Diedre Brown
HCS 557
February 23, 2015
Dr. Lorraine Jackson
Evolution of Roles and Societal Perspectives on Aging
It is important to understand how roles and perspectives have changed over time. The alterations can be an effect caused by societal and economical developments. Understanding the evolution of roles and perspectives provides a clearer picture on how aging may affect you in the future. In this report we will focuses on aging population from World War II to present day. I will describe the changing role of older adults, and describes the differences in perspectives on aging in America. I also will explain each cause of the changes in the role and perspectives of the aging population.
Changing Roles
The time from the World War II to the Present Day, from 1949 to 2015, there have been many changes that our nation has gone through. These changes have affected the roles of the elders because of the changes the American family has endured. Along with each generation came their own specific role change within the family. After World War II over time the role of the family has changed from the grandparents, father, mother, and children, from a farming family to that of an industrial family. The industrial families consist of the working father, house wife mother and the children. As time continue to pass the family structure changed to meet the needs of a changing society. Now we see the introduction of the working father and the working mother and the number of children growing smaller on average to three children families. With birth control women in the work place has caused the structure to change again, to the single parent family with children or no children at all.
The role of the work force has changed also over this period of time. From one were the father was the breadwinner and the mother stayed at home with the children. Over time the wife was introduced to the work force to the point