Suedkamp, Wilbur F.

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 33 | Number 1 Article 11February 1966Social and Economic Problems of the AgedWilbur F. SuedkampFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationSuedkamp, Wilbur F. (1966) "Social and Economic Problems of the Aged," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 33 : No. 1 , Article 11.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol33/iss1/11deed very tunate . For the rest this meam ,titutional care. Care o[ , ,e individuals may be divided intt three main categories. First conside1 ation should be for the physical, in which an attempt is made to bring them up to their maximum functional capacity. This requires something akin to the gen­eral hospital. Constant medical and nursing supervision with consulta­tion available in all major special­ties other than obstetrics and pedi­atrics is essential. Diagnostic aids should include complete X-ray and laboratory facilities. Since the old, frequently heard axiom, "He's old, what can we do?" has been proven false we now know we can do a great deal to benefit these people. The institution should have com­plete physical therapy facilities, occupational therapy, sheltered workshops, and muscle exercising and coordinating gymnastic equip­ment. Dental care is an essential part of the program. The second phase should be focused on the mentally or emo­tionally disturbed individual. To accomplish this, regular psychiatric attendance is indicated along with some of the treatment already mentioned. The social phase again returns to that old key word of motivation in which any type group therapy or activity which stimulates the patient is very important. To accomplish this type of care, a good working relationship with a top general hospital is almost essen­tial. This hospital should prefer­ably be a teaching institution and one that is research oriented. At 26 this time on· of research the geriatric f Among ti: are the lac; and para-n:c is somewh2 the cost is 1-not as spect, in the trea. groups in v1 rapid and c, is often slov1 plete recove1 neration is ol time and effo lack of fun prolonged ca, Should we separate fac ii. and the chro abled individt This again p< sial question minimum amount � ing carried on in u bl ems in this area interested medical ,ti personnel. This 1derstandable since and the results a re · ar and gratifying as �·1 t of the younger h recovery is often ,Jlete. Improvemen t 1d chances of com· ue limited. Remu· l inadequate for the involved, because of available for this ttempt to provide s for the mentally ally physically dis· , in this age group? " a very controver· r which there are many answe1 At present re are only a mi ni· ma! number · institutions provid· ing near adt , ::i te care. For the ··,e are community most part btJ 1· . or localsponsored ) re 1g10us . · · h ass1St·charitable gn,,, ,s wit some 1 ance from S . d Security, federa a�d local wc.-1· ,re agencies_. In 3 handful of ins1 .. ,ices the family m;r be financially able to pay f�r ;individual can Who shoul pa the costs of ii 1 is care? I can nh�t . . . . on t 1s express a deftn, te opinwn h" h question since ;cgardless of w ic t d ·1 mus agency provides the fun 5 1 f thestill come from the pockets O public. Whether governme��' P�: vate, church, or commun'. (ed 10nanced these people are enllt care a�d it musr be provided. L1NACRE QUARTERLY Economic I >roblems of th Aged VERY REV. MsaR. W1L1?-:.JR F. SuEDKAMP In the United States today, there • more than 17 million persons I years of age and over. By _1�70, ie number will exceed 20 m1llton . Approximately 1,000 persons cele­lnte their 65th birthday ea�h �ay. 1be average age in our inst1tut10ns ble.yisSl. One begins to grow old the mo­aent he is born. However, here�­ity, environment,- ability to resi:t disease, diet, way of life and atu,­bldes have a lot to do with one s ' " 11 becoming "old." "Oldness. �ea Y Is something relative. There _is no lcientific definition of age. The cal­endar is only one way to measure a person's age. There are others! Although science has give11; added years to man's life span, society has not accepted the old person. A. Permit me to highlight housing the elderly as a social problem. SOCIAL ASPECTS AFFECTING HOUSING Earlier marriages, earlier com­pletion of childbearing, and the free movement of adult children, have left parents alone whi�e still in their prime. They are m homes of their own, often more rooms than they need, and they live on into later maturity as a separate generation. Today rare are the three-generation house­holds. Family "belongingness" has been replaced by community -� Suedkamp is Director of Cath• alic <liarities, Archdiocese of Detroit. Pniuuy, 1966 "togetherness." The older person today is less dependent on the [amily. Society has assumed the responsibility of his health and welfare needs . ECONOMIC ASPECTS AFFECTINGHOUSING Yesterday the old folks_ took what housing was available. Today, because most of th=�have some income, they . more expressive of their des1res._TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS AFFECTING HOUSING Actually ' through technologi­cal advancement in the home, older people are living longer. Certainly it is safe to say th�t they can now maintain th�Jr independence into later maturity for a longer time. Where are our older ?eop!el. . ? 7501 (65-74) ltve m wing. ;o (75-u ) their own homes. 56% P still live in their own hom�s. 19o/c (65-74) live in a family envf ronment and only 6% . are living in institutions, transient hotels, trailers, rooming houses , and others. What factors motivate people to change living arrangements?There are three : f a. Less income because o retirement. b. More economical to move after the death of a spouse , and most common. 27 c. Ph :ally unable to live ale., Wha, ' happening in ourcountry ; oday in the housingfi�ld? All sorts of interesting kinds of living arrangements are forthcoming: the downtown ho­tel converted into an institution the campus. program of KundiiCente�, retirement villages, co­o�e�ative apartments, condo­mmmms, to name a few. I :Will conclude this section on housmg by saying that much is to be desired. We must do more andmo�e to help older people enjoy their mature years living independ­entl.Y. by providing the necessary auxiliary services to make this possi­ble - �eep them out of institutions. We estimate that retired people live abo�t 20 years in our parishes and are m relatively good health. B. Economic problems:There is a definite need to in­�rease. the income of many people m retirement. It seems to me that there s�ould be an opportunity for productive employment for those who are able and want to work. For those who wish to retire with what Social Security allows, there should be consistent measures taken to promote old age security in ha�m�ny with broad economic ob1ect1ves. Today there is an estimated 11 ?1illion persons 65 and over receiv­mg the benefits of O.A.S.D.I., and 2.3 million are on old age assistance. �n this area of money, it is inter­estmg to note that: 55% receive less. than $1,000 a year 23% have $1,000 to $2,000 a year 28 9% have $2. 13% have $3, The mean $2,250; the n the non-man In concl economic pn make some ol to $3,000 a year or more ne for couples is '1arried man $1,170; woman $990. J this section on ms, I would like t o  rntions: 1. It should a basic assumptionthat the ividual will as sume primary •onsibility for self-reliance i1 d age. 2. The most , isfactory protectionfor the a g is the continu­ance of g ful and productive employme; whenever pos sible. Additional •)portunities should be develo in all areas o! employmei' .hrough both g ov­ernmental d private initiative. 3. Encouragf, n.t should be givento the de, ,pment an d  distri· bution of cation programs in preparing . retirement. 4. In an ecor• 11y characterized byrising wag . and salaries, it isnecessary t give periodic reviewto the max ·um amount of earn·ings subjec .o contributions and credited tr .,ard benefits under. O.A.S.D.I. .:nee this maximum determines h.e proportion of thecovered pa· rolls available to fi­nance the program and is a ma·jor factor in determining theextent to vhich the program pays bencF11 s reasonably related to the pnst earnings of theindividual. 5. The levei of benefits un derO.A.S.D.L should be re-exam·ined periodically in the Jig�! ofchanging economic cond1uonswith appropriate recognition olLIN ACRE QUARTERLYage assistance should be ued and its administrationaatantly improved as a resid-1111 method of protection when Giber methods have not proved aulicient to meet the specificneeds of the individual agedperson. 1. Public Assistance for the Aginga. State provisions on relatives'responsibility in public as­sistance should be equit­able, practical, and designed to contribute to strengthen family life . The contribu­tion required of the family should not be deducted from the assistance payment unless a relative actually pays it. If relatives do not pay, it should be the re­sponsibility of the State to secure payment. l Private Retirement Income a. Private pension plans shouldbe encouraged by appropri­ate policies which recognize JlaaauAu, 1966 that such savin for old age is in the pubi .:: interest.b. To encourage penslon pro­grams, the income should be taxed when received asa pension, not when the monies are set aside. CONCLUSION It has been an honor to partici­pate in a program concerned withthe social and economic problems of the aged . I have been working inthe field for about eleven years. Iteach a class at the University ofDetroit entitled Social Gerontology.I do have some very definite ideasof my own as solutions to some ofthe problems as they are presentingthemselves. I can honestly say thatsociety itself had better become much more interested in the aged.Attitudinal change is needed on the part of the young, the middle aged,and the aged themselves. I have never realized real poverty, norhave I seen such helplessness, untilI became involved with the socialand economic problems of the aged.29 

Social and Economic Problems of the Aged

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Social and Economic Problems of the Aged

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