demography-ageing population

Question 1

ageing population as a result of

Answer 1

the decline in the death rate, especially the infant mortality rate, and the increase in life expectancy

Question 2

There are increasing numbers of people aged

Answer 2

65 and over and decrease in number of people aged 16 and under

Question 3

Between 1971 and 2004, the number of young people aged under 16 declined by

Answer 3

18%

Question 4

between 1971 and 2004 the number of people aged 65 and over increased by

Answer 4

29%

Question 5

impacts of ageing population
(positive- family)

Answer 5

-Supporting dual worker families/providing
childcare (40% provide regular childcare) due
to greater health, positive effects for the elderly

Question 6

impacts of ageing population
(positive-society)

Answer 6

Volunteerism – benefits society, 1/3 volunteer

Question 7

impacts of ageing population
(positive-economy)

Answer 7

Positive ageing/grey consumerism – increased
retirement period, spending power (benefits
the economy)
-older people consume a larger percentage of services such as health and social care compared to other age groups

Question 8

impacts of ageing population
(negative-burden)

Answer 8

Struggle to meet cost demands (Griffiths
report), burden on NHS

Question 9

impacts of ageing population
(negative-dependency ratio)

Answer 9

Increased dependency ratio – older
retirement age- strain on public services

Question 10

impacts of ageing population
(taxes)

Answer 10

increase in taxes for working age

Question 11

impacts of ageing population
(negative-women)

Answer 11

Increased burden on women – beanpole
families/sandwich generation
emotional strain and overcrowding if an elderly and physically dependent relative moves in, which causes conflict between couples and between parents and children.
-culture of dependency

Question 12

one person pensioner household

Answer 12

-now account for 12.5% of all households- most=female
-among over 75s, twice as many women as men

Question 13

over 75s twice as many women as men described as

Answer 13

feminisation of later life

Question 14

Evidence from sociological studies such as Finch and Mason, O’Brien and Jones et al. and Foster, suggest

Answer 14

the elderly have regular contact with extended kin. Many elderly relatives use new technology such as e-mail to keep in contact with their extended kin.

Question 15

There has been an increase in the number of

Answer 15

one-person households over state pension age as a proportion of all households. In 2005, 14% of all households were of this type.

Question 16

In 2005

Answer 16

59% of women aged 75 and over were living alone

Question 17

ageism

Answer 17

prejudice or discrimination against someone due to their age

Question 18

most structural sociologists see old age as

Answer 18

a life stage which many argue has become stigmatised with associations of dependency + being a burden

Question 19

what do postmodernists believe?

Answer 19

people are always free to choose their identities through our lifestyle

Question 20

chambers (2012)
elderly population

Answer 20

not a homogenous group- there are differences in experiences of ageing due to factors like:
-social class
-gender
-sexual orientation
-location
-migration
-family support

Question 21

elderly often stereotyped as
(chambers 2012)

Answer 21

unproductive and dependent
-chambers argues this is not the case as many elderly people remain independent until death
-also valuable members of family life(e.g many grandparents=primary carers for children, extended family valued in south-asian cultures)

Question 22

elderly=economic liability to family members,
chambers would argue

Answer 22

• elderly contribute to society in many other ways, not a burden

Question 23

policy implications

Answer 23

-according to Hirsch(200) people need to work into 60s +70s to pay more taxes during work life to contribute towards cost of health + social care in later life

-argues single pensioners compete with single young people for housing

-old people often own their own home, young people less possesions so miss out