{"id":7901,"date":"2019-07-19T12:44:02","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T12:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-introtosociology\/chapter\/introduction-to-aging\/"},"modified":"2020-07-03T22:54:40","modified_gmt":"2020-07-03T22:54:40","slug":"aging","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-introtosociology\/chapter\/aging\/","title":{"raw":"Aging and Society","rendered":"Aging and Society"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning outcomes<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Describe senior age groups and the study of the elderly population<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Describe the graying of the United States, including the impact of aging baby boomers<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Examine aging and elder care as a global issue<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWhile the landmark achievements of maturing into adulthood are a source of pride, physical signs of natural aging can be cause for shame or embarrassment. Some people try to fight off the appearance of aging with cosmetic surgery. Although many seniors report that their lives are more satisfying than ever, and their self-esteem is stronger than when they were young, they are still subject to negative cultural attitudes that make them feel invisible and devalued. In this section, we'll examine aging in the U.S. and around the world.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6035\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2034\/2016\/05\/28234315\/vlad-sargu-479334-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Two older men sit across from one another at a picnic table outside and are playing chess.\" width=\"518\" height=\"345\" \/>\r\n<h2>Who Are \"the Elderly?\"<\/h2>\r\nWhat does it mean to be elderly? Some define it as an issue of physical health, while others simply define it by chronological age. The United States government, for example, typically classifies people aged sixty-five years old as elderly, at which point citizens are eligible for federal benefits such as Social Security and Medicare.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204442\/Figure_13_01_04.jpg\" alt=\"A tall man flanked by two elderly women on his right and two elderly men on his left. The elderly people are all wearing blue T-shirts that read, \u201cKeep Social Security Strong: A A R P.\u201d A banner in the background can also be seen, reading \u201cSocial Security Benefits America.\u201d\" width=\"300\" height=\"298\" \/> <strong>Figure 1.\u00a0<\/strong>As senior citizens begin to make up a larger percentage of the United States, the organizations supporting them grow stronger. (Photo courtesy of Congressman George Miller\/flickr)[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe World Health Organization has no standard, other than noting that sixty-five years old is the commonly accepted definition in most core nations, but it suggests a cut-off somewhere between fifty and fifty-five years old for semi-peripheral nations, such as those in Africa (World Health Organization, 2012).\r\n\r\nAARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) cites fifty as the eligible age of membership. It is interesting to note AARP\u2019s name change; by taking the word \u201cretired\u201d out of its name, the organization can broaden its base to any older people in the United States, not just retirees. This is especially important now that many people are working to age seventy and beyond.\u00a0There is an element of social construction, both local and global, in the way individuals and nations define who is elderly; that is, the shared meaning of the concept of elderly is created through interactions among people in society. This is exemplified by the truism that you are only as old as you feel.\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id2617153\">Supercentenarians are people living to 110 years or more. In August 2014, there were seventy-five verified supercentenarians worldwide\u2014seventy-three women and two men. These are people whose age has been carefully documented, but there are almost certainly others who have not been identified. The Gerontology Research Group (2014) estimates there are between 300 and 450 people worldwide who are at least 110 years of age.<\/p>\r\nMadame Jeanne Calment of France was the world's oldest living person until she died at 122 years old; there are currently six women in the world whose ages are well documented as 115 years or older (Diebel, 2014). As of April 2019, the\u00a0Guinness Book of World Records recognizes supercentenarian Tanaka Kane as the world's oldest living person. She was born in Japan on January 2, 1903. While living in Japan, Tanaka worked selling rice cakes with her husband and later moved to the United States after her husband's death. At the age of 103, Tanaka survived colon cancer and even at age 116, was still enjoying calligraphy and the board game Othello in a nursing home in Fukuoka, Japan. Tanaka credits sleep, family and hope for her long life.\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id2185528\">Centenarians are people living to be 100 years old, and they are approximately 1,000 times more common than supercentenarians. According to the United States Census, in 2016 there were approximately 53,364 centenarians in the United States down from 80,0000 in 2010.[footnote]US Census Bureau. (2018, August 03). Older Americans Month: May 2017. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html<\/a>[\/footnote] They make up one of the fastest-growing segments of the population (Boston University School of Medicine, 2014).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"eip-165\">The aging of the U.S. population has significant ramifications for social institutions such as business, education, the healthcare industry, and the family, as well as for the many cultural norms and traditions that focus on interactions with and social roles for older people. \u201cOld\u201d is a socially defined concept, and the way we think about aging is likely to change as the population ages.<\/p>\r\nWe generally classify the elderly as the population above age 65. About 15.2 percent of the U.S. population or 49.2 million Americans are 65 and older.[footnote]US Census Bureau. (2018, April 10). The Nation's Older Population Is Still Growing, Census Bureau Reports. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html<\/a>[\/footnote]\u00a0This number is expected to grow to 98.2 million by the year 2060, at which time people\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 1em\">in this age group will comprise nearly one in four U.S. residents. Of this number, 19.7 million will be age 85 or older. Developmental changes<\/span>\u00a0vary considerably among this population, so it is further divided into categories of\u00a065 plus,\u00a085 plus, and\u00a0centenarians\u00a0for comparison by the census.[footnote]US Census Bureau. (2018, August 03). Newsroom. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html<\/a>[\/footnote]\r\n<h3>Studying the Elderly<\/h3>\r\n<figure id=\"import-auto-id1748195\" class=\"splash\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"400\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204437\/CNX_Soc2e_Figure_13_01_001.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of an old man sitting on a couch eating an ice cream cone with a walker next to him\" width=\"400\" height=\"480\" \/> <strong>Figure 2.\u00a0<\/strong>Society's view of the elderly is likely to change as the population ages. (Photo courtesy of sima dimitric\/flickr)[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034188743\"><strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034191206\">Gerontology<\/span><\/strong> is a field of science that seeks to understand the process of aging and the challenges encountered as seniors grow older. Gerontologists investigate age, aging, and the aged. Gerontologists study what it is like to be an older adult in a society and the ways that aging affects members of a society. As a multidisciplinary field, gerontology includes the work of medical and biological scientists, social scientists, and even financial and economic scholars.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034196627\"><strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034249289\">Social gerontology<\/span><\/strong> refers to a specialized field of gerontology that examines the social (and sociological) aspects of aging. Researchers focus on developing a broad understanding of the experiences of people at specific ages, such as mental and physical well being, plus age-specific concerns such as the process of dying. Social gerontologists work as social researchers, counselors, community organizers, and service providers for older adults. Because of their specialization, social gerontologists are in a strong position to advocate for older adults.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034248420\">Scholars in these disciplines have learned that \u201caging\u201d reflects not only the physiological process of growing older but also our attitudes and beliefs about the aging process. You\u2019ve likely seen online calculators that promise to determine your \u201creal age\u201d as opposed to your chronological age. These ads target the notion that people may \u201cfeel\u201d a different age than their actual years. Some sixty-year-olds feel frail and elderly, while some eighty-year-olds feel sprightly.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034249652\">Equally revealing is that as people grow older they define \u201cold age\u201d in terms of greater years than their current age (Logan, 1992). Many people want to postpone old age and regard it as a phase that will never arrive. Some older adults even succumb to stereotyping their own age group (Rothbaum, 1983).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251800\">In the United States, the experience of being elderly has changed greatly over the past century. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many U.S. households were home to multigenerational families, and the experiences and wisdom of elders was respected. They offered wisdom and support to their children and often helped raise their grandchildren (Sweetser, 1984).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034247245\">Multigenerational U.S. families began to decline after World War II, and their numbers reached a low point around 1980, but they are on the rise again. In fact, a 2016 Pew Research Center analysis of census data found that multigenerational families in the United States have now reached a record high. Up from 49 million in 2008, 64 million people, or 20% of the U.S. population are living in multigenerational homes\u2014defined as two or more adult generations living in the home or a home that includes grandparents and grandchildren under the age of 25.[footnote]Cohn, D., Passel, J. S., Cohn, D., &amp; Passel, J. S. (2018, April 05). Record 64 million Americans live in multigenerational households. Retrieved from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2018\/04\/05\/a-record-64-million-americans-live-in-multigenerational-households\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2018\/04\/05\/a-record-64-million-americans-live-in-multigenerational-households\/<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251676\">Attitudes toward the elderly have also been affected by large societal changes that have happened over the past 100 years. Researchers believe industrialization and modernization have contributed greatly to lowering the power, influence, and prestige the elderly once held. The elderly have both benefited and suffered from these rapid social changes. In modern societies, a strong economy created new levels of prosperity for many people. Healthcare has become more widely accessible, and medicine has advanced, which allows the elderly to live longer. However, older people are not as essential to the economic survival of their families and communities as they were in the past.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<section id=\"h21301_01\">\r\n<h3>Studying Aging Populations<\/h3>\r\nAge is an important factor to analyze alongside other demographic figures, such as income and health.\u00a0\u00a0Since its creation in 1790, the U.S. Census Bureau has been tracking age in the population. Figure 3 illustrates an estimation of the U.S. population by age in the year 2060.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5809\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"566\"]<img class=\"wp-image-5809\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2034\/2016\/05\/18134200\/pop-projections-3.jpg\" alt=\"Graph titled, &quot;From Pyramid to Pillar: a century of change&quot;. The graphic shows two population pyramids, one in 1960 and another in 2060. In 1960, the pyramid shows roughly 10 million males and females ages 0-4 at the bottom age groups, which taper off as a pyramid with fewer people in each age group moving up the ladder. In 2060, the base of the pyramid is wide at 10 million people and stays consistent until the 65-69 age group where the population decreases, and then increases at the 85+ age group.\" width=\"566\" height=\"599\" \/> <strong>Figure 3.<\/strong>\u00a0 These population pyramids show how population distribution is gradually shifting in the United States, with a rising median age.[\/caption]\r\n<figure id=\"import-auto-id1169034248312\"><\/figure>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034249230\">Statisticians use data to calculate the median age of a population, that is, the number that marks the halfway point in a group\u2019s age range.\u00a0The median age in the United States has been continually rising. In 2016 the median age was 37.9. up from 35.3 in 2000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2017). That means that about half of the people in the United States are under 37.9 and half are over 37.9. This increased indicates the population as a whole is growing older.[footnote]US Census Bureau. (2018, October 01). From Pyramid to Pillar: A Century of Change, Population of the U.S. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2018\/comm\/century-of-change.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2018\/comm\/century-of-change.html<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5810\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"497\"]<img class=\"wp-image-5810\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2034\/2016\/05\/18141316\/medage.jpg\" alt=\"Two maps of the United States titled, &quot;The Nation's Median Age Continues to Rise&quot;, The top map is based off of population data of US counties in 2000, with the median age being 35.3. The bottom map is based off of population data of US counties from 2016 with the median age is 37.9. When comparing the two graphs, it is seen that in most counties from 2000 to 2016, the median age increased.\" width=\"497\" height=\"496\" \/> <strong>Figure 4<\/strong>. These maps show that the median age is gradually rising.[\/caption]\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251498\">A <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034251736\">cohort<\/span><\/strong> is a group of people who share a statistical or demographic trait. People belonging to the same age cohort were born in the same time frame. Understanding a population\u2019s age composition can point to certain social and cultural factors and help governments and societies plan for future social and economic challenges.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251476\">For instance, sociological studies on aging might help explain the difference between Native American age cohorts and the general population. While Native American societies have a strong tradition of revering their elders, they also have a lower life expectancy because of lack of access to healthcare and high levels of mercury in fish, which is a traditional part of their diet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section><section id=\"h21301_02\">\r\n<h3>Phases of Aging: The Young-Old, Middle-Old, and Old-Old<\/h3>\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204439\/Figure_13_01_01.jpg\" alt=\"An older woman with white hair and glasses is shown looking out a window, across a body of water.\" width=\"300\" height=\"338\" \/> <strong>Figure 5.\u00a0<\/strong>How old is this woman? In modern U.S. society, appearance is not a reliable indicator of age. In addition to genetic differences, health habits, hair dyes, Botox, and the like make traditional signs of aging increasingly unreliable. (Photo courtesy of the Sean and Lauren Spectacular\/flickr)[\/caption]\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034248833\">In the United States, all people over eighteen years old are considered adults, but there is a substantial difference between a person who is twenty-one years old and a person who is forty-five years old. More specific categorical breakdowns, such as \u201cyoung adult\u201d and \u201cmiddle-aged adult,\u201d are helpful. In the same way, groupings are helpful in understanding the elderly. The elderly are often lumped together to include everyone over the age of sixty-five. But a sixty-five-year-old\u2019s experience of life is much different from a ninety-year-old\u2019s.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251030\">The United States\u2019 older adult population can be divided into three life-stage subgroups: the young-old (approximately 65 to 74 years old), the middle-old (ages 75 to 84 years old), and the old-old (over age 85). Today\u2019s young-old age group is generally happier, healthier, and financially better off than the young-old of previous generations. In the United States, people are better able to prepare for aging because resources are more widely available.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251032\">Also, many people are making proactive quality-of-life decisions about their old age while they are still young. In the past, family members made care decisions when an elderly person reached a health crisis, often leaving the elderly person with little choice about what would happen. The elderly are now able to choose housing, for example, that allows them some independence while still providing care when it is needed. Living wills, retirement planning, and medical power of attorney are other concerns that are increasingly handled in advance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section><section id=\"h21301_05\"><\/section><section id=\"summary1301\" class=\"section-summary\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\r\n<h3>Further Research<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034249546\">Gregory Bator founded the television show <em>Graceful Aging<\/em> and then developed a web site offering short video clips from the show. The purpose of <em>Graceful Aging<\/em> is to both inform and entertain, with clips on topics such as sleep, driving, health, safety, and legal issues. This website is for seniors, as well as people responsible for caring for an elderly person.\u00a0 Bator, a lawyer, works on counseling seniors about their legal needs. Look at the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.gracefulaging.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Graceful Aging<\/em>\u00a0website<\/a> for a visual understanding of aging.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><section id=\"sh1301\" class=\"short-answer\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Think It Over<\/h3>\r\n<div id=\"sh1301_ex01\" class=\"exercise\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li class=\"problem\">What social issues involve age disaggregation (breakdowns into groups) of a population? What impact does this age stratification have on the social institutions?\u00a0What kind of sociological studies would consider age an important factor?<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"problem\">Conduct a mini-census by counting the members of your extended family and include each person's age. Try to include three or four generations, if possible. Create a table and include total population plus percentages of each generation. Next, begin to analyze age patterns in your family. What issues are important and specific to each group? What trends can you predict about your own family over the next ten years based on this census? For example, how will family members\u2019 needs and interests and relationships change the family dynamic?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<h2>The Graying of the United States<\/h2>\r\nDemographically, the U.S. population over sixty-five years old increased from 3 million in 1900 to 33 million in 1994 (Hobbs, 1994), 36.8 million in 2010, 47.8 million in 2015, and 49.2 million in 2018 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018). This is a greater than tenfold increase in the elderly population, compared to a mere tripling of both the total population and of the population under sixty-five years old (Hobbs, 1994). This increase has been called \u201cthe graying of America,\u201d a term that describes the phenomenon of a larger and larger percentage of the population getting older and older.\r\n\r\n<section id=\"h21301_03\">\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5814\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]<img class=\"wp-image-5814 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2034\/2016\/05\/18143913\/pop1-1024x744.png\" alt=\"Population pyramid showing U.S. total resident population in 2015. The population is from 0 to 15 million is labeled on the x-axis, and the age groups from 0-4 to 85+ are labeled on the y-axis. The graph is close to a column with a population of about 10 million for both male and female until age 65, when the top tapers showing a decrease in population with older age.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"744\" \/> <strong>Figure 6<\/strong>. The population pyramid in the United States is beginning to look more like a column than a pyramid.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThere are several reasons why the United States is graying so rapidly. One of these is <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034251368\">life expectancy<\/span><\/strong>: the average number of years a person born today may expect to live. When we review Census Bureau statistics grouping the elderly by age, it is clear that in the United States, at least, we are living longer. In 2010, there were about 80,000 centenarians in the United States. According to the CDC, the number of centenarians in the United States in 2014 was 72,197. [footnote]Jiaquan Xu, M.D. (2016, January). Mortality Among Centenarians in the United States, 2000\u25002014. NCHS Data Brief. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/data\/databriefs\/db233.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/data\/databriefs\/db233.pdf<\/a>[\/footnote].\u00a0They make up one of the fastest-growing segments of the population (Boston University School of Medicine, 2014).\r\n\r\n<\/section><section id=\"h21301_03\">\r\n<p id=\"eip-676\">People over ninety years of age now account for 4.7 percent of the older population, defined as age sixty-five or above; this percentage is expected to reach 10 percent by the year 2050 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). As of 2018, about 15.2 percent of the U.S. population is age 65 or older.[footnote]US Census Bureau. (2018, April 10). The Nation's Older Population Is Still Growing, Census Bureau Reports. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034248304\">It is interesting to note that not all people in the United States age equally. Most glaring is the difference between men and women; as Figure 2 below\u00a0shows, women have longer life expectancies than men. In 2010, there were ninety sixty-five-year-old men per one hundred sixty-five-year-old women. However, there were only eighty seventy-five-year-old men per one hundred seventy-five-year-old women, and only sixty eighty-five-year-old men per one hundred eighty-five-year-old women. Nevertheless, as the graph shows, the sex ratio actually increased over time, indicating that men are closing the gap between their life spans and those of women (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"530\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204444\/Figure_13_01_05.jpg\" alt=\"A line graph titled, &quot;Sex Ratio by Age: 1990, 2000, and 2010&quot;. The x-axis is labeled by ages 65 to 100+, and the y-axis is labeled by the number of males 0 to 100 per 100 females. The graph depicts the narrowing percentage by which women outlive men, with each line forming a downward slope. At the age of 65, ratios of males to 100 females for all 3 years were between 80-90. By the age of 100, the ratios of all 3 years were between 20 and 30 males to 100 females.\" width=\"530\" height=\"632\" \/> <strong>Figure 7.\u00a0<\/strong>This U.S. Census graph shows that women live significantly longer than men. However, over the past two decades, men have narrowed the percentage by which women outlive them. (Graph courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau)[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/section><section id=\"h21301_04\">\r\n<h3>Baby Boomers<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034248341\">Of particular interest to gerontologists today is the population of <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034248343\">baby boomers<\/span><\/strong>, the unprecedentedly large cohort born between 1946 and 1964 and now reaching their 70s. Coming of age in the 1960s and early 1970s, the baby boom generation was the first group of children and teenagers with their own spending power and therefore their own marketing power (Macunovich, 2000). As this group has aged, it has redefined, particularly through the mass media forms that emerged during their adulthood, what it means to be young, middle-aged, and now old. People in the boomer generation do not want to grow old the way their grandparents did. The result is a wide range of products designed to ward off the effects\u2014or the signs\u2014of aging, known as <strong>senescence<\/strong>. Previous generations of people over sixty-five were \u201cold.\u201d Baby boomers are in \u201clater life\u201d or \u201cthe third age\u201d (Gilleard and Higgs, 2007).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034247365\">The baby boom generation is the cohort driving much of the dramatic increase in the over-sixty-five population. Figure 3\u00a0shows a comparison of the U.S. population by age and gender between 2000 and 2010. The biggest bulge in the pyramid (representing the largest population group) moves up the pyramid over the course of the decade; in 2000, the largest population group was age thirty-five to fifty-five. In 2010, that group was age forty-five to sixty-five, meaning the oldest baby boomers were just reaching the age at which the United States Census considers them elderly. In 2020, we can predict, the baby boom bulge will continue to rise up the pyramid, making the largest U.S. population group between sixty-five and eighty-five years old.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"600\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204446\/Figure_13_01_06.jpg\" alt=\"A population pyramid titled, &quot;Population by Age and Sex: 2000 and 2010&quot;. The population in millions from 0 to 3 is labeled on the x-axis, and the age range from 0 up to 100+ is labeled on the y-axis. The graph shows that in 2000, the population stayed around 2 million for ages 0 to 50 and began to taper off from there, decreasing to almost 0 by the age of 100. In 2010, the population stayed at around 2 million until tapering off at the age of 64.\" width=\"600\" height=\"750\" \/> <strong>Figure 8<\/strong>. In this U.S. Census pyramid chart, the baby boom bulge was aged thirty-five to fifty-five in 2000. In 2010, they were aged forty-five to sixty-five. (Graph courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau).[\/caption]\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251747\">This aging of the baby boom cohort has serious implications for our society. Healthcare is one of the areas most impacted by this trend. For years, hand-wringing has abounded about the additional burden the boomer cohort will place on Medicare, a government-funded program that provides healthcare services to people over sixty-five years old. And indeed, the Congressional Budget Office\u2019s 2008 long-term outlook report shows that Medicare spending is expected to increase from 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009 to 8 percent of GDP in 2030, and to 15 percent in 2080 (Congressional Budget Office, 2008).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251749\">Certainly, as boomers age, they will put increasing burdens on the entire U.S. healthcare system. A study from 2008 indicates that medical schools are not producing enough medical professionals who specialize in treating geriatric patients (Gerontological Society of America, 2008). However, other studies indicate that aging boomers will bring economic growth to the healthcare industries, particularly in areas like pharmaceutical manufacturing and home healthcare services (Bierman, 2011). Further, some argue that many of our medical advances of the past few decades are a result of boomers\u2019 health requirements. Unlike the elderly of previous generations, boomers do not expect that turning sixty-five means their active lives are over. They are not willing to abandon work or leisure activities, but they may need more medical support to keep living vigorous lives. This desire of a large group of over-sixty-five-year-olds wanting to continue with a high activity level is driving innovation in the medical industry (Shaw).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251750\">The economic impact of aging boomers is also an area of concern for many observers. Although the baby boom generation earned more than previous generations and enjoyed a higher standard of living, they also spent their money lavishly and did not adequately prepare for retirement. According to a 2008 report from the McKinsey Global Institute, approximately two-thirds of early boomer households have not accumulated enough savings to maintain their lifestyles. This will have a ripple effect on the economy as boomers work and spend less (Farrel et al., 2008).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251751\">Just as some observers are concerned about the possibility of Medicare being overburdened, Social Security is considered to be at risk. Social Security is a government-run retirement program funded primarily through payroll taxes. With enough people paying into the program, there should be enough money for retirees to take out. But with the aging boomer cohort starting to receive Social Security benefits and fewer workers paying into the Social Security trust fund, economists warn that the system will collapse by the year 2037. A similar warning came in the 1980s. In response to recommendations from the Greenspan Commission, the retirement age (the age at which people could start receiving Social Security benefits) was raised from sixty-two to sixty-seven and the payroll tax was increased. A similar hike in retirement age, perhaps to seventy, is a possible solution to the current threat to Social Security (Reuteman, 2010).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\r\n<h3>Dig Deeper: Social Security<\/h3>\r\nWatch this video from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?time_continue=72&amp;v=lHAcy4SNVbo\">National Academy of Social Insurance<\/a> to learn about the\u00a0counter-argument that Social Security will last well into the future because it was designed to account for an aging population. You can also visit the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nifi.org\/en\/issue-guide\/social-security-how-can-we-afford-it-updated-edition-2014?fbclid=IwAR00_UPUSx_1t7SlCSQ5i061QcYMw_G7ts4OcYBzCvUdnDy_27X-oJD0PeQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Issues Forum<\/a>\u00a0to learn more about alternatives to social security.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><section id=\"sh1301\" class=\"short-answer\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Think It Over<\/h3>\r\n<div id=\"sh1301_ex01\" class=\"exercise\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Baby boomers have been called the \u201cMe Generation.\u201d Do you know any baby boomers? In what way do they exemplify their generation?\u00a0Do you think that is an accurate description?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><section id=\"h21301_03\">\r\n<h2>Aging around the World<\/h2>\r\n<\/section><section id=\"h21301_05\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204448\/Figure_13_01_07.jpg\" alt=\"A shirtless elderly man is shown manipulating a large tree branch while standing waist-deep in a river.\" width=\"300\" height=\"301\" \/> <strong>Figure 9.\u00a0<\/strong>Cultural values and attitudes can shape people\u2019s experience of aging. (Photo courtesy of Tom Coppen\/flickr)[\/caption]\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251541\">From 1950 to approximately 2010, the global population of individuals age sixty-five and older increased by a range of 5\u20137 percent (Lee, 2009). This percentage is expected to increase and will have a critical impact on the <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034251545\">dependency ratio<\/span><\/strong>: the number of nonproductive citizens (young, disabled, or elderly) to productive working citizens (Bartram and Roe, 2005). One country that will soon face a serious aging crisis is China, which is on the cusp of an \u201caging boom\u201d\u2014 a period when its elderly population will dramatically increase. The number of people above age sixty in China today is about 178 million, which amounts to 13.3 percent of its total population (Xuequan, 2011). By 2050, nearly a third of the Chinese population will be age sixty or older, which will put a significant burden on the labor force and impacting China\u2019s economic growth (Bannister, Bloom, and Rosenberg, 2010).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251548\">As healthcare improves and life expectancy increases across the world, elder care will be an emerging issue. Wienclaw (2009) suggests that with fewer working-age citizens available to provide home care and long-term assisted care to the elderly, the costs of elder care will increase.\u00a0The cost of putting a parent into professional assisted-living averages about $42,000 a year, and approximately $87,000 in a private room. If the elder family member stays home, he or she is typically cared for by a woman, who is typically \"a middle aged mother with children or adult children living in their household. [footnote]Geewax, M. (2012, May 01). Discovering The True Cost Of At-Home Caregiving. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2012\/05\/01\/151472617\/discovering-the-true-cost-of-at-home-caregiving\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2012\/05\/01\/151472617\/discovering-the-true-cost-of-at-home-caregiving<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251302\">Worldwide, the expectation governing the amount and type of elder care varies from culture to culture. For example, in Asia the responsibility for elder care lies firmly on the family (Yap, Thang, and Traphagan, 2005). This is different from the approach in most Western countries, where the elderly are considered independent and are expected to tend to their own care. It is not uncommon for family members to intervene only if the elderly relative requires assistance, often due to poor health. Even then, caring for the elderly is considered voluntary. In the United States, decisions to care for an elderly relative are often conditionally based on the promise of future returns, such as inheritance or, in some cases, the amount of support the elderly provided to the caregiver in the past (Hashimoto, 1996).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251311\">These differences are based on cultural attitudes toward aging. In China, several studies have noted the attitude of <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034251315\">filial piety<\/span><\/strong> (deference and respect to one\u2019s parents and ancestors in all things) as fundamentally defining all other virtues (Hamilton, 1990; Hsu, 1971). Cultural attitudes in Japan prior to approximately 1986 supported the idea that the elderly deserve assistance (Ogawa and Retherford, 1993). However, seismic shifts in major social institutions (like family and the economy) have created an increased demand for community and government care. For example, the increase in women working outside the home has made it more difficult to provide in-home care to aging parents, which leads to an increase in the need for government-supported institutions (Raikhola and Kuroki, 2009).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251324\">In the United States, by contrast, many people view caring for the elderly as a burden. Even when there is a family member able and willing to provide for an elderly family member, 60 percent of family caregivers are employed outside the home and are unable to provide the needed support. At the same time, however, many middle-class families are unable to bear the financial burden of \u201coutsourcing\u201d professional healthcare, resulting in gaps in care (Bookman and Kimbrel, 2011). It is important to note that even within the United States not all demographic groups treat aging the same way. While most people in the United States are reluctant to place their elderly members into out-of-home assisted care, demographically speaking, the groups least likely to do so are Latinos, African Americans, and Asians (Bookman and Kimbrel, 2011).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034252349\">Globally, the United States and other core nations are fairly well equipped to handle the demands of an exponentially increasing elderly population. However, peripheral and semi-peripheral nations face similar increases without comparable resources. Poverty among elders is a concern, especially among elderly women. The feminization of the aging poor, evident in peripheral nations, is directly due to the number of elderly women in those countries who are single, illiterate, and not a part of the labor force (Mujahid, 2006).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034252356\">In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Aging was held in Madrid, Spain, resulting in the Madrid Plan, an internationally coordinated effort to create comprehensive social policies to address the needs of the worldwide aging population. The plan identifies three themes to guide international policy on aging: 1) publicly acknowledging the global challenges caused by, and the global opportunities created by, a rising global population; 2) empowering the elderly; and 3) linking international policies on aging to international policies on development (Zelenev, 2008).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034252363\">The Madrid Plan has not yet been successful in achieving all its aims. However, it has increased awareness of the various issues associated with a global aging population, as well as raising the international consciousness to the way that the factors influencing the vulnerability of the elderly (social exclusion, prejudice and discrimination, and a lack of socio-legal protection) overlap with other developmental issues (basic human rights, empowerment, and participation), leading to an increase in legal protections (Zelenev, 2008).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section><section>\r\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\r\n<h3>glossary<\/h3>\r\n[glossary-page]\r\n[glossary-term]baby boomers:[\/glossary-term]\r\n[glossary-definition]unprecedentedly large cohort of people in the United States born between approximately 1946 and 1964[\/glossary-definition]\r\n\r\n[glossary-term]cohort:[\/glossary-term]\r\n[glossary-definition]a group of people who share a statistical or demographic trait[\/glossary-definition]\r\n\r\n[glossary-term]dependency ratio:[\/glossary-term]\r\n[glossary-definition]the number of nonproductive citizens (young, disabled, elderly) to productive working citizens[\/glossary-definition]\r\n\r\n[glossary-term]filial piety:[\/glossary-term]\r\n[glossary-definition]deference and respect to one\u2019s parents and ancestors in all things[\/glossary-definition]\r\n\r\n[glossary-term]gerontology:[\/glossary-term]\r\n[glossary-definition]a field of science that seeks to understand the process of aging and the challenges encountered as seniors grow older[\/glossary-definition]\r\n\r\n[glossary-term]life expectancy:[\/glossary-term]\r\n[glossary-definition]the number of years a newborn is expected to live[\/glossary-definition]\r\n\r\n[glossary-term]senescence:[\/glossary-term]\r\n[glossary-definition]the aging process, including biological, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual changes[\/glossary-definition]\r\n\r\n[glossary-term]social gerontology:[\/glossary-term]\r\n[glossary-definition]a specialized field of gerontology that examines the social (and sociological) aspects of aging[\/glossary-definition]\r\n[\/glossary-page]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning outcomes<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Describe senior age groups and the study of the elderly population<\/li>\n<li>Describe the graying of the United States, including the impact of aging baby boomers<\/li>\n<li>Examine aging and elder care as a global issue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>While the landmark achievements of maturing into adulthood are a source of pride, physical signs of natural aging can be cause for shame or embarrassment. Some people try to fight off the appearance of aging with cosmetic surgery. Although many seniors report that their lives are more satisfying than ever, and their self-esteem is stronger than when they were young, they are still subject to negative cultural attitudes that make them feel invisible and devalued. In this section, we&#8217;ll examine aging in the U.S. and around the world.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6035\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2034\/2016\/05\/28234315\/vlad-sargu-479334-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Two older men sit across from one another at a picnic table outside and are playing chess.\" width=\"518\" height=\"345\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Who Are &#8220;the Elderly?&#8221;<\/h2>\n<p>What does it mean to be elderly? Some define it as an issue of physical health, while others simply define it by chronological age. The United States government, for example, typically classifies people aged sixty-five years old as elderly, at which point citizens are eligible for federal benefits such as Social Security and Medicare.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204442\/Figure_13_01_04.jpg\" alt=\"A tall man flanked by two elderly women on his right and two elderly men on his left. The elderly people are all wearing blue T-shirts that read, \u201cKeep Social Security Strong: A A R P.\u201d A banner in the background can also be seen, reading \u201cSocial Security Benefits America.\u201d\" width=\"300\" height=\"298\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 1.\u00a0<\/strong>As senior citizens begin to make up a larger percentage of the United States, the organizations supporting them grow stronger. (Photo courtesy of Congressman George Miller\/flickr)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The World Health Organization has no standard, other than noting that sixty-five years old is the commonly accepted definition in most core nations, but it suggests a cut-off somewhere between fifty and fifty-five years old for semi-peripheral nations, such as those in Africa (World Health Organization, 2012).<\/p>\n<p>AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) cites fifty as the eligible age of membership. It is interesting to note AARP\u2019s name change; by taking the word \u201cretired\u201d out of its name, the organization can broaden its base to any older people in the United States, not just retirees. This is especially important now that many people are working to age seventy and beyond.\u00a0There is an element of social construction, both local and global, in the way individuals and nations define who is elderly; that is, the shared meaning of the concept of elderly is created through interactions among people in society. This is exemplified by the truism that you are only as old as you feel.<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id2617153\">Supercentenarians are people living to 110 years or more. In August 2014, there were seventy-five verified supercentenarians worldwide\u2014seventy-three women and two men. These are people whose age has been carefully documented, but there are almost certainly others who have not been identified. The Gerontology Research Group (2014) estimates there are between 300 and 450 people worldwide who are at least 110 years of age.<\/p>\n<p>Madame Jeanne Calment of France was the world&#8217;s oldest living person until she died at 122 years old; there are currently six women in the world whose ages are well documented as 115 years or older (Diebel, 2014). As of April 2019, the\u00a0Guinness Book of World Records recognizes supercentenarian Tanaka Kane as the world&#8217;s oldest living person. She was born in Japan on January 2, 1903. While living in Japan, Tanaka worked selling rice cakes with her husband and later moved to the United States after her husband&#8217;s death. At the age of 103, Tanaka survived colon cancer and even at age 116, was still enjoying calligraphy and the board game Othello in a nursing home in Fukuoka, Japan. Tanaka credits sleep, family and hope for her long life.<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id2185528\">Centenarians are people living to be 100 years old, and they are approximately 1,000 times more common than supercentenarians. According to the United States Census, in 2016 there were approximately 53,364 centenarians in the United States down from 80,0000 in 2010.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"US Census Bureau. (2018, August 03). Older Americans Month: May 2017. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html\" id=\"return-footnote-7901-1\" href=\"#footnote-7901-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a> They make up one of the fastest-growing segments of the population (Boston University School of Medicine, 2014).<\/p>\n<p id=\"eip-165\">The aging of the U.S. population has significant ramifications for social institutions such as business, education, the healthcare industry, and the family, as well as for the many cultural norms and traditions that focus on interactions with and social roles for older people. \u201cOld\u201d is a socially defined concept, and the way we think about aging is likely to change as the population ages.<\/p>\n<p>We generally classify the elderly as the population above age 65. About 15.2 percent of the U.S. population or 49.2 million Americans are 65 and older.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"US Census Bureau. (2018, April 10). The Nation's Older Population Is Still Growing, Census Bureau Reports. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html\" id=\"return-footnote-7901-2\" href=\"#footnote-7901-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This number is expected to grow to 98.2 million by the year 2060, at which time people\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 1em\">in this age group will comprise nearly one in four U.S. residents. Of this number, 19.7 million will be age 85 or older. Developmental changes<\/span>\u00a0vary considerably among this population, so it is further divided into categories of\u00a065 plus,\u00a085 plus, and\u00a0centenarians\u00a0for comparison by the census.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"US Census Bureau. (2018, August 03). Newsroom. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html\" id=\"return-footnote-7901-3\" href=\"#footnote-7901-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Studying the Elderly<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"import-auto-id1748195\" class=\"splash\">\n<div style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204437\/CNX_Soc2e_Figure_13_01_001.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of an old man sitting on a couch eating an ice cream cone with a walker next to him\" width=\"400\" height=\"480\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 2.\u00a0<\/strong>Society&#8217;s view of the elderly is likely to change as the population ages. (Photo courtesy of sima dimitric\/flickr)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034188743\"><strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034191206\">Gerontology<\/span><\/strong> is a field of science that seeks to understand the process of aging and the challenges encountered as seniors grow older. Gerontologists investigate age, aging, and the aged. Gerontologists study what it is like to be an older adult in a society and the ways that aging affects members of a society. As a multidisciplinary field, gerontology includes the work of medical and biological scientists, social scientists, and even financial and economic scholars.<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034196627\"><strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034249289\">Social gerontology<\/span><\/strong> refers to a specialized field of gerontology that examines the social (and sociological) aspects of aging. Researchers focus on developing a broad understanding of the experiences of people at specific ages, such as mental and physical well being, plus age-specific concerns such as the process of dying. Social gerontologists work as social researchers, counselors, community organizers, and service providers for older adults. Because of their specialization, social gerontologists are in a strong position to advocate for older adults.<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034248420\">Scholars in these disciplines have learned that \u201caging\u201d reflects not only the physiological process of growing older but also our attitudes and beliefs about the aging process. You\u2019ve likely seen online calculators that promise to determine your \u201creal age\u201d as opposed to your chronological age. These ads target the notion that people may \u201cfeel\u201d a different age than their actual years. Some sixty-year-olds feel frail and elderly, while some eighty-year-olds feel sprightly.<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034249652\">Equally revealing is that as people grow older they define \u201cold age\u201d in terms of greater years than their current age (Logan, 1992). Many people want to postpone old age and regard it as a phase that will never arrive. Some older adults even succumb to stereotyping their own age group (Rothbaum, 1983).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251800\">In the United States, the experience of being elderly has changed greatly over the past century. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many U.S. households were home to multigenerational families, and the experiences and wisdom of elders was respected. They offered wisdom and support to their children and often helped raise their grandchildren (Sweetser, 1984).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034247245\">Multigenerational U.S. families began to decline after World War II, and their numbers reached a low point around 1980, but they are on the rise again. In fact, a 2016 Pew Research Center analysis of census data found that multigenerational families in the United States have now reached a record high. Up from 49 million in 2008, 64 million people, or 20% of the U.S. population are living in multigenerational homes\u2014defined as two or more adult generations living in the home or a home that includes grandparents and grandchildren under the age of 25.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Cohn, D., Passel, J. S., Cohn, D., &amp; Passel, J. S. (2018, April 05). Record 64 million Americans live in multigenerational households. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2018\/04\/05\/a-record-64-million-americans-live-in-multigenerational-households\/\" id=\"return-footnote-7901-4\" href=\"#footnote-7901-4\" aria-label=\"Footnote 4\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251676\">Attitudes toward the elderly have also been affected by large societal changes that have happened over the past 100 years. Researchers believe industrialization and modernization have contributed greatly to lowering the power, influence, and prestige the elderly once held. The elderly have both benefited and suffered from these rapid social changes. In modern societies, a strong economy created new levels of prosperity for many people. Healthcare has become more widely accessible, and medicine has advanced, which allows the elderly to live longer. However, older people are not as essential to the economic survival of their families and communities as they were in the past.<\/p>\n<section id=\"h21301_01\">\n<h3>Studying Aging Populations<\/h3>\n<p>Age is an important factor to analyze alongside other demographic figures, such as income and health.\u00a0\u00a0Since its creation in 1790, the U.S. Census Bureau has been tracking age in the population. Figure 3 illustrates an estimation of the U.S. population by age in the year 2060.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5809\" style=\"width: 576px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5809\" class=\"wp-image-5809\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2034\/2016\/05\/18134200\/pop-projections-3.jpg\" alt=\"Graph titled, &quot;From Pyramid to Pillar: a century of change&quot;. The graphic shows two population pyramids, one in 1960 and another in 2060. In 1960, the pyramid shows roughly 10 million males and females ages 0-4 at the bottom age groups, which taper off as a pyramid with fewer people in each age group moving up the ladder. In 2060, the base of the pyramid is wide at 10 million people and stays consistent until the 65-69 age group where the population decreases, and then increases at the 85+ age group.\" width=\"566\" height=\"599\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5809\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 3.<\/strong>\u00a0 These population pyramids show how population distribution is gradually shifting in the United States, with a rising median age.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure id=\"import-auto-id1169034248312\"><\/figure>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034249230\">Statisticians use data to calculate the median age of a population, that is, the number that marks the halfway point in a group\u2019s age range.\u00a0The median age in the United States has been continually rising. In 2016 the median age was 37.9. up from 35.3 in 2000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2017). That means that about half of the people in the United States are under 37.9 and half are over 37.9. This increased indicates the population as a whole is growing older.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"US Census Bureau. (2018, October 01). From Pyramid to Pillar: A Century of Change, Population of the U.S. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2018\/comm\/century-of-change.html\" id=\"return-footnote-7901-5\" href=\"#footnote-7901-5\" aria-label=\"Footnote 5\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[5]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5810\" style=\"width: 507px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5810\" class=\"wp-image-5810\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2034\/2016\/05\/18141316\/medage.jpg\" alt=\"Two maps of the United States titled, &quot;The Nation's Median Age Continues to Rise&quot;, The top map is based off of population data of US counties in 2000, with the median age being 35.3. The bottom map is based off of population data of US counties from 2016 with the median age is 37.9. When comparing the two graphs, it is seen that in most counties from 2000 to 2016, the median age increased.\" width=\"497\" height=\"496\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5810\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 4<\/strong>. These maps show that the median age is gradually rising.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251498\">A <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034251736\">cohort<\/span><\/strong> is a group of people who share a statistical or demographic trait. People belonging to the same age cohort were born in the same time frame. Understanding a population\u2019s age composition can point to certain social and cultural factors and help governments and societies plan for future social and economic challenges.<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251476\">For instance, sociological studies on aging might help explain the difference between Native American age cohorts and the general population. While Native American societies have a strong tradition of revering their elders, they also have a lower life expectancy because of lack of access to healthcare and high levels of mercury in fish, which is a traditional part of their diet.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"h21301_02\">\n<h3>Phases of Aging: The Young-Old, Middle-Old, and Old-Old<\/h3>\n<div style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204439\/Figure_13_01_01.jpg\" alt=\"An older woman with white hair and glasses is shown looking out a window, across a body of water.\" width=\"300\" height=\"338\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 5.\u00a0<\/strong>How old is this woman? In modern U.S. society, appearance is not a reliable indicator of age. In addition to genetic differences, health habits, hair dyes, Botox, and the like make traditional signs of aging increasingly unreliable. (Photo courtesy of the Sean and Lauren Spectacular\/flickr)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034248833\">In the United States, all people over eighteen years old are considered adults, but there is a substantial difference between a person who is twenty-one years old and a person who is forty-five years old. More specific categorical breakdowns, such as \u201cyoung adult\u201d and \u201cmiddle-aged adult,\u201d are helpful. In the same way, groupings are helpful in understanding the elderly. The elderly are often lumped together to include everyone over the age of sixty-five. But a sixty-five-year-old\u2019s experience of life is much different from a ninety-year-old\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251030\">The United States\u2019 older adult population can be divided into three life-stage subgroups: the young-old (approximately 65 to 74 years old), the middle-old (ages 75 to 84 years old), and the old-old (over age 85). Today\u2019s young-old age group is generally happier, healthier, and financially better off than the young-old of previous generations. In the United States, people are better able to prepare for aging because resources are more widely available.<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251032\">Also, many people are making proactive quality-of-life decisions about their old age while they are still young. In the past, family members made care decisions when an elderly person reached a health crisis, often leaving the elderly person with little choice about what would happen. The elderly are now able to choose housing, for example, that allows them some independence while still providing care when it is needed. Living wills, retirement planning, and medical power of attorney are other concerns that are increasingly handled in advance.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"h21301_05\"><\/section>\n<section id=\"summary1301\" class=\"section-summary\">\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\n<h3>Further Research<\/h3>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034249546\">Gregory Bator founded the television show <em>Graceful Aging<\/em> and then developed a web site offering short video clips from the show. The purpose of <em>Graceful Aging<\/em> is to both inform and entertain, with clips on topics such as sleep, driving, health, safety, and legal issues. This website is for seniors, as well as people responsible for caring for an elderly person.\u00a0 Bator, a lawyer, works on counseling seniors about their legal needs. Look at the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.gracefulaging.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Graceful Aging<\/em>\u00a0website<\/a> for a visual understanding of aging.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"sh1301\" class=\"short-answer\">\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Think It Over<\/h3>\n<div id=\"sh1301_ex01\" class=\"exercise\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"problem\">What social issues involve age disaggregation (breakdowns into groups) of a population? What impact does this age stratification have on the social institutions?\u00a0What kind of sociological studies would consider age an important factor?<\/li>\n<li class=\"problem\">Conduct a mini-census by counting the members of your extended family and include each person&#8217;s age. Try to include three or four generations, if possible. Create a table and include total population plus percentages of each generation. Next, begin to analyze age patterns in your family. What issues are important and specific to each group? What trends can you predict about your own family over the next ten years based on this census? For example, how will family members\u2019 needs and interests and relationships change the family dynamic?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2>The Graying of the United States<\/h2>\n<p>Demographically, the U.S. population over sixty-five years old increased from 3 million in 1900 to 33 million in 1994 (Hobbs, 1994), 36.8 million in 2010, 47.8 million in 2015, and 49.2 million in 2018 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018). This is a greater than tenfold increase in the elderly population, compared to a mere tripling of both the total population and of the population under sixty-five years old (Hobbs, 1994). This increase has been called \u201cthe graying of America,\u201d a term that describes the phenomenon of a larger and larger percentage of the population getting older and older.<\/p>\n<section id=\"h21301_03\">\n<div>\n<div id=\"attachment_5814\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5814\" class=\"wp-image-5814 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2034\/2016\/05\/18143913\/pop1-1024x744.png\" alt=\"Population pyramid showing U.S. total resident population in 2015. The population is from 0 to 15 million is labeled on the x-axis, and the age groups from 0-4 to 85+ are labeled on the y-axis. The graph is close to a column with a population of about 10 million for both male and female until age 65, when the top tapers showing a decrease in population with older age.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"744\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5814\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 6<\/strong>. The population pyramid in the United States is beginning to look more like a column than a pyramid.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>There are several reasons why the United States is graying so rapidly. One of these is <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034251368\">life expectancy<\/span><\/strong>: the average number of years a person born today may expect to live. When we review Census Bureau statistics grouping the elderly by age, it is clear that in the United States, at least, we are living longer. In 2010, there were about 80,000 centenarians in the United States. According to the CDC, the number of centenarians in the United States in 2014 was 72,197. <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Jiaquan Xu, M.D. (2016, January). Mortality Among Centenarians in the United States, 2000\u25002014. NCHS Data Brief. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/data\/databriefs\/db233.pdf\" id=\"return-footnote-7901-6\" href=\"#footnote-7901-6\" aria-label=\"Footnote 6\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[6]<\/sup><\/a>.\u00a0They make up one of the fastest-growing segments of the population (Boston University School of Medicine, 2014).<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"h21301_03\">\n<p id=\"eip-676\">People over ninety years of age now account for 4.7 percent of the older population, defined as age sixty-five or above; this percentage is expected to reach 10 percent by the year 2050 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). As of 2018, about 15.2 percent of the U.S. population is age 65 or older.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"US Census Bureau. (2018, April 10). The Nation's Older Population Is Still Growing, Census Bureau Reports. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html\" id=\"return-footnote-7901-7\" href=\"#footnote-7901-7\" aria-label=\"Footnote 7\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[7]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034248304\">It is interesting to note that not all people in the United States age equally. Most glaring is the difference between men and women; as Figure 2 below\u00a0shows, women have longer life expectancies than men. In 2010, there were ninety sixty-five-year-old men per one hundred sixty-five-year-old women. However, there were only eighty seventy-five-year-old men per one hundred seventy-five-year-old women, and only sixty eighty-five-year-old men per one hundred eighty-five-year-old women. Nevertheless, as the graph shows, the sex ratio actually increased over time, indicating that men are closing the gap between their life spans and those of women (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010).<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 540px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204444\/Figure_13_01_05.jpg\" alt=\"A line graph titled, &quot;Sex Ratio by Age: 1990, 2000, and 2010&quot;. The x-axis is labeled by ages 65 to 100+, and the y-axis is labeled by the number of males 0 to 100 per 100 females. The graph depicts the narrowing percentage by which women outlive men, with each line forming a downward slope. At the age of 65, ratios of males to 100 females for all 3 years were between 80-90. By the age of 100, the ratios of all 3 years were between 20 and 30 males to 100 females.\" width=\"530\" height=\"632\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 7.\u00a0<\/strong>This U.S. Census graph shows that women live significantly longer than men. However, over the past two decades, men have narrowed the percentage by which women outlive them. (Graph courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"h21301_04\">\n<h3>Baby Boomers<\/h3>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034248341\">Of particular interest to gerontologists today is the population of <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034248343\">baby boomers<\/span><\/strong>, the unprecedentedly large cohort born between 1946 and 1964 and now reaching their 70s. Coming of age in the 1960s and early 1970s, the baby boom generation was the first group of children and teenagers with their own spending power and therefore their own marketing power (Macunovich, 2000). As this group has aged, it has redefined, particularly through the mass media forms that emerged during their adulthood, what it means to be young, middle-aged, and now old. People in the boomer generation do not want to grow old the way their grandparents did. The result is a wide range of products designed to ward off the effects\u2014or the signs\u2014of aging, known as <strong>senescence<\/strong>. Previous generations of people over sixty-five were \u201cold.\u201d Baby boomers are in \u201clater life\u201d or \u201cthe third age\u201d (Gilleard and Higgs, 2007).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034247365\">The baby boom generation is the cohort driving much of the dramatic increase in the over-sixty-five population. Figure 3\u00a0shows a comparison of the U.S. population by age and gender between 2000 and 2010. The biggest bulge in the pyramid (representing the largest population group) moves up the pyramid over the course of the decade; in 2000, the largest population group was age thirty-five to fifty-five. In 2010, that group was age forty-five to sixty-five, meaning the oldest baby boomers were just reaching the age at which the United States Census considers them elderly. In 2020, we can predict, the baby boom bulge will continue to rise up the pyramid, making the largest U.S. population group between sixty-five and eighty-five years old.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204446\/Figure_13_01_06.jpg\" alt=\"A population pyramid titled, &quot;Population by Age and Sex: 2000 and 2010&quot;. The population in millions from 0 to 3 is labeled on the x-axis, and the age range from 0 up to 100+ is labeled on the y-axis. The graph shows that in 2000, the population stayed around 2 million for ages 0 to 50 and began to taper off from there, decreasing to almost 0 by the age of 100. In 2010, the population stayed at around 2 million until tapering off at the age of 64.\" width=\"600\" height=\"750\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 8<\/strong>. In this U.S. Census pyramid chart, the baby boom bulge was aged thirty-five to fifty-five in 2000. In 2010, they were aged forty-five to sixty-five. (Graph courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251747\">This aging of the baby boom cohort has serious implications for our society. Healthcare is one of the areas most impacted by this trend. For years, hand-wringing has abounded about the additional burden the boomer cohort will place on Medicare, a government-funded program that provides healthcare services to people over sixty-five years old. And indeed, the Congressional Budget Office\u2019s 2008 long-term outlook report shows that Medicare spending is expected to increase from 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009 to 8 percent of GDP in 2030, and to 15 percent in 2080 (Congressional Budget Office, 2008).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251749\">Certainly, as boomers age, they will put increasing burdens on the entire U.S. healthcare system. A study from 2008 indicates that medical schools are not producing enough medical professionals who specialize in treating geriatric patients (Gerontological Society of America, 2008). However, other studies indicate that aging boomers will bring economic growth to the healthcare industries, particularly in areas like pharmaceutical manufacturing and home healthcare services (Bierman, 2011). Further, some argue that many of our medical advances of the past few decades are a result of boomers\u2019 health requirements. Unlike the elderly of previous generations, boomers do not expect that turning sixty-five means their active lives are over. They are not willing to abandon work or leisure activities, but they may need more medical support to keep living vigorous lives. This desire of a large group of over-sixty-five-year-olds wanting to continue with a high activity level is driving innovation in the medical industry (Shaw).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251750\">The economic impact of aging boomers is also an area of concern for many observers. Although the baby boom generation earned more than previous generations and enjoyed a higher standard of living, they also spent their money lavishly and did not adequately prepare for retirement. According to a 2008 report from the McKinsey Global Institute, approximately two-thirds of early boomer households have not accumulated enough savings to maintain their lifestyles. This will have a ripple effect on the economy as boomers work and spend less (Farrel et al., 2008).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251751\">Just as some observers are concerned about the possibility of Medicare being overburdened, Social Security is considered to be at risk. Social Security is a government-run retirement program funded primarily through payroll taxes. With enough people paying into the program, there should be enough money for retirees to take out. But with the aging boomer cohort starting to receive Social Security benefits and fewer workers paying into the Social Security trust fund, economists warn that the system will collapse by the year 2037. A similar warning came in the 1980s. In response to recommendations from the Greenspan Commission, the retirement age (the age at which people could start receiving Social Security benefits) was raised from sixty-two to sixty-seven and the payroll tax was increased. A similar hike in retirement age, perhaps to seventy, is a possible solution to the current threat to Social Security (Reuteman, 2010).<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\n<h3>Dig Deeper: Social Security<\/h3>\n<p>Watch this video from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?time_continue=72&amp;v=lHAcy4SNVbo\">National Academy of Social Insurance<\/a> to learn about the\u00a0counter-argument that Social Security will last well into the future because it was designed to account for an aging population. You can also visit the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nifi.org\/en\/issue-guide\/social-security-how-can-we-afford-it-updated-edition-2014?fbclid=IwAR00_UPUSx_1t7SlCSQ5i061QcYMw_G7ts4OcYBzCvUdnDy_27X-oJD0PeQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Issues Forum<\/a>\u00a0to learn more about alternatives to social security.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"sh1301\" class=\"short-answer\">\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Think It Over<\/h3>\n<div id=\"sh1301_ex01\" class=\"exercise\">\n<ul>\n<li>Baby boomers have been called the \u201cMe Generation.\u201d Do you know any baby boomers? In what way do they exemplify their generation?\u00a0Do you think that is an accurate description?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"h21301_03\">\n<h2>Aging around the World<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"h21301_05\">\n<div style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/120\/2016\/04\/15204448\/Figure_13_01_07.jpg\" alt=\"A shirtless elderly man is shown manipulating a large tree branch while standing waist-deep in a river.\" width=\"300\" height=\"301\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 9.\u00a0<\/strong>Cultural values and attitudes can shape people\u2019s experience of aging. (Photo courtesy of Tom Coppen\/flickr)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251541\">From 1950 to approximately 2010, the global population of individuals age sixty-five and older increased by a range of 5\u20137 percent (Lee, 2009). This percentage is expected to increase and will have a critical impact on the <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034251545\">dependency ratio<\/span><\/strong>: the number of nonproductive citizens (young, disabled, or elderly) to productive working citizens (Bartram and Roe, 2005). One country that will soon face a serious aging crisis is China, which is on the cusp of an \u201caging boom\u201d\u2014 a period when its elderly population will dramatically increase. The number of people above age sixty in China today is about 178 million, which amounts to 13.3 percent of its total population (Xuequan, 2011). By 2050, nearly a third of the Chinese population will be age sixty or older, which will put a significant burden on the labor force and impacting China\u2019s economic growth (Bannister, Bloom, and Rosenberg, 2010).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251548\">As healthcare improves and life expectancy increases across the world, elder care will be an emerging issue. Wienclaw (2009) suggests that with fewer working-age citizens available to provide home care and long-term assisted care to the elderly, the costs of elder care will increase.\u00a0The cost of putting a parent into professional assisted-living averages about $42,000 a year, and approximately $87,000 in a private room. If the elder family member stays home, he or she is typically cared for by a woman, who is typically &#8220;a middle aged mother with children or adult children living in their household. <a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Geewax, M. (2012, May 01). Discovering The True Cost Of At-Home Caregiving. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2012\/05\/01\/151472617\/discovering-the-true-cost-of-at-home-caregiving\" id=\"return-footnote-7901-8\" href=\"#footnote-7901-8\" aria-label=\"Footnote 8\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251302\">Worldwide, the expectation governing the amount and type of elder care varies from culture to culture. For example, in Asia the responsibility for elder care lies firmly on the family (Yap, Thang, and Traphagan, 2005). This is different from the approach in most Western countries, where the elderly are considered independent and are expected to tend to their own care. It is not uncommon for family members to intervene only if the elderly relative requires assistance, often due to poor health. Even then, caring for the elderly is considered voluntary. In the United States, decisions to care for an elderly relative are often conditionally based on the promise of future returns, such as inheritance or, in some cases, the amount of support the elderly provided to the caregiver in the past (Hashimoto, 1996).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251311\">These differences are based on cultural attitudes toward aging. In China, several studies have noted the attitude of <strong><span id=\"import-auto-id1169034251315\">filial piety<\/span><\/strong> (deference and respect to one\u2019s parents and ancestors in all things) as fundamentally defining all other virtues (Hamilton, 1990; Hsu, 1971). Cultural attitudes in Japan prior to approximately 1986 supported the idea that the elderly deserve assistance (Ogawa and Retherford, 1993). However, seismic shifts in major social institutions (like family and the economy) have created an increased demand for community and government care. For example, the increase in women working outside the home has made it more difficult to provide in-home care to aging parents, which leads to an increase in the need for government-supported institutions (Raikhola and Kuroki, 2009).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034251324\">In the United States, by contrast, many people view caring for the elderly as a burden. Even when there is a family member able and willing to provide for an elderly family member, 60 percent of family caregivers are employed outside the home and are unable to provide the needed support. At the same time, however, many middle-class families are unable to bear the financial burden of \u201coutsourcing\u201d professional healthcare, resulting in gaps in care (Bookman and Kimbrel, 2011). It is important to note that even within the United States not all demographic groups treat aging the same way. While most people in the United States are reluctant to place their elderly members into out-of-home assisted care, demographically speaking, the groups least likely to do so are Latinos, African Americans, and Asians (Bookman and Kimbrel, 2011).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034252349\">Globally, the United States and other core nations are fairly well equipped to handle the demands of an exponentially increasing elderly population. However, peripheral and semi-peripheral nations face similar increases without comparable resources. Poverty among elders is a concern, especially among elderly women. The feminization of the aging poor, evident in peripheral nations, is directly due to the number of elderly women in those countries who are single, illiterate, and not a part of the labor force (Mujahid, 2006).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034252356\">In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Aging was held in Madrid, Spain, resulting in the Madrid Plan, an internationally coordinated effort to create comprehensive social policies to address the needs of the worldwide aging population. The plan identifies three themes to guide international policy on aging: 1) publicly acknowledging the global challenges caused by, and the global opportunities created by, a rising global population; 2) empowering the elderly; and 3) linking international policies on aging to international policies on development (Zelenev, 2008).<\/p>\n<p id=\"import-auto-id1169034252363\">The Madrid Plan has not yet been successful in achieving all its aims. However, it has increased awareness of the various issues associated with a global aging population, as well as raising the international consciousness to the way that the factors influencing the vulnerability of the elderly (social exclusion, prejudice and discrimination, and a lack of socio-legal protection) overlap with other developmental issues (basic human rights, empowerment, and participation), leading to an increase in legal protections (Zelenev, 2008).<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\n<h3>glossary<\/h3>\n<div class=\"titlepage\">\n<dl>\n<dt>baby boomers:<\/dt>\n<dd>unprecedentedly large cohort of people in the United States born between approximately 1946 and 1964<\/dd>\n<dt>cohort:<\/dt>\n<dd>a group of people who share a statistical or demographic trait<\/dd>\n<dt>dependency ratio:<\/dt>\n<dd>the number of nonproductive citizens (young, disabled, elderly) to productive working citizens<\/dd>\n<dt>filial piety:<\/dt>\n<dd>deference and respect to one\u2019s parents and ancestors in all things<\/dd>\n<dt>gerontology:<\/dt>\n<dd>a field of science that seeks to understand the process of aging and the challenges encountered as seniors grow older<\/dd>\n<dt>life expectancy:<\/dt>\n<dd>the number of years a newborn is expected to live<\/dd>\n<dt>senescence:<\/dt>\n<dd>the aging process, including biological, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual changes<\/dd>\n<dt>social gerontology:<\/dt>\n<dd>a specialized field of gerontology that examines the social (and sociological) aspects of aging<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-7901\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Objectives and Activities. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Modification, adaptation, and original content. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Rebecca Vonderhaar for Lumen Learning. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Aging and the Elderly. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: OpenStax CNX. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/AgQDEnLI@10.1:rN3fhmfq@3\/Introduction-to-Aging-and-the-Elderly\">https:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/AgQDEnLI@10.1:rN3fhmfq@3\/Introduction-to-Aging-and-the-Elderly<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Download for free at http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/02040312-72c8-441e-a685-20e9333f3e1d@3.49<\/li><li>Men playing chess. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Vlad Sargu. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Unsplash. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/ItphH2lGzuI\">https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/ItphH2lGzuI<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/cc0\">CC0: No Rights Reserved<\/a><\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: https:\/\/unsplash.com\/license<\/li><li>Description of elderly. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Sonja Ann Miller for Lumen Learning. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-lifespandevelopment\/chapter\/physical-development-4\/\">https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-lifespandevelopment\/chapter\/physical-development-4\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Kane Tanaka. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Wikipedia. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kane_Tanaka\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kane_Tanaka<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Social Security: Just the Facts. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: NASIchannel. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lHAcy4SNVbo\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lHAcy4SNVbo<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>Other<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube License<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">Public domain content<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>The Nations Median Age Continues to Rise. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: United States Census Bureau. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2017\/comm\/median-age.html\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2017\/comm\/median-age.html<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/pdm\">Public Domain: No Known Copyright<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>From Pyramid to Pillar. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: United States Census Bureau. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2018\/comm\/century-of-change.html\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2018\/comm\/century-of-change.html<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/pdm\">Public Domain: No Known Copyright<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Americau2019s Age Profile Told through Population Pyramids. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Luke T. Rogers. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: United States Census Bureau. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/blogs\/random-samplings\/2016\/06\/americas-age-profile-told-through-population-pyramids.html\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/blogs\/random-samplings\/2016\/06\/americas-age-profile-told-through-population-pyramids.html<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/pdm\">Public Domain: No Known Copyright<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section><hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-7901-1\">US Census Bureau. (2018, August 03). Older Americans Month: May 2017. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-7901-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-7901-2\">US Census Bureau. (2018, April 10). The Nation's Older Population Is Still Growing, Census Bureau Reports. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-7901-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-7901-3\">US Census Bureau. (2018, August 03). Newsroom. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/facts-for-features\/2017\/cb17-ff08.html<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-7901-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-7901-4\">Cohn, D., Passel, J. S., Cohn, D., &amp; Passel, J. S. (2018, April 05). Record 64 million Americans live in multigenerational households. Retrieved from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2018\/04\/05\/a-record-64-million-americans-live-in-multigenerational-households\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2018\/04\/05\/a-record-64-million-americans-live-in-multigenerational-households\/<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-7901-4\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 4\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-7901-5\">US Census Bureau. (2018, October 01). From Pyramid to Pillar: A Century of Change, Population of the U.S. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2018\/comm\/century-of-change.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2018\/comm\/century-of-change.html<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-7901-5\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 5\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-7901-6\">Jiaquan Xu, M.D. (2016, January). Mortality Among Centenarians in the United States, 2000\u25002014. NCHS Data Brief. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/data\/databriefs\/db233.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/data\/databriefs\/db233.pdf<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-7901-6\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 6\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-7901-7\">US Census Bureau. (2018, April 10). The Nation's Older Population Is Still Growing, Census Bureau Reports. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2017\/cb17-100.html<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-7901-7\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 7\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-7901-8\">Geewax, M. (2012, May 01). Discovering The True Cost Of At-Home Caregiving. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2012\/05\/01\/151472617\/discovering-the-true-cost-of-at-home-caregiving\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2012\/05\/01\/151472617\/discovering-the-true-cost-of-at-home-caregiving<\/a> <a href=\"#return-footnote-7901-8\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 8\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":29,"menu_order":6,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Objectives and Activities\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Aging and the Elderly\",\"author\":\"OpenStax CNX\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/AgQDEnLI@10.1:rN3fhmfq@3\/Introduction-to-Aging-and-the-Elderly\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"Download for free at http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/02040312-72c8-441e-a685-20e9333f3e1d@3.49\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Men playing chess\",\"author\":\"Vlad Sargu\",\"organization\":\"Unsplash\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/ItphH2lGzuI\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc0\",\"license_terms\":\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/license\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Description of elderly\",\"author\":\"Sonja Ann Miller for Lumen Learning\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-lifespandevelopment\/chapter\/physical-development-4\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Kane Tanaka\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Wikipedia\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kane_Tanaka\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"pd\",\"description\":\"The Nations Median Age Continues to Rise\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"United States Census Bureau\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2017\/comm\/median-age.html\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"pd\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"pd\",\"description\":\"From Pyramid to Pillar\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"United States Census Bureau\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/library\/visualizations\/2018\/comm\/century-of-change.html\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"pd\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Modification, adaptation, and original content\",\"author\":\"Rebecca Vonderhaar for Lumen Learning\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Social Security: Just the Facts\",\"author\":\"NASIchannel\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lHAcy4SNVbo\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"other\",\"license_terms\":\"Standard YouTube License\"},{\"type\":\"pd\",\"description\":\"Americau2019s Age Profile Told through Population Pyramids\",\"author\":\"Luke T. 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