Human beings have been dealing with the aging process since the earliest days of cognizance. Aging has been viewed differently historically by different societies. In Asia and South America, family members of advanced age are respected for their vast experience and included into the immediate family group. In the United States, which emphasizes youth and energy over age and wisdom, family members of advancing years are placed in nursing homes where they can live comfortably out of sight. However, as the baby-boomer generation rapidly advances in age, Americans will have to rethink their attitudes towards aging. In a rapidly aging society, the bias towards youth will have to be replaced by an added level of respect for the elderly and the values that are important to the aging demographic. This paper will discuss the value systems that are important to aging Americans today and how our society will be forced to heighten their awareness of these values. With the average age in the United States increasing every year, these issues will be of paramount importance to the well-being of our society.
In the western world, aging has traditionally been thought of as a journey through many different stages. One of the more influential theories in this topic was advanced by Erik Erikson, who noted that ôlife is a process of advancement through hierarchical stages, provided one adequately resolves to central life issue at each successive stageö (Atchley, 2000, p. 115). According to this widely-accepted theory, the central issue in early human development is the establishment of intimacyùof close personal relationships. As one approaches middle-age, the struggle that is aging moves on to a conflict between generativity, or the ability to support offspring or family members, and stagnation, the inability to contribute to another's well-being. In the twilight of life, Erikson believed that the final struggle was one between ego in...