Describe the three functionalist theories of disengagement, activity, and continuity. Note how each focuses on the adjustments that occur between elderly people and others in society

Question

What will be an ideal response

Answer 1

Functionalists focus on why retirement is beneficial for society and how individuals adjust to retirement.
(1 ) Disengagement theory explains retirement as a mechanism for ensuring that the society's positions of responsibility are passed smoothly from one generation to the next. The individual starts to disengage during middle age by beginning to reassign priorities to goals and tasks and continuing this process as time goes on.
(2 ) Activity theory looks at how retired people replace their usual activities with other activities. The hypothesis is that the more activities the elderly engage in, the more satisfaction they will have in life.
(3 ) Continuity theory stresses that in retirement, people adjust to old age by continuing ties with their past. When they retire, people take up new roles similar to the ones they gave up. Research shows that people who are used to handling multiple roles and those who are more financially prepared adjust better to retirement.