Aging without agency: theorizing the fourth age.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology of aging
• Cultural studies

Background:

• Historical marginalization of old age from early modern times.
• Contemporary concentration of infirmity in long-term care settings.
• Emergence of a 'third-age' culture negating past representations of old age.

Observation:

• The concept of 'old age' is becoming a fragmented and undesirable 'social imaginary'.
• This fragmentation is likened to a 'black hole' effect, where old age is unobservable directly but its impact is evident.
• The 'fourth age' is a manifestation of this fragmentation and institutionalization of infirmities.

Findings:

• The 'fourth age' arises from the institutionalization of old age infirmities.
• It is juxtaposed against a 'third-age' culture that redefines aging.
• Old age's fading presence in the social world creates a void, observable through surrounding discourses.

Implications:

• Understanding the 'fourth age' requires analyzing its influence on societal discourses.
• This perspective shifts focus from the lived experience of extreme old age to its societal and cultural consequences.
• The study reframes the discourse surrounding aging and infirmity in contemporary society.