Age Stratification Theory Of Chronological Age

Chronological age is not always a good measure of age because it does not incorporate one’s overall well-being. For instance, if one is 80 years old and runs everyday he may feel ‘younger’ than a 60 year old who is stagnant throughout the day. Instead, it is beneficial to measure people in terms of functional age based on their capabilities. In this way, elderly people are measured more accurately and individually compared to being lumped into a group of various generations.
The meaning of chronological age has changed in correlation to an increase in life expectancy. Due to a plethora of socioeconomic developments, social roles of certain age groups are arbitrary. For instance, educational attainment has been an increasing trend over the

This theory also concerns the influences of social change on the family, for instance, the effects of social trends such as remarriage and intergenerational relationships. The age stratification theory brings attention to the process of aging and social structures. Moreover, it links the development of an individual and historical change. By investigating cohorts under this theory, one can record variations in the aged population and its relation to

These two theories are mainly concerned with the social aspects of aging.They both incorporate the importance of social context and individual variation. Attention is given to the contextual environment thus involving social aspects such as relationships with others and the impact of social trends such as cohabitation.

Within the last 100 years the population of older people has increased greatly; the age group of 65-74 year olds grew from 2.9% of the population to 6.8% of the population, the age group of those aged between 75-84 increased from 1.0% to 4.5% of the total population and the oldest group aged 85+ increased from almost nonexistent to 1.8% of the population. The population of older people overall grew 9%. Within the next 50 years the population of old people will continue to grow to an increase of 16.2% worldwide, 26.2% in more developed countries and 14.6% in less developed countries.

A population ages when there is an increase of older people in society. This happens because of greater life expectancies derived from low mortality or deaths, low morbidity or disease, and a decrease of fertility of the younger