Aging In North America Essay

Aging, the process of growing old, begins the moment that a person is born; it is inevitable. All cultures deal with the ageing process. However, with the older population growing more rapidly, societies have to deal with it in larger number than before. ‘Baby boomers’ have a significant impact on society in when it comes to the economy, social structure and healthcare system. As the baby boomers represent 20% of the American population, it is clear that as they age, current societies are going to need to reconstruct in order to be accommodate the aging population. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the world population is rapidly ageing and it is expected that the number of people aged 60 years or older should increase from 605 million to 2 billion by 2050. While North American societies tend to view aging in a negative light and dread the prospect of aging, other societies on the other hand, embrace their aging population. Understanding the difference between the treatment of the elderly in East Asia and North America is important as it allows for the public to
Unlike its East Asian counterpart, North America has government institutions and programs that takes care of the elderly. Although the North American culture has created society where elderly people are viewed as frail and have deteriorating memories, there are facilities available for those whose families are unable to care for them. There are several different facilities such as assisted living facilities, retirement communities and nursing homes. With a plethora of options, more elderly individuals are able to live in their own homes. This option prevents the individual from moving far away their family or friends and does not cause a major change in their routine. While the elderly may be old age, it is important for them to have some sense of independence with