectural design. For no other reason than their sheer numbers, older people in this society are gaining attention.

Coupled with the increasing population of elderly individuals are the special needs, based in part on physiological imperatives, that make this subsegment of the population qualitatively different from other subsegments of American society. As individuals pass the age of 65, they must constantly adapt to changes in their lives that are often beyond their control. Elderly individuals experience physical declines in capabilities, ranging from slowed reaction time ( Stern, Oster, & Newport, 1980) to reduced problem-solving ability ( Giambra & Arenberg, 1980). At this same time, elderly individuals must cope with their feelings of being near death ( Kubler-Ross, 1975) or the notion that they are entering the final stage of life ( Erikson, 1963). The ability to cope and to successfully adapt to these life changes may be dependent on the communicative skills of the elderly individual as they are used to produce a stable relational network. These relational networks help determine the satisfactory or unsatisfactory nature of later life.

Therefore, in addition to the demographic imperative for studying older adults, there are a variety of theoretical and practical reasons for studying communication and aging. Significant developmental changes occur in older adults, which affect communicative processes, which in turn directly affect older people. As Nussbaum, Hummert, Williams, and Harwood ( 1996) note ". . . these changes significantly alter the very nature of social life for members of this group" (p. 2). On the theoretical level, communication scholars have not accounted for these developmental life-span changes in "mainstream" communication theories.

For example, theories of relational development and maintenance do not account for the increasing experience and, it is hoped, knowledge from managing relationships that occurs throughout an individual's life span. This lack of attention to the life span limits the generalizability of any such theory.

On the pragmatic level, older adults use a variety of communicative strategies in order to maintain their sense of identity and place in the larger world. One of the compelling pragmatic reasons for studying communication and aging is the unique function that communication plays within the older population. The communicative behavior of older people serves several critical helping functions ( Troll, 1980). First, communication defines the changing power relationships between the elderly person and both family and friends that occur as the individual ages. As an elderly individual retires or in some way becomes more dependent upon family members and friends, this loss of independence is accompanied by a loss of power in these relationships. This power loss is not only reflected but created within these relationships by communication. Neugarten and Gutmann ( 1968) demonstrated that with increasing age elderly men become less competitive and less dominant, whereas elderly women tend to become more dominant and more competitive. These behavioral changes have profound effects not only on their marital relationships but also on their relationships with their children, grandchildren, and friends. The fuel for these relational changes is the communication that transpires within the relationships.

Communication serves a second important pragmatic function as the one mechanism that can aid in the replacement of lost mobility; such a replacement is necessary to ensure an individual's active participation in family affairs, religious activities, and community events. Through the relational network of family and friends, an older person continues to share information about the larger world. If an elderly individual cannot physically place himself or herself at a community function, the individual will lose touch -- unless friends or family members serve as messengers or information sources. . .

Free essays are not written to satisfy your specific instructions. You can order a term paper, research paper or custom essay on Essay on Communication and Aging Population at our site which offers professional essay writing services. Get your high quality custom paper at affordable price. EssayEmpire is the best solution for those who seek help in essay writing related to Essay on Communication and Aging Population and other relevant topics.