Social Problems: Community, Policy, and Social Action
SAGE Journal Articles
As the baby boomers begin to retire in great numbers later this decade, there will not be enough workers in younger age categories to replace them. In this review, an attempt is made to integrate the demographics of an aging workforce with the projected economic revitalization. Implications are discussed regarding the concept of retirement and the paradox of an oversized generation preparing to retire in the context of extended life expectancies and projected worker shortages.
Questions to Consider:
1) Many more women over the age of 62 are working compared to men, according to the article. What reasons may account for this? If you are a woman, do you see yourself working past the age of 62? Why or why not?
2) Why might employers be reluctant to hire older workers?
3) As baby boomers reach retirement age what implications will this have for our society?
Prevailing stereotypes of older people hold that their attitudes are inflexible or that aging tends to promote increasing conservatism in sociopolitical outlook. In spite of mounting scientific evidence demonstrating that learning, adaptation, and reassessment are behaviors in which older people can and do engage, the stereotype persists. We use U.S. General Social Survey data from 25 surveys between 1972 and 2004 to formally assess the magnitude and direction of changes in attitudes that occur within cohorts at different stages of the life course.
Questions to Consider:
1) The authors of this article state that, “historical events can alter people’s views” as it pertains to how people ages 65 and older are perceived. What do you think the authors mean by this statement?
2) Take a look at the questions that are found in the appendix. These are the questions that were used in this survey which is the basis for this article. Select one or two of the questions and discuss how individuals’ responses might differ if asked the same question 20 years ago as opposed to today.
The authors examined the resilience of self-esteem after loss in the lives of older adults. Specifically, the authors investigated the relationship between loss and change in self-esteem during a 3-year period. A subsample of older adults from the Americans’ Changing Lives Study was used to examine loss in the domains of health, financial security, or work and career and self-esteem before and after the loss. There was a small but significant decrease in self-esteem between Wave I and Wave II of the study.
Questions to Consider:
1) According to the authors of the article, “Numerous studies demonstrate that there is very small or no decline in well-being or happiness in old age”. Why do you think this is so? What are some factors that may explain why this is so?
2) The authors found that older people are resilient, even after they have experienced a loss. Did you find this result surprising? Why or why not?
3) How can studies such as this one help those who work with the elderly population?