THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGING AND DISEASE - GERIATRIC IDEOLOGY AND MYTHS OF SENILITY

An ongoing debate in gerontology concerns the relationship between agi ng and disease. Goodwin, as part of a discussion on the importance of geriatric ideology, argues that age-related disorders like senile deme ntia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT) should be regarded as an aging pro cess, while others suggest it is more appropriate to consider it as a disease. This paper comments on the arguments presented by Goodwin and develops these by providing a review of the underlying assumptions co ncerning aging and disease. The policy relevance and implications for future research are also outlined.