Is the increase in ageing population creating problems for society Flashcards
yes- creates dependency culture
Life expectancy is rising and this is due to the medical advancements. Nowadays we have the NHS which helps reduce deaths. E.g. Introduction to antibiotics and immunisation. However this increases life expectancy and this creates a problem as the ageing population creates a dependency ratio. This is the elderly group who are retired and are dependent on the government. So this creates pressure on the working population who will have to pay more taxes as more elderly are retiring.+C=MANY ELDERLY PEOPLE HAVE SAVINGS AND
PRIVATE PENSIONS SO ARE NOT RELYING ON THE TAXPAYERS. ALSO, WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG AND WORKED,
THEY SUPPORTED THE DEPENDENT POPULATION SO HAVE EARNED THEIR RIGHT TO PENSION AND HEALTH
CARE.
yes- increase in number of singletons
HE NUMBER OF ELDERLY PEOPLE LIVING ALONE HAS
INCREASED, ESPECIALLY WOMEN (AS WOMEN LIVE LONGER THAN MEN). THIS HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE
FEMINISATION OF LATER LIFE AND CAN LEAD TO SOCIAL ISOLATION (LONELINESS) OF THE ELDERLY.
This can also lead to another problem old people face and that is ageism. Society sees them as a burden and marxists argue that this creates a structural dependency as elderly become economically dependent on the government or their children. This creates a stigmatised identity .Pilcher argues that elderly women often face sexism as well as ageism as people often refer to them as Old hags. +C=THE MEDIA ARE STARTING TO REPRESENT THE ELDERLY IN A MORE
POSITIVE LIGHT
yes- increased pressure on public services
OLDER PEOPLE TEND TO USE PUBLIC SERVICES (SUCH AS
HOSPITALS, CARERS, CARE HOMES, ECT) MORE. THESE ARE FUNDED BY THE TAXPAYERS SO THE INCREASE IN
THE NUMBER OF ELDERLY PEOPLE PUTS PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE TAXES TO PROVIDE
HOUSING, HEALTH CARE AND TRANSPORT FOR THE ELDERLY.+C=HOWEVER – MANY ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE FIT, HEALTHY AND HAVE PERSONAL SAVINGS AND PRIVATE PENSIONS SO THEY ARE
NOT A BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS.
yes-increased pressure on the sandwhich generation
THE SANDWICH GENERATION ARE THE ADULTS (THE WORKING
POPULATION) WHO NOW HAVE TO WORK IN PAID EMPLOYMENT, TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN AS WELL AS HAVING TO
TAKE CARE OF THEIR ELDERLY PARENTS SO THE ADULTS ARE ‘SANDWICHED’ BETWEEN THE YOUNG AND OLD THEY HAVE
TO TAKE CARE OF. THIS BURDEN OF CARE TENDS TO FALL ON WOMEN IN FAMILIES BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS
THAT WOMEN ARE CARERS. MANY WOMEN ARE HAVING TO WORK PART TIME OR GIVE UP THEIR CAREERS TO BE CARERS
FOR THEIR RELATIVES.
No- help for family members
THE ELDERLY ARE A SOURCE OF HELP FOR THEIR ADULT CHILDREN – THEY CAN HELP OUT FINANCIALLY (THIS HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE ‘BANK OF MUM AND DAD’ AS ADULTS BORROW MONEY FROM THEIR ELDERLY PARENTS TO HELP THEM BUY HOUSES), SOCIALLY (BY GIVING ADVICE) AND PRACTICALLY (BY BABYSITTING THE GRANDCHILDREN).
No- Grey pound
MANY ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE FIT AND HEALTHY AS WELL AS FINANCIALLY STABLE SO THEY CAN PURSUE HOBBIES (TRAVEL, GARDENING, LEARNING NEW SKILLS,…) THUS CONTRIBUTING TO
THE ECONOMY. HUNT, A POSTMODERNIST, ARGUES THAT THE OLDER GENERATIONS ARE A MARKET FOR BODY MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS SUCH AS COSMETIC SURGERY, ANTI-AGEING PRODUCTS, GYMS, ETC ALL OF WHICH
CONTRIBUTES TO THE COUNTRY’S GDP. +C=- HOWEVER, PILCHER ARGUES THIS IS ONLY TRUE FOR THE
ELDERLY MIDDLE CLASS AS THEY COULD AFFORD TO SAVE MONEY WHEN THEY WERE WORKING SINCE THEY HAD HIGHER
SALARIES. ALSO, WORKING CLASS TEND TO HAVE A LOWER LIFE EXPECTANCY. SIMILARLY, ELDERLY WOMEN TEND TO BE
POORER AS WOMEN TAKE CAREER BREAKS TO HAVE CHILDREN AND TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR ELDERLY RELATIVES SO
THEIR PENSIONS AND SAVINGS ARE LOWER.
Define ageing population
refers to a society that has more older people and fewer younger children. This is due to facts such as declining fertility, declining infant mortality rates and increasing life expectancy.
