1 5 2 13 Family Life Cycle Middle years empty nest years to retirement Retirement one spouse retired to onset of disability Old Age o Young old 65 75 years old o Old old 75 84 years old o Oldest old 85 years old Variations by Age Race and Gender o Old Old more likely to be poor o Non whites poorer than whites o Women are more likely to be poor wealthy Roles of Elderly o Tweeners group of elderly that have income between poor and o Until they are very old or very ill the elderly typically give more assistance to their adult children than they receive Childcare financial help e g first house children move back in after divorce help finding a job o Adult children provide personal support Comfort or care during an illness 2 Living Arrangements of the Elderly o 1 in 10 households in U S in an elderly person living alone o Fewer parents live with their children today than earlier generations o Women for women there has been a sharp increase in percentage of living alone o For men increase in living lone is modest Gender Differences in Living Arrangements o Living Alone more likely to be a woman More likely to be widened due to spouse s death Fewer men available to partner with o Living with spouses more likely to be a man Ethnic Differences in Living Arrangements o Asian group most likely to live with sons o Hispanic Latino Group most likely to live with daughters o African American Group most likely to live with extended family Closeness in Parent Adult Child Relationships o Mothers and daughters most likely to be close o Second mother son o Next father daughter o Last father son Caregiving Arrangements o 80 of elderly living alone live within hour of at least one child 3 allows for caregiving both ways o Expectation of generalized exchange pg 333 334 in book Changes in Grandparenthood o Easier today for grandparents to have a pleasurable emotion filled relationship more likely to live long enough Aren t raising own children still can travel long distances if need be fewer grandchildren more economical resources Economic Issues for Elderly people o Medicare Government program of health insurance for all elderly o Medicaid Health insurance for people with incomes below poverty
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