The Psychology of Aging
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Institution
The Psychology of Aging
Introduction
The perception of the aging process is different among various cultures in the world. In fact, some people even fear aging more than death itself, especially the younger generation living in a modern civilization such as the Western world. This perception has continually bred a group of people with little or no understanding of what the aging process entails. Consequently, there is a huge problem where the younger generation does not know how to care for the senior citizens in our societies.
Definition and a Brief Description of the Aging Process
Aging is a lifetime process of change that occurs in various stages of human growth; from
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The American youth population believes old age is the time of infirmity and decline. In contrast, Africans believe it is in their old age they will enjoy a full and productive life.Secondly, because African cuisine consists mostly of organic foods from their farmlands, their absorption of essential nutrients into their bodies such as calcium, zinc, proteins, vitamins et cetera, is quite high. The African cultures however, have different attitudes and reactions about aging. The old are treated with high esteem, as they are the repositories of culture and heritage, and are given due respect and recognition in the society as compared to the western …show more content…
This is because our cognitive abilities, emotional and social attributes that we acquire from the parenting process in the society, shapes who we become and generally, our abilities to understand various issues differently. Nonetheless, a balanced diet, regular exercise, managing stress, avoiding drugs and excessive alcohol use leads to graceful aging. Moreover, our cultural beliefs distinctly influence how we view and address matters such as aging, death, gender, bereavement, religious and spiritual orientation, etc. Therefore, the society needs to educate people with the right resources that will help people in their developmental process. (Berk, 2012, pg.