Caylie Redding Summary

In America, people are changing their views on aging and the elderly. Some of the reasons that the attitudes are changing could be due to more elderly people are remaining in the work place longer, as opposed to retiring early. Riffkin (2014). And there is the fact that we baby boomers are living longer. Even though the U.S. only ranks 53rd with a life expectancy of 79. That’s an increase of one year since 2010. (“The World: Life Expectancy” 2016)

After reading The Age of Dignity by Ai-Jen Poo, I realize that she brings out many good concerns and information about where our country is heading in the upcoming years. Throughout her book we discuss our golden years and the care that we should be able to receive and how crucial it is for our personal wellbeing, independence, and securing our own futures. The 85 plus age group is one of the fastest growing demographics in the US and Poo talks about the possible solutions that need to be created in our infrastructure before we have an even bigger crisis on our hands. It’s a fact that the elderly baby boomers cohort is growing faster than we can care for them, this shows that we need to implement a new system that will be able to care and support our many elders in their life, and how we can do it with financial competency and dignity.

Aging Americans, like other age groups, are feeling the effects of the declining real estate and stock markets, as well as soaring fuel and food prices. Seniors’ economic security will only increase in importance as the U.S. population ages. The nation’s health and social services resources will face unprecedented demand as 75 million people in the baby boomer generation reach retirement age—some with eroded savings and retirement accounts. Aging people of color are more likely than white

Data from the Census Bureau tell us that in 2015, there are around 47.8 million Americans age 65 and older, up from about 25.5 million just 35 years ago; demographers predict that in another 35 years, there will be nearly 88 million Americans in this age group. The rate of growth of the “oldest old” population—those age 85 and older—is even more dramatic: Their numbers currently stand at approximately 6.3 million, but by 2050, that number will have almost tripled, to 18.7 million Americans. This population explosion is unprecedented in history, and the resulting demographic shift is causing profound social and economic changes.

As the baby boomer generation is starting to age and retire, there will be an increase for retirement and estate planning services. While some of these retirees will find this not important, some will take action. Children will start to help parents plan for their aging needs and assisting with getting their parent’s affairs in order. Although, most people between the age of 50 and 70 are more concerned with watching how much money will be available upon retirement, they will have to seriously start talking about uncomfortable things such as aging issues, such as failing health, unexpected death and diminishing mental capacity. As uncomfortable as these things are to talk about, it is most imperitive to think about “what if” scenarios

The baby boomer generation adds a new sixty five year old every eight seconds and they have a lot to offer.  InterGENerosity provides both opportunity for employment and receiving in-home assistance with activities of daily living.  Older adults have the skills and

This could be where the problem starts because although the elderly want to be independent and live on their own, most are not completely capable of this and need the assistance. The unavoidable process of aging will happen to

102). “Reaching old age means living with less income” or that’s what it used to mean. In the United States elderly has had a 45% increase in income leading them to not only having less elders be poor but having greater gains than young adults (Macionis, 2014, pg. 104). One of the main reason as to why the elderly population has grown massively over the last few years and will continue to grow is primarily because of the “baby boomers.” With these Baby Boomers getting close to the age cap of becoming an elder the populations’ growth will increase the problem of Ageism.

America is facing a previously unknown challenge. By the years 2030 the number of people reaching retirement will have doubled, this will account for an increase from 12 percent to almost 20 percent of the United States population. By 2050 the number of Americans who are over the age of 85 and make up the highest amount of chronic illness, poverty, and need for assistance with activities of daily living, will quadruple to 19 million. (CSWE.org)

“While we have 35 million people aged 65 and older in the United States, the baby boomers will solidify the aging revolution in America. As this group continues to swell the ranks of elderly population, increasing numbers of older adults are

This journal article overviews the new realities of aging as they are shaped by contemporary social and economic contexts and the processes that give rise to them. It reviews the outcomes and implications of aging as it relates to contemporary social and economic contexts; and it features the importance of viewing the science of human aging through a sociological lens.

The world population is growing older; it is going to have an enormous impact on public and private interests. Between 2012-2050, the United States will experience considerable growth in its more elderly population. The US Census project that by the year 2030 the population of individuals aged 65 and over will be reached approximately 73 billion. It generates social and economic difficulties such as the tendency of economic growth, the workforce, health care system, immigration, and pension system (Ortman et al).

People have concerned that phenomenal expansion of America’s senior population will create a challenge for the government assistance programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Another group of people are concerned the Boomers have the potential to agitate the economy as they indulge in spending a phenomenal portion of his or her assets at the same time. Boomers imprint is on every stage of American life he or she has passed through, and anticipation of seniors years will duplicate.

The impact of the baby boom demographic group has the potential to revolutionize not only our culture, but the structure of the services provided by healthcare professionals. As the baby-boomers reach their mid 50s and 60s, meeting their needs may tax already overburdened healthcare systems, counselors, gerontologists, and service providers. Healthcare professionals and the institutions educating those professionals will need to reevaluate current services and programs to meet the demands of an elderly society.

The American population is getting older which presents us with many challenges but also present us with potential opportunities. With the length of life and quantity and fraction of older persons rise in most industrialized and many evolving nations, a crucial question is whether this population will be accompanied by continued or better-quality health, an improving quality of life, and adequate social and cost-effective resources. This answer lies in the ability of peoples and societies, as well as modern social, governmental, financial, and health service delivery systems, to provide optimum assistance to older persons.