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Old Age In Europe pp 113–130Cite as

Cultural Gerontology: Valuing Older People

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Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Aging ((BRIEFSAGING))

Abstract

Cultural gerontology focuses on norms, values, practices, and moral ideas related to older age. Those norms, values, practices, and moral ideas shape significant images of older people in a society. They also influence stereotypes of old age and the possibilities an older individual has to participate in society. In Europe, older people’s image and their plans for their later life-years are important topics of discussion. These and similar topics are debated in relation to gender-differences and a youth- and consumption-oriented culture. Depending on the framework of the discussion, older Europeans are sometimes portrayed as tragic, and sometimes as inspiring.

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Recommended Readings

  • Edmondson, R., & Von Kondratowitz, H.-J. (Eds.). (2009). Valuing older people: a humanist approach to ageing. Bristol: Policy Press. This book gives an overview of the roles of morals, spirituality, images, and wisdom in debates about old age.

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Acknowledgments

I am grateful to Eugene McCabe for permission to quote the lines at the beginning of this chapter.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Political Science and Sociology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

    Ricca Edmondson

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  1. Ricca Edmondson
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Correspondence to Ricca Edmondson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Umeå University, Department of Sociology, Vindarnas Trog 1, Umeå, 901 87, Sweden

    Kathrin Komp

  2. , Faculty of Social Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Netherlands

    Marja Aartsen

Check Your Progress: A Quiz on Cultural Gerontology

Check Your Progress: A Quiz on Cultural Gerontology

Question 8.1: What is the image of old age in Europe?

  1. (a)

    A source of wisdom

  2. (b)

    Frail and socially isolated individuals

  3. (c)

    Potential consumers

  4. (d)

    Neither of the above

  5. (e)

    It can be any of these images, depending on the social context.

Question 8.2: What is the approach called, that states that people have very different experiences of the ageing process?

  1. (a)

    Ageing diversity approach

  2. (b)

    Diverse ageing approach

  3. (c)

    Diversity gerontology

  4. (d)

    Critical gerontology

  5. (e)

    Critical diversity gerontology

Question 8.3: Why is it important to consider culture when discussing the situation of older Europeans? (multiple answers possible)

  1. (a)

    Culture influences the roles that older people play in society

  2. (b)

    Culture influences how many older people live in a country

  3. (c)

    Culture influences the image of older people

  4. (d)

    There are many cultures in Europe, which means that culture creates differences between (older) Europeans

  5. (e)

    Culture is not important for older Europeans.

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Edmondson, R. (2013). Cultural Gerontology: Valuing Older People. In: Komp, K., Aartsen, M. (eds) Old Age In Europe. SpringerBriefs in Aging. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6134-6_8

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