Life Comes at You Fast: A Life Course Perspective on Aging

Carol L. Jenkins, PhDAssociate Professor, School of Social Work

Associate Director for Educational Programs,

Center on Aging

East Carolina University

Why Do We Care About Aging?

Life comes at you fast

What Is “Old”?

Chronological age Social roles Functional age Subjective age

Why Do We Care about Aging?

Changing age structure: 65+1900: 4.1%2000: 12.8%By 2030: 20%

Why Do We Care about Aging?

Changing age structure: 85+By 2040 the 85 and older population will

quadruple in size to nearly 14,000,000

Why Do We Care about Aging?

Changing age structure: 100+2004: 95,000 centenarians2050 projections: 1.15 million

Source: National Centenarian Awareness Project

http://www.adlercentenarians.org/

U.S. Population:2006

Projected U.S. Population:2040

Why Do We Care about Aging?

Families Workplace Policy

Why Do We Care about Aging?Families

More years in intergenerational roles

Why Do We Care about Aging?Families More years in intergenerational roles High divorce rates

Marital Status, 65+

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Married Widowed Nevermarried

Divorced

Men

Women

Why Do We Care about Aging?Families

More years in intergenerational roles High divorce rates Blended families

Why Do We Care about Aging?Families

More years in intergenerational roles High divorce rates Blended families Primary source of care for older

relatives80%-85% of community-based care

Why Do We Care about Aging?Workplace

Increasing labor force participation by womenConflict with caregiving demands

Why Do We Care about Aging?Workplace

Increasing labor force participation by womenConflict with caregiving demands

Aging labor force

Why Do We Care about Aging?Workplace

Increasing labor force participation by womenConflict with caregiving demands

Aging labor force Growth in aging-related careers

Why Do We Care about Aging?Policy

Social Securitywithout it, 40% of older people would be

in povertyONLY source of income for

9% of older married couples 20% of older unmarried men 25% of older unmarried women

Why Do We Care about Aging?Policy Social Security Medicare

Part A: hospital, some nursing home & home health care

Part B: physicians, outpatient servicesPart C: managed carePart D: prescription drugs

Why Do We Care about Aging?Policy Social Security Medicare Medicaid

Joint federal/state About 2/3 of Medicaid spending is on long-

term care, making it the primary public source of financing for long-term care

Life Course Framework

The interaction ofhistorical events individual opportunities and decisionsthe effect of early life experiences

in determining later life outcomes

Terms

CohortGroup of individuals experiencing the same

event within the same time interval

Terms

CohortGroup of individuals experiencing the same

event within the same time interval Age cohort

All individuals born during the specific time period experience major life events at the same age

Age Cohorts: Historical Events Swing Generation

1900-1926 83-109 years of age

Silent Generation 1927-1945 64-82 years of age

Baby Boomers 1946-1964 45-63 years of age

Age Cohorts:Opportunities Swing Generation

1900-1926 83-109 years of age

Silent Generation 1927-1945 64-82 years of age

Baby Boomers 1946-1964 45-63 years of age

Age Cohorts: Early Life Experiences Swing Generation

1900-1926 83-109 years of age

Silent Generation 1927-1945 64-82 years of age

Baby Boomers 1946-1964 45-63 years of age

Cumulative Disadvantage

Life course assumes a cumulative effect of lifetime events, opportunities, and choices

Cumulative Disadvantage

Life course assumes a cumulative effect of lifetime events, opportunities, and choices

Inequality (e.g., wealth, health) greatest among the old

Cumulative Disadvantage

Life course assumes a cumulative effect of lifetime events, opportunities, and choices

Inequality (e.g., wealth, health) greatest among the old

Disadvantage early in liferesults in disadvantage in old agepersists over generations

Cumulative DisadvantageResults in Inequalities

in Old Age

Inequalities in Old Age:Education

Inequalities in Old Age :Education Education is highly correlated with income

Inequalities in Old Age :Income Primary sources of retirement income

Social SecurityPensionsAssets

Inequalities in Old Age :Income Primary sources of retirement income

Social SecurityPensionsAssets

ALL ARE DEPENDENT ON LIFETIME EARNINGS

Inequalities in Old Age :Income

Inequalities in Old Age :Poverty

Inequalities in Old Age :Health

Inequalities in Old Age:Health African-American women have the highest

death rates from heart disease, breast and lung cancer, stroke, and pregnancy among women of all racial and ethnic backgrounds

American Indians are more than twice as likely to suffer from diabetes as whites

Inequalities in Old Age:Health In 2001, rates of death from heart disease

were 30 percent higher among African Americans than among whites

Latinos are more likely to be employed in high-risk occupations than any other racial or ethnic group

Inequalities in Old Age:Health Among adults, death rates for African

Americans are approximately 55 percent higher than they are for whites

In 2001, death rates from stroke were 41 percent higher among African Americans than among whites

Source: Families USA

Implications

Majority of older people are independent Only about one-third need long-term assistance

Many older people are economically stable Nearly half have incomes above 200% of the poverty level

Approximately one-fifth have some cognitive difficulties

Growth in the older population will increase demand for services – especially for those who are disadvantaged

Implications

Need to improve public education

Implications

Need to improve public education Need to reform Social Security, Medicare

Implications

Need to improve public education Need to reform Social Security, Medicare Need to provide support for family

caregivers