Communication in Later Life

Theories from Other Disciplines

Much research on communicating to, about, and from older adults has shown distinct signs of ageism, and this is so cross-nationally. In line with this, albeit originally devised to show the social dimensions of aging, one of the first well-cited frameworks was disengagement theory. Somewhat discredited these days, this position suggests that older people disengage—as the term suggests—in a seemingly natural way from involving themselves and contributing to society and, moreover, are passively encouraged to do so by younger segments of society. It was felt that disengagement eased the process of ultimate or impending demise for older adults in later life. Erikson's developmental theory similarly proposes that coming to terms with one's own death is, and is also seen to be, an important factor in aging successfully. Indeed, a terror management theory perspective on ageism claims that older people are often stereotyped very negatively and hence avoided because their presence can provide anxiety-provoking reminders for younger bystanders of their own inevitable mortality.

In contrast, activity theory suggests that socially engaged older adults (e.g., those with hobbies and responsibilities) are happier and survive longer, with the influential, but empirically challenged, position of Robert Kahn and John Rowe claiming that successful aging is, in part, commensurate with a lack of physical disabilities and ill health. Other theories have invested in notions of being internally in control of one's environment and of circumstances that become developmentally more and more important in the second portion of the life span. Indeed, an important adjunct to this idea is being ready and able to effectively compensate for any growing or emergent deficiencies in such areas as memory or agility. Meshing the latter [Page 133]so-called selective optimization with compensation theory and models of “possible selves” would allow older persons energetically to keep in sight, or strive to be congruent with, their ideal self. This approach would sidestep any discrepant conceptions of a feared (or even dreaded) self. Indeed, continuity theory affords particular theoretical weight to people who pay attention to valued aspects of stability and their enduring unique characteristics across the life span. That said, identity balance theory suggests that successful aging involves sustaining a demanding equilibrium involving subtly adjusting to or assimilating the former self-concepts and redefining aspects of the self to accommodate necessary changes.

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