Analysis Of Aging In America

Prior to reading about “Aging in America”, I was aware of economic, long-term care, and health care concerns with “baby boomers” retiring over the next few decades. However, some of the actual statistics Squiers found were surprising, for instance there are approximately “75.9 million” adults in the baby boom generation (2005, p. 193) and the U.S. has the third largest population of seniors. Also informative was that the “baby boomers” will lose both Medicare and Social Security benefits due to there being “nearly twice as many boomers as there are current Medicare recipients” (Squiers, 2005, p. 193) and the funds will not be enough to cover the number of people aged 65 and older coming into retirement.

Other enlightening information was

about the $65,000 annual cost of housing elderly inmates in prison compared to younger inmates costing about one-third that amount. Another negative economic and social impact is the growing number of widowed Americans as the elderly population continues to increase and have a longer life expectancy. For example, widowers are more likely to have more health problems, use more health services, more psychiatric issues, and higher substance abuse (Squiers, 2005). Lastly, the elder Native American population’s lack of health care and long-term care is creating a disconnection within their Indian culture and “nearly three out of five of them live below 200% of poverty” (Squiers, p. 206). Contrasted to the Native Americans in America, there are elderly Chinese-Americans in San Francisco, who obtain services from a group of non-profit organizations, On Lok, to help them live at home and access other services allowing them to thrive in their older age.