Gerontology and the Aging Population

            Many advances have been made in medicine, health awareness, and technology. This has led to a society of stronger people who generally have longer lifespans. With humans living longer, there is a growing need to understand how this affects our society now and in the future. The field of gerontology which focuses on the aged population has become a subject of discussion, and rightly so because what we expect to see in the near future is an issue that is important and warrants our attention. Gerontology is the scientific study of old age, the process of aging, and the special problems of the elderly. This field of study is both relevant and timely. By studying this field, we gain knowledge of how aging affects our society, we see the impact of the baby boom generation, and we learn how gerontologist can influence change in elderly issues.
             This issue of aging has a huge effect on society and deserves our attention. Society's view on the elderly influences how we treat them, what value is place on them, and how well we care for these ones. In the media and on television we commonly see images of the young, vibrant and strong. Rarely are elderly seen in a flattering light. However, even as young people we encounter elderly ones in our everyday life. They are mothers, fathers, grand-mothers and grand-fathers. They deserve to be treated as such and not be cast of as unimportant or useless. These ones should feel like a part of a society that is supportive and accommodating to their needs. Gone are the days were families would care for the elderly when they reached a vulnerable state. To be fair, times have changed and families feel the pressure to provide above and beyond for themselves and their children. This means that there are more dual-income families than ever before. The cost of living is higher, and we are surrounded by media influence to buy more and spoil ourselves. Basically, there is little time to care for our elderly loved ones.