Definition Of Aging Essay

Long life is a sign of good health; and aging is a natural process that influences the individual, family and society in different ways. Ageing bring along a number of changes in the physical, psychological, hormonal and the social conditions. Define aging in terms of the biological; referring to "the regular changes that occur in mature genetically representative organism living under reprehensive environmental conditions as they advance in chronological age". Edward J. Stiegitz defines aging "as the element of time living". Aging begins with conception and ends with death. Old age means reduced physical ability, declining mental ability, the gradual giving up of role playing in socio-economic activities, and a shift in economic status moving from economic independence to economic dependence upon others for support. Potter and Perry (2005)10 stated that ageing is a life spanning process of growth and development from birth to death. Old age is an integral part of the whole, bringing fulfillment and self actualization. The ageing process occurs in every living species, as also in human beings by graying of hair, wrinkling of skin, hardening of arteries, aches and pains in joints and weakening of eye sight. Old age is called "dark" not because the light fails to shine but because people refuse to see it (Gowri, 2003)11. As for as back as 1875, in Britain, the Friendly Societies Act, enacted the definition of old age as, "any age after 50", yet pension scheme mostly used age 60 or 65 years for eligibility.(Roebuck, 1979)12. According to Erik Erikson’s “eight stages of life” theory, the human personality is developed in a series of eight stages that take place from the time of birth and
• Old age or advanced old age, this begins at 70 and ends at 79 years of ages.
• From the age 80 and the above is considered older old