Chapter 18
Aging Families
Chapter Outline
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Our Aging Population
Living Arrangements of Older Americans
Aging in Today’s Economy
Marriage Relationships in Later Life
Chapter Outline
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Later-Life Divorce and Widowhood
Older Parents, Adult Children, and
Grandchildren
Aging Families and Caregiving
The Changing American Family and
Eldercare in the Future
Our Aging Population: Some
Facts
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Today there are nearly 35 million
Americans age 65 or older.
By the year 2050 there will be
approximately:
 87 million Americans 65 and older.
 21 million Americans age 85 and older.
Three Categories
1.
2.
3.
Young-old (65-74)
Older-old (75-84)
Old-old (85 and older)
Number of Americans in Population
Age Groups
U.S. Elderly and Nonelderly
Population by Race/ethnicity
Living Arrangements Of Persons
65 and Over, by Race/Ethnicity
Total
Population
Living
Arrangement
65–74
years old
75 and
older
Alone
27
40
With spouse
65
45
With other
persons
11
15
Consequences of Longer Life
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Opportunities to maintain ties with
grandparents, great-grandparents and
great-great-grandparents.
Americans spend more years near the
end of their lives with chronic health
problems.
Older Women’s Finances
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3/4 of elderly benefits of SSI are women.
Women’s social security benefits average
about 76% of men's.
Marriage Relationships in
Later Life
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Most older married couples describe their
union as happy.
Older Americans value and have interest
in sex even into old age.
In survey including those 75 and older,
50% of men and 85% of women said their
sex lives were unimpaired by illness.
Adult Relationships
With Older Parents
Classifications:
 Tight-knit
 Sociable
 Obligatory
 Intimate but distant
 Detached
Six Indicators of
Relationship Connection
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Geographical proximity
Contact between members in a
relationship
Emotional closeness
Similarity of opinions
Providing care
Receiving care
Grandparenthood
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Average age for becoming a
grandparent is 47.
Many grandparents find the role
deeply meaningful.
Grandparenthood
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Grandchildren give personal
pleasure and a sense of immortality.
Grandfathers get to be involved with
babies, an activity discouraged
when their own children were young.
Elder Care As a Family
Process
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Only 5% of all older people live in nursing
homes. (2,000).
Families continue to provide most care for
frail or disabled elders, except for financial
support.
Caregiver Trajectory
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Caregiver becomes concerned about an
aging family member and expresses
concern to others.
Caregiver begins to give advice to older
family member.
Caregiver takes action to provide needed
services.
Strategies for Moving Toward
Better Eldercare
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Provide government funds that support
more care outside the family (day care
centers and respite for caregivers).
Increase social recognition of care giving.
Make care giving more economically
rewarding and/or less costly.
Quick Quiz
1.
Health costs are rising, but health
insurance programs like Medicare and
Medicaid are predicted to keep up.
a) True
b) False
Answer: False
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Health costs are rising, but health
insurance programs like Medicare and
Medicaid are not predicted to keep up.
2. As America ages, providing eldercare
has become a central feature of
American family life.
a) True
b) False
Answer: True
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As America ages, providing eldercare has
become a central feature of American
family life.
3. The text points out that adults’
relationships with their parents can be
classified in one of five ways. Which of
the following is NOT one of these?
a) sociable
b) intimate but distant
c) economic
d) tight-knit
Answer: c
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The text points out that adults’
relationships with their parents can be
classified in one of five ways. Economic
is NOT one of these.
4. A(n) __________ type of intergenerational
relations consists of adult children being
engaged with their parents on emotional
closeness and similarity of opinions, but not
based on geographic proximity, frequency of
contact, providing assistance, and receiving
assistance.
a) sociable
b) detached
c) obligatory
d) intimate but distant
Answer: d
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Intimate but distant type of
intergenerational relations consists of
adult children being engaged with their
parents on emotional closeness and
similarity of opinions, but not based on
geographic proximity, frequency of
contact, providing assistance, and
receiving assistance.