Demography 3- An ageing population Flashcards
How does the government currently fund social care/ pensions/NHS?
Funded from taxpayers money after cut certain amount from wages. Highest demand from a rapidly expanding elderly population
Explain why there are issues with the current dependency ratio?
An increasing ageing population means more money is needed to fund elderly people and not enough ppl are putting enough money into the system
What are solutions to the problem of ppl paying tax to care for elderly and the rise in ageing population?
Encouraging people to invest into a private pension and then the government would invest a certain percent dependant on civilian income
What are governments solutions to the problem of ageing populations and pensions?
Increase in pension age to mean people work longer and add more money to the system
What key changes are occurring due to the ageing population?
Increase in elderly couple households and elderly one person households
Extended family ties and residential proximity
Rise in beanpole families + sandwhich generation
Change attitudes to ageing
What issues for the family and society is created by an increase in elderly couple households and elderly one person households?
Family has to spend more money providing for elderly relative.
Could be overcrowding in the house.
May have to look after elderly member- less time working and caring for others
Facts on increase in elderly one person households?
47% all 1 person households include a person above state pension age, of thise aged 65 + who live alone, 68% are female
Chambers calls this the “feminisation of later life”
Why is an increase in elderly one person households more of an issue for families today?
Ppl not more likely move away due to growing chances of jobs- see extended family less
Ppl having children less- if no children conceived, left by urself and no one to look after you
Same sex couples less likely to have children
What are the consequences of extended family ties?
Elderly ppl largely exclude from paid work, dependent on extended relatives.
Modern society, identity determined by productivity. If can’t contribute we have a dependent identity
Phillipson- elderly ppl not useful, don’t support to capitalism
How can we challange Phillipsons claim?
Alleviate stress as they can look after children removing the stress for workers.
Elderly people can give back to economy by spending
What does Wall say?
50s 40% elderly ppl have been taken in by relatives, had dropped to 5% since 90s
However, victor- this type of family might be seeing revival, particularly homes w “granny flats” 10% over 65s living w extended relatives
What impact may immigration have had on Wall’s research?
If people are immigrating with families, more likely to live together
How is extended ties and regional proximity a concern to feminists?
Healey and Yallow- most elderly ppl moving into daughters home
Women more likely than men to give up work to care for elders, increasing women’s economic dependence.
60% informal cares in family are females
What is a beanpole family?
Long snd thing family tree, people live longer and fewer siblings/ kids in society now.
What impact has more beanpole families had on children and grandparents?
Brannen- children more likely to have closer ties with grandparents and great grandparents as there is fewer aunts, uncles, cousins.
What’s the sandwich generation?
Middle aged people are expected to care for both elderly people and children/ grandchildren
What is the postmodernist argument on the ageing population?
Today consumption not production is an imprortant part of our identity
Elderly people not valued and important cause they don’t consume
How can we criticise the postmodernist argument?
They don’t see the inequalities amongst different types of elderly people.
“Silver pound”- elderly people spending
Class differences, can’t afford cruise, gym- gender differences, women getting anti ageing products
