Disengagement Theory

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Disengagement theory– This involves when an older person withdraws themselves from involvement in social interaction.The disengagement theory states that as you get older you naturally withdraw from others. Sometimes it can happen because as you get older you have less opportuinities to do things such as go out and socialise. Also another reason people disengage is because they cannot physically go out and do things due to their health. People tend to not only engage less with friends and distant relatives and more with closer relatives. Older people start to become more individualised and less bothered by the expectations of others and how they think or feel about them.

In 1961 Cumming and Henry, two theorists that brought forward this theory both argued that it was and important process for older people to go through and that it was a natural part of ageing. They believed that as people grow older they start to withdraw due to the less opportuinities that they can take part in. In 1974 Bromley accepted this theory and believed that even if someone tries to fight the process of disengagement it is bound to happen at some point whether it is earlier or later on in their lives. He also said that people disengage because they do not have the physical and mental resources they had when they were younger. He believed that disengagement could  happen because of many reasons such as…

 ill health- They may be very ill and not able to go out and do the things that they usually did when they were younger.

Geographical mobility- They may lives very far away from friends and family an may not be able to commute to where they want to go to.

retirement- They may live in a retirement home and disengage from the people there because they do not know them and they also may not be able to see their friends and family as much.

ill health of friends- Their friends and family may be ill and have disabilities so they have less opportunities to see them.

relatives and travel and technology- They may not have access to cars and places to travel so they have less resources to get from place to place.

In 1992 Zimbardo argued against the disengagement theory and stated that even though people withdraw  and stop trying to make new friends and only interact with close family and friends, he believed that did not make them disengaged. He believed that just because older people only tend to spend time with their friends and family it does not mean that they have withdrawn.

Activity theory – This involves the notion that disengagement is needed for any individual however the individual should still remain as active as possible in order for the disengagement not to go too far.

Bromley believed that it was very important for people to remain mentally and physically active and enjoy ther company of others. He also believed that if an individual became too disengaged it would affect their physical and mental skills.

During this task I am going to explain the physical and psychological changes that occur in individuals when ageing. As individuals grow older many changes take place within appreance and the inner body. This is all linked through psychological changes and how the individual copes with elderly life.