Demographic Trends: The Ageing Population/ What do sociologists think? Flashcards
How many people 65 + were there in 2011?
9.5 million (1 in 6 of the population)
In what year did the amount of people 65 + equal the number of under 15s?
2014
Out of all households, how many are one-person pensioner households?
1 in 8
What are the three factors that result in an ageing population?
- increasing life expectancy, declining infant mortality, declining fertility
What are the five effects of an ageing population?
- effect on public services
- one-person pensioner households
- the dependency ratio
- policy implications
- ageism
Although it is said that the elderly consume a large proportion of services than other age groups, why can’t we generalise?
- many old people remain in relatively good health
Why might an ageing population mean the need for more expenditure?
- they might require changes to policies and the provision of housing, transport or other services eg. more bungalows/ care homes etc.
Why are most one-person pensioner households female?
- they live longer than men and they’re generally younger
How many households are one-person pensioner households?
1 in 8
What do we call the non-working old?
- an economically dependent group (they rely on taxes to pay for pensions and healthcare)
Give a statistic that shows it is wrong to assume that all old people are economically dependent
- in 2020 men and women will have to wait until 66 to access state pension
What is the main problem of an ageing population?
- how to finance a longer period of old age
What are the solutions to the problem of how to finance a longer period of old age?
- paying more from savings and taxes while working and working for longer
How would the housing policy have to change in response to an ageing population?
- encouraging people to ‘trade down’ to smaller accommodation
How would healthcare policy have to change in response to an ageing population?
- less maternity services, more geriatric care
Give some examples of ageism in response to an ageing population?
- discrimination in employment and unequal health care treatment
How do inequalities in class and gender remain important relating to the different experiences of old age?
- the middle class have better pensions from their occupations and greater savings
- poorer people have a shorter life expectancy and suffer more infirmity
- women’s lower earnings and career breaks mean lower pensions
Suggest some positives of an ageing population
- evidence that medical care should have continued investment as it has had success in extending the life span
- generates jobs in elderly care
- we can learn from older generations
- it encourages greater knowledge/ understanding
- can help with childcare
- opportunity to spend more time with loved ones
- they may do volunteer work in retirement