Families with Elderly Members Current Life Expectancy in the US 2010 2011 Total Population 78 37 years Men 75 92 years Women 80 93 years The Social Consequences of Growing Aging Population More older people in the population o Six out of ten are women Changes in our definition of old Multigenerational Family is becoming as important as nuclear family for many Family Life Cycles for Elders Launching Children In the past women gave birth to more children o 4 children o Result still raising children when the oldest children left home Today Lower Birth Rate o Parents are done raising children before they become grandparents o This phase or type of grandparenting is new o Distinct identity of its own More people in the 65 category could be in this phase than in the past Family Life Cycle cont d Middle Years empty nest to retirement Retirement one spouse retired to onset of disability Old Age o Young old 65 74 years o Old old 75 84 years o Oldest old 85 years Variations by Age Race and Gender Old old more likely to be poor Non whites poorer than whites Women are more likely to be poor Tweeners group of elderly that have income between poor and middle class o Can t qualify for public assistance o Can t supplement Social Security with pensions and savings Roles of the Elderly Until they are very old or very ill the elderly typically give more assistance to their adult children than they receive o Child care financial help ex first house children move back in after divorce help finding a job Adult children provide personal support o Comfort or care during an illness When caregivers trade places it is a role shift that is difficult for all parties Living Arrangements of the Elderly 1 in 10 households in US is an elderly person living alone Fewer parents live with their children today than in earlier generations o Women For women there has been a sharp increase in the percentage living alone o Men increase in living alone is modest increase but not as great Gender Differences in Living Arrangements Living alone more likely to be a woman o More likely to be widowed due to spouse s death o Fewer men available to partner with Living with spouse more likely to be a man o More likely to be married because of few men and many women at older ages o Women live longer Ethnic Differences in Living Arrangements Asian o Group most likely to live with sons Hispanic Latino African American o Group most likely to live with daughters dominant Closeness in Parent Adult Child Relationships Mothers and daughters are most likely to be close Second mother son Next father daughter Last father son Caregiving Arrangements o Group most likely to live with extended family no one category 80 of elderly living alone live within hour of at least one child o allows for caregiving both ways Women likely to caregive in all types of arrangements o Intergenerational kin keepers Expectation of generalized exchange Issue of Divorce and Remarriage o review in text p 333 334 Changes in Grandparenthood Easier today for grandparents to have pleasurable emotion filled relationship More likely to live long enough o Aren t raising own children still o Can travel long distances if need be o Fewer grandchildren more economic resources Skipped generation households A growing subset of grandparents are now raising their grandchildren o 1 3 of all grandparents with childcare responsibilities Economic Issues for Elderly Medicare Government program of health insurance for all elderly people Medicaid Health Insurance for people with incomes below poverty Policy Question Will Medicare and Social Security benefits last o More elderly baby boomers aging Fewer young to pay Social Security taxes