Chapter 14 Families in Middle and Later Life Monday December 03 2012 The Demographic Revolution Life expectancy is increasing The Oldest Old are increasing in numbers o The Baby Boom Generation born during the 1950s and 1960s are entering their retirement years No the most educated but they are the most financially sound individuals compared to those in the past We have a larger older population now compared to the smaller younger population not as many babies are born compared to the 1950s and 1960s o Increases in medical technology o Improvements in nutrition and living conditions Figure 14 1 Number of Persons 65 1900 2030 millions The number of elders is quickly rising as the baby boom generation grows older The number of people age 65 and over will double between 2000 and 2030 Table 14 1 Population Projections for Persons Ages 85 and Older millions More Americans are living longer than ever before 4 3 5 8 6 6 8 7 14 2 19 0 200 0 201 0 202 0 203 0 204 0 205 0 We do not only expect older people we expect old older people as our population changes The Demographic Revolution Continue Elderly women outnumber elderly men there are 86 men for every 100 women ages 65 69 o This disparity increases with age Mostly elderly men are married more so than elderly women o Elderly women 40 are far more likely to live alone than elderly men 19 o Their pool of eligible are much larger for men than women Figure 14 2 Percent of Older Men and Women Who Are Married or Widowed 2009 As we age the likelihood of being married decreases especially for women while the likelihood of being widowed increases Women are more likely to be widowed compared to men Women are less likely to be married compared to men Adult Children and Their Parents Boomerangers Adult children who return home temporarily after leaving home for school work or other reasons o Influences housing cost job opportunities wages employment o Advantages emotional and economic security help with their own children o Disadvantages regression to previous parent child roles problems with parenting grand parenting Adult Parent Child Relationships children to parents o Strong connection but parents feel more strongly connected to children than Parents miss their children more than the children miss their parents because they feel strongly connected o Parents of adult children may help with finances for expenses housing health care daycare and educational funds The Aging Couple Marital Satisfaction may increase after children leave home However it may largely be based upon individuals expectations of marriage o Example The Notebook Older couple commitment devotion companionship Sexual desire and activity remains essential elements in elderly marriage Young couple lots of romance passion o Non married elderly adults may encounter issues such as STI s that they were not concerned about when they are younger With our age we are worried about STI and pregnancy While older are past the time of pregnancy and are not well educated on STI Division of household labor remains the same as women continue to do most of the housework o Husbands as a shift from middle age to older age men will increase their amount of household labor Wednesday December 05 2012 Widowhood Death of a spouse is one of life s most stressful events o Loss of companion friend income and way of life Women are more likely to be widows than men o Women live to older age o Wives are typically a few years younger than their husbands o Widowed women are less likely to remarry than widowed men Men have more difficulty coping with widowhood than women Women may have more financial difficulties o When men lose their wife they lose that person that helped them social connect to church friends or work Grief and Bereavement Experience of Aging They have to watch their friends and family members pass away The process of Grief and Bereavement Kubler Ross o Individuals may not go through all stages or in this order Denial Anger Bargaining Sometimes it can just be shocked Reality hasn t set in Depending on the circumstances Target themselves disease person world God faith disunity time life Applies to people who may know that their dying o If I get a second chance at life I know I ll do better Family members o If I can just have more time o If I had more time I would do this and this o Take me and not him Depression Acceptance Feels like a person is just stuck and they can t get out of the situation Accepting that death is a part of life Accepting circumstances around the persons death o Doesn t matter if they follow this pattern or in this order not important what s important is that they learn to grieve in their own way and support one another Grandparents and Their Grandchildren Changing grandparent role over the last century o Grandparenting has become a role distinct from parenting Before they would disciple children and teach them the ways of the world Now they are more of a friend or companion role o Grandparents are healthier and better educated Look at our generation a lot are going to college o Grandparents are more likely to recognize the importance of emotional involvement Know recognize that they ll be around for a while so they want to emotional support their grandchildren o Grandparents and their grandchildren can more easily travel long distances and communicate by telephone or computer Table 14 4 Types of Grandparent Grandchildren Relationships Family researches classify grandparent grandchild relationship into three broad types Grandparents and grandchildren have fun together enjoy recreation together on a regular basis and are important to one another s lives Companiona te The grandparent grandchild relationship is emotionally distant Visits may be infrequent Grandparents are only minimally involved in their Grandparents are highly involved in their grandparent s lives They may take care of their grandchildren on a regular basis and perhaps even live grandchildren s lives Remote Involved longer Table 14 5 Number and Percentage of Children Who Live with At Least One Grandparent White children are least likely to live with a grandparent White Not Hispanic Black Number 2 592 000 1 590 000 Percentage 6 14 Asian Hispanic and race Blacks are the highest family styles 301 000 1 643 000 13 12 Retirement The Social Construction of Retirement most individuals have to work until they pass away rather than stop working 20 or 30 years before they die Men Women and Retirement o Men are more
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