Gerontology Careers Politics & Policies

The Elderly Citizen

Diversity

Gerontologists caution against treating older people as a homogenous group. A policy or service that suits one group may not suit another. Differences in minority elders. In the future, older population will be more diversed. Higher proportion of minority elders.

Gerontology Education

Colleges and Universities offer courses , degrees, credit certificates in gerontology. Geriatric Education Centers offer interdisciplinary programs. Types of gerontology programs: scientific, professional, and liberal arts. Larger older population means more jobs for young people.

Work and Careers in Gerontology

Medical profession recognizes the need for more trained geriatricians. Workers in nearly every field will see more older people as clients and customers in the future. Students in fields such as nursing, social work, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy have the greatest chance of working with older people. Students in other programs may decide to focus their interest on serving older clients.

National Institute on Aging

National Institute on Aging states the need for nursing homes will increase by two and a half times between 1985- and the early years of this century.
National Institute on Aging says that community health nurses will quadruple between 1985 and early 2000s.

Older People and Voting

Compared with women, men have a higher proportion of registrants and a higher proportion of voters.
Compared with women, men have show less decline in registration and voting with increased age.

Voting participation increases with education.

Voting

The higher a person's level of education, the greater the likelihood the person will work for a campaign/ political party.

People with higher incomes show greater tendencies to vote. Educated, affluent people tend to understand the political system and see a strong link between voting and social policies.

Voter Participation

Minority groups elders have lower rates of voting than the general population. The gap between the proportion of white and minority voters grows with age. Culture, language, and literacy barriers may keep some minority older people from voting.

Voting

Minority groups show greater voter participation among older than younger age groups. Older people have a greater impact on election results today than in the past. The population of older people will make up a larger proportion of voters.

Voting

People coming into old age today have better incomes and more education than older people in the past.
Writers predict that higher voter turnout and the growing number of older people will create a power bloc.

Fear that older will gain control of local & national politics.

Political Office

When all of the baby boomers reach age 65 they will make up one -quarter of the voting age population.
Older people hold varied political beliefs and they differ by social class, race, and gender. In the U.S., older people make up a high proportion of political officeholders, and the highest political posts often have the oldest people in them.

Political Office

The trend toward older presidents could return. The system still favors the older officeholder.

For example, the oldest members of the Senate and House of Representatives have more power than younger members.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

Dedicated to enhancing quality of life for all as we age. Envisions a society in which everyone ages with dignity and purpose, and in which AARP helps people fulfill their goals and dreams. AARP has over 3,200 local chapter, over 35 million members and offices in all states.

AARP

AARP grew out of the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA) that began in 1947. Low membership fees Subscription to AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. Offers services to its members including life and health insurance, discount pharmacy service, special credit card rates, travel, education programs, etc.

Older Americans Act (OAA)

Introduced in 1965 with the goal of assuring the well-being of the elderly.
Funding for this act grew from $6.5 million in 1965 to just over $1.6 billion in 2002. OAA also set up the Administration on Aging (AOA) within the Federal Department of Health and Human Services.

Administration on Aging

AOA provides home and community services.

AOA works with federal, state, local and tribal agencies in the National Network on Aging.

Network on Aging

The National Network on Aging serves about 7 million older people and caregivers. The network has 56 State Units on Aging; 655 Area Agencies on Aging; Tribal and Native organizations; two organizations that serve Native Hawaiians; 29,000 service providers; and thousands of volunteers. Most programs target poorer older people, people who live in isolation and people with severe health problems.

Older Americans Act

OAA programs (managed by AOA) fall into six categories: Supportive services Nutrition services Preventive health services National Family Caregiver Support Program

Older Americans Act

Services that protect older people from abuse Services to Native Americans These services get state and local support as well as federal funding. In 2005, a new program- the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Focuses support on family caregivers for ill or disabled older people.