Theories of Ageing
Activity Theory and Disengagement Theory
Social Disengagement;Disengagement means to withdraw from involvement. In 1961 two authors called Cumming and Henry put forward a disengagement theory that older people would naturally tend to withdraw themselves from social involvement with others as they get older. The elderly have restricted opportunities to interact with others due to ill health poor mobility or problems with hearing or vision may make other people more difficult. Cumming argued that older people would experience a reduction in social contacts as they grow older and become increasingly an individual and less concerned being around other people.He argued that it was okay and healthy for older people to withdraw from others and that disengagement was a natural part of ageing. The theory of disengagement was widely accepted in the past. For example Bromley 1974 argued that although some individuals fight the process all the way disengagement will happen either way