| Description |
The physical, psychological, and social aspects of aging have been extensively researched in recent years. The shift from an agriculturally-based to an industrially-based economy (often called Westernization or Modernization) is generally thought to have negative consequences for the status and health of the aged. This change has not impacted cultures uniformly. The reasons for differential cultural responses to the process of Westernization as it relates to aging are unclear. This paper examines these issues as they relate to Navajo society over the past century. Ideology which holds reverence and respect for elders is prevalent. In reality, these values may not translate into every-day behavior which support elders. Economic pressures are ever-present. The Navajo economy has shifted from an agricultural economy to one dependent on the markets and wage labor. Further, U.S. Government programs, including the introduction of a new education system and health care services, have variably influenced the health and well-being of elders. Changes in economy have altered the family structure as young people move away from the reservation in search of employment. New values are taught in schools, isolating youth from elders. The full impact of these variables on health is undetermined. Isolation may prevent elders from having regular access to health services or to needed groceries. Many elders are secluded geographically and culturally from their own grandchildren because of changing values and economic pressures. Elders have their own explanation for the changing culture and expect these changes to accelerate. |
