Olbrich E
Institut für Psychologie, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen.
Z Gerontol. 1990 Sep-Oct;23(5):246-51.
In developed societies, antecedents of and conditions for the development of older people's potentials are favorable. Longevity and wellbeing have increased through progress in hygiene, medicines economy, and ecology. Nevertheless, potentials of the elderly are a neglected theme in the media, in social policy, and in scientific discourse. Along with Riley and Riley's statement that individual potential is outrunning the social potential, it is argued that aging persons have indeed developed potentials, while institutions and society have contributed little. Institutionalization rather seems to veil the potentials of the elderly and to disregard their manifestations. Potentials of the elderly are described as abilities to realistically perceive chances and limitations of life in old age, reappraise life after experiencing loss, and accept expressed in sympathy for children and grandchildren, in sharing their concerns, and taking responsibility for human and social issues in life. Older people can develop potentials, which allow them to focus less on many of their own needs and to invest energies and commitment in persons, ideas, values, or activities that can continue beyond their own lifetime.
在发达社会中，老年人潜力发展的先决条件和环境较为有利。通过卫生、医药经济和生态方面的进步，人们的寿命延长且生活更加幸福。然而，老年人的潜力在媒体、社会政策和科学论述中却是一个被忽视的主题。与莱利夫妇关于个人潜力超过社会潜力的观点一致，有人认为老年人确实已发展出各种潜力，而机构和社会在这方面贡献甚微。机构化反而似乎掩盖了老年人的潜力，并忽视其潜力的展现。老年人的潜力被描述为能够现实地认识到老年生活的机遇与局限、在经历失去后重新评估生活，以及通过对子孙表示同情、分担他们的忧虑并对生活中的人类和社会问题负责来体现出的一种能力。老年人能够发展出一些潜力，这些潜力使他们减少对自身诸多需求的关注，并将精力和奉献投入到那些能够在他们身后延续的人、理念、价值观或活动中。
