aging in America Flashcards
Demographic trends: By 3030, retirees will outnumber children in the U.S.
◦COVID-19 will alter these curves
◦Over the past century, the typical age pyramid for most societies has changed. We currently
have fewer younger people compared to older adults
causes with longer life expectancy with aging
‣ Increased sanitation
‣ Improved medicine and medical treatments (e.g., vaccinations)
‣ Improved access to food and water
causes of The Boomer generation with aging
‣ Optimism
‣ Improved educational opportunities
‣ Racial disparities
causes of lower birth rates with aging
- A big reason for the lower population. Since there were fewer babies and more
older people the population was smaller
‣ Birth control
‣ Bad economy means fewer babies
‣ Increased educational opportunities for women
* With less babies being born more women were going to college
‣ Environmental awareness/pessimism over the state of the world
implications of taxpayers
fewer taxpayers, more drawing social security and Medicare
implications with changes in jobs in aging
‣ Many businesses become in less viable (e.g., Toys R Us)
‣ Huge job growth in areas related to aging
‣ Great possibilities for technologies to aid in aging
‣ Investments in nursing homes, retirement communities, etc.
* Investing in helping things be specific to that older person
implications with changes in family expectations in aging
‣ Role of women caretakers
‣ Financial burdens with fewer buffers for many families
implications of political power of two parts in aging
‣ AARP
* Can join at the age of 50
‣ Older people in general
* One of the most powerful political classes and people in the world.
implications of golden children in aging
‣ Very spoiled and protected
‣ More likely to grow old alone
implications of decreased openings in cemeteries, but an increase in profit
‣ Trying to come up with other ways, and encouraging cremation more and more
‣ They have even developed something where you are almost crouching in a cocoon and
turn into a tree growing out of the top of the cocoon
implications of problems for the housing market
could be great for buyers, but only in some parts of the U.S.
implications in an increased need for immigrants in aging
‣ Low wage jobs in agriculture and food production
‣ Low wage jobs in direct health care
the diversification of America over time
◦People who identify as White will likely continue to be the largest racial group within the U.S., but they will no longer be the majority of people in the U.S.
◦stereotypes about immigrants tend to be wrong:
‣ More likely to be from Asian countries
‣ Likely contributes significantly to the economy
‣ Less likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes
