3. Ageing Population

Question 1

1. Rising Average Age

Answer 1

• 1971: 34.1
• 2013: 40.3
• 2041: as many 78 year olds as 5 year olds.

Question 2

2. Main Causes

Answer 2

• Increasing life expectancy
• Declining IMR
• Declining fertility

Question 3

3. Public Services (Effects)

Answer 3

• Elderly consume a larger proportion of services such as health and social care
• In addition to increased funds to health, ageing population means changes to provision of housing and transport

Question 4

4. One Person Pensioner Households (Effects)

Answer 4

• Account for about 12.5% of households (mostly female)

* ‘Feminisation of later life’

Question 5

5. Dependency Ratio (Effects)

Answer 5

• 2015: 3.2 working people for every one pensioner
• 2033: predicted to be 2.8
• However, not all ‘old’ are ‘economically dependent’. (By 2020 both men and women will have to wait until they are 66 to access the state pension)

Question 6

6. Ageism: Modern Society

Answer 6

• Many sociologists argue ageism is the result of ‘structured dependency’
• (Old are largely excluded from paid work: leads to economic dependency)
• In modern society, identity is largely determined by our role in production.
• Those excluded from production have a stigmatised identity
• Philipson (Marxist): Old are no use to capitalism as they are not productive. State is then unwilling to support them. (family must take responsibility)

Question 7

7. Ageism: Postmodern Society

Answer 7

• In a PM society, orderly stages of life have broken down.
• (E.g. children dressing as adults)
• Blurs lines between life stages (individuals have greater choice of lifestyle)
• Postmodernists argue that consumption defines out identity
• Hunt: we can choose a lifestyle / identity regardless of age.
• As a result, old become a market with a range of ‘body maintenance’ goods and services that create their identities. (e.g. cosmetic surgery, gyms)
• These trends break down ageist stereotypes found in modern society.
• Additionally, Media images now portray positive aspects of elderly lifestyles

Question 8

8. Inequality Among Old

Answer 8

• Pilcher: argues that inequalities such as class and gender remain important.
• Class: MC have better pensions and longer life expectancy
• Gender: Women’s lower earnings mean lower pensions.
• Subject to negative stereotypes (‘old hags’)

Question 9

9. Policy Implications

Answer 9

• Hirsch: Main challenge to policy is ‘how to finance a longer period of old age?’
• Could be done through: paying more from savings and taxes while working
• Housing policy may need to change to encourage older people to ‘trade down’

Question 10

Summary

Answer 10

1. Rising Average Age
2. Main Causes
3. Public Services (Effects)
4. One Person Pensioner Households (Effects)
5. Dependency Ratio (Effects)
6. Ageism: Modern Society
7. Ageism: Postmodern Society
8. Inequality among old
9. Policy Implications