Unit 4 - P4

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P4: Explain Two Theories of Ageing
Aging is a process that cannot be controlled by anyone or you can’t change as it is a natural process. Through the years it will increase and will have changes in the body that is visible. It will be a cause of biological and the physical appearance. I will be discussing 2 theories which were invented such as Elaine Cumming produced the Social Disengagement Theory and William Henry invented the Activity Theory.
Social Disengagement Theory:
Disengagement theory is a model by William Henry and Elaine Cumming, two social scientists interested in studying aging and the way interactions with other people change as people grow older. According to their theory, as people age, they tend to withdraw from society, and this can be the same, with society being less likely to engage with and include older people. They argued that this was a consequence of people learning their boundaries with age and making way for new generations of people to fill their roles. Under this theory, as people age, they tend to grow more fragile and their social circles shrink as they start to pull away and be less actively involved. Critics point out that often this disengagement is enforced, rather than voluntary; someone who needs to move to a nursing home, for example, experiences a restriction of her social circle as her friends may not be able to visit, and may start to die, leaving her with fewer connections.
Activity Theory:
The activity theory suggests that as people get older their ageing process will be more successful if they maintain their roles and responsibilities as they did when they were younger this is if they continue to occupy themselves with activities and keep a positive outlook on life. As people engage in activities, they are influenced by the roles they play and are assigned by society, and the rules dictated for people in those

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