Social security is not for babies: trends and policies affecting older women in the United States

Journal ArticleIn the first year of the new century, over a million American women officially entered the ranks of "the elderly" by reaching their 65th birthday (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1999). What can they expect of government policy? To what extent will the nation's economic support systems respond to their needs? And what about their daughters' and their babies'? This article considers two broad social trends that determine public policy responses to the needs of the elderly: shifting fertility patterns and labor force participation of women. The implications of these trends for income security in old age are considered, followed by recommendations for new approaches to family policy in the United States. The article closes by suggesting that in the 21st century Social Security should be for babies

Family relationships

Journal ArticleWith increased longevity, family relationships have become both more complex and more enduring. At the end of the twentieth century, four-generation and even five-generation families were not uncommon, and with longer life comes longer lifelong relationships, such as marriage. Advanced age presents many families with the challenge of caring for the very old, often at a time when adolescent children also require attention and care. The stress of caregiving can, in some cases, result in abuse of the elderly family member. Today's aging families operate in a complex society and may confront legal considerations around issues related to illness and death

Self-concepts of low-income older women: not old or poor, but fortunate and blessed

Journal ArticleThis article examines the extent to which low-income older women define themselves in stigmatizing terms, then explores the strategies they use to preserve a positive sense of self. Instead of considering themselves "old" or "poor," the sixty-two women interviewed defined themselves as "fortunate" and/or "blessed." The ability to see oneself as fortunate may be a significant component of successful aging

Review of \u3cem\u3eThe Loss of a Life Partner: Narratives of the Bereaved.\u3c/em\u3e Carolyn Ambler Walter. Reviewed by Amanda Smith Barusch.

Book review of Carolyn Ambler Walter, The Loss of a Life Partner: Narratives of the Bereaved. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003. $52.50 hardcover,$26.50 papercover

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

thesisAphasia is a failure of language. It's an incredibly variable condition, associated with organic brain disorders and trauma, with manifestations that reveal much about language and what it means to be human. Inspired in part by my father's experience of Aphasia, this collection explores the possibility space created by the absence of language as we know it. It includes five short prose pieces and two brief works that I think of as poems, all of which take place in the American West. These were gathered into an artist book that was displayed as part of the Booking A Brouhaha exhibit at J. Willard Marriott Library in the summer of 2015. Photos of the book are provided at the end of this document

Religion, Adversity and Age: Religious Experiences of Low-Income Elderly Women

Elders throughout the world turn to religious organizations and rely on religious beliefs to cope with both the routine challenges of daily life and the hardships brought on by severe adversity. Hundreds of studies have documented a positive association between health or well-being and religious participation. Yet few have examined religious experiences of the elderly themselves. In-depth consideration of these experiences might shed light on the contribution of religion to individual lives. This study examines religious experiences of women living in poverty in the United States. Results underscore the deep-seated religious commitment of this group. The dominant theme, mentioned more often than any other, was gratitude. Respondents view the Lord as the source of all that is good, and are grateful for life, good fortune, help in times of hardship, and material goods. This view of an all-powerful God contrasts with some respondents\u27 views of themselves as weak or irrelevant. Finally, one-third of respondents who mentioned church attendance reported that ill health or functional limitations restricted their ability to go to church regularly. So, while religion may be good for one\u27s health, good health may facilitate participation in church-related activities

Depressive symptoms in the frail elderly: physical and psycho-social correlates

Journal ArticleThe elderly who suffer from chronic illness are at unusually high risk of depression and depressive symptoms. This study was conducted to describe the prevalence of depressive symptoms in a sample of chronically-ill elders and to examine the relationship between physical illness and depression, both as it is illuminated in a regression model and as it is understood by the respondents themselves. Interviews were conducted with a random sample of 100 clients in a community-based care program for low-income elderly at risk of nursing home placement. Over one-third of the sample (36%) reported significant depressive symptoms, as measured by the CES-D. Multiple regression analysis identified functional limitations, cognitive impairment and self-perception as significant correlates of depression in a model that explained 30 percent of the variance in CES-D scores

Intergenerational relations in contemporary China: descriptive findings from Shanghai

Journal ArticleWith over one billion people, China accounts for nearly a quarter of the world's population. It also has the largest population of elderly (60 and over) living under one government (approximately 80 million). These elderly make up approximately 8 percent of China's population (Banister, 1984). In the U.S., the same age group makes up 15.8 percent of the total population (U.S. census, 1983). In fifteen years (by the year 2000), china expects a 63 percent increase in the size of its elderly population

The Impact of Americanization on Intergenerational Relations: An Exploratory Study on the U.S. Territory of Guam

In-depth interviews with a sample of 60 elderly from the indigenous (Chamorro) population and the immigrant (Filipino) population examined their current lifestyles, with emphasis upon intergenerational relations. Results underscore the dramatic lifestyle changes experienced by Guam\u27s elderly in the wake of Americanization. Among these is an intergenerational language gap , wherein a majority of the grandchildren do not speak the native language of their elders. Ethnicity, mixed marriage, and length of residence on Guam are discussed as possible determinants of the language gap. The language gap is associated with lower life satisfaction for elders, as well as reduced family contact and less intergenerational assistance

Serving older men: dilemmas and opportunities for geriatric care managers

Journal ArticleGeriatric care settings are essentially feminine. Most of the clients (or patients) are women, as are most of the care managers and care providers. Further, these settings are characterized by an "ethic of care," most compatible with a feminine world view. Clearly geriatric care is not specifically designed to exclude men. But its feminine bias can make older men uncomfortable, and even lead them to avoid or resist the care and help they might need