What Is The Selective Optimization With Compensation Model Of The Aging Process

1137 Words3 Pages

It is a well-known fact that everyone gets “old” we all grow up to take on responsibilities and become adults as it is a part of life. What individuals may not know, is that there are many ways to approach adulthood and going through a positive aging process. There are many models that discuss the aging process, however, the Selective Optimization with Compensation Model of Aging is one that should be viewed as most helpful in understanding the aging process and how to be a successful, positive adult. The Selective Optimization with Compensation Model of Aging is a model that has the basic assumption that individuals engage in adaptation throughout their lives, individuals adapt through life being capable of learning and changing. There …show more content…

Selection can direct development, due to personal goals that guide and organize one 's behavior. Optimization focuses on behaviors that maximize the quality of life-based on the completion of desired goals and or the desired outcome of a goal. Optimization is goal-relevant, the means of a goal need to be acquired, applied and refined to be able to reach the desired goal. Optimization is very important in older adults because once a goal is accomplished, the older adult feels more accomplished and is happier with themselves than those who do not accomplish their desired goals. Lastly, compensation, which is essentially finding new strategies or ways around something if a loss were to occur or if a plan did not go as planned. An example of compensation would be hearing the loss in older adulthood, a new strategy would be to seek out medical attention and get a hearing aid. In being educated as to what the SOC Model of Aging is, applying the model to an aging plan can be executed. In my family, there are many biological/physical and social/psychological occurrences. A hurdle I’ve been living with for some time is depression, I am twenty-three and have had depression for about three years, which is not …show more content…

I myself am guilty of saying a few of these terms, and hearing other statements like these and laughing. Prior to this course, my views of older adulthood was simple, ‘we get old, we retire, we become reliant on others.” A term coined by Robert Butler is often used to describe the judgments about the actions, characteristics, and desires of people based on their age are referred to as ageism. Ageism is something many people have in regards to young adults/teenagers as well as older adults/elderly. One of the most common myths about older adults is that they are all senile. “The word senile means to grow old”, which technically is true, older adults grow old, however, the context this term is used in refers to them as being forgetful or have dementia. I now find myself more aware of these myths and stereotypes towards older adults and challenge each stereotype I’ve mentioned. Mentioned above I have stated that all old people are the following: forgetful, slow, and senile. I am now aware that the word senile actually means to grow old, which can no longer be a myth. Yes, individuals become ‘senile’ in the sense that they are growing older. Again, the context it is used in is completely wrong and I will use my awareness of the word to encourage others to use other terms as well as preventing them from describing individuals in an ageist

More about What Is The Selective Optimization With Compensation Model Of The Aging Process

Open Document