Many people are invisible within and to the wider society. An adjunct aspect of that situation is that the marginalized are also invisible to one another. This "mutual invisibility" undermines the possibilities of cooperative transcommunal alliances. It is Cedric Sunray's ("Similarities between Tribes and the Ninth Ward,"…

Explores emergence of concepts of advantaged elder and feminization of poverty. Calls it paradox that society has simultaneously embraced these two concepts when elderly population, especially subpopulation of those who are very old, is overwhelmingly female. Examines theoretical shortcomings of both concepts and proposes broader model of economic…

Social security systems in many countries must serve different populations of women, both as beneficiaries and as insured workers. As more women are acquiring their own social security rights, it is unclear what jobs they will have, what the benefits will be, what family responsibilities they will have, and what social policies will affect their…

Discusses how the feminization of poverty argument may distort and simplify the issue of old age poverty and may be politically divisive. Claims it is necessary to discuss how race, as well as gender, is interlocked with social class and to demonstrate how a singular emphasis on gender misrepresents the phenomenon of poverty in later life.…

Discusses problems and needs of the Black elderly in terms of social security, medicare and social services, and nursing homes. Also discusses the need for qualified Black personnel in programs designed for the Black elderly, and offers suggestions for legislation and funding. (CMG)

Discusses the socioeconomic causes of the disproportionate level of poverty found among women aged 65 and over. Reasons why Social Security programs are essential for maintaining minimal standards of living for many older women are presented. Specific proposals for bringing about change are included. (AM)

Intergenerational competition promoted by the mass media and by groups like Americans for Generational Equality (AGE) is illogical. Concern should be directed at the unequal distribution of power and resources. Programs geared toward particular age groups contribute to society as a whole. (VM)

The author argues that, although 1985 statistics suggest that the elderly are better off financially than at any time in recent history, these statistics do not show the whole picture. She states that there must be a change in public policy to prevent future intergenerational conflict. (CH)

Examines problems of being old, poor, and female in the United States. Explores structural roots of the feminization of poverty with attention to sexual division of labor, dual labor market economy, and notions of dependency and deservingness in American society. Discusses budget cuts and implications for research, practice, and policy.…

The following topics are examined: old age pensions under social security; economic policy as the primary determinant of social policy; the measurement of poverty and its implications for antipoverty policies; race and ethnic relations; the future of private welfare; and the analytic connection between sociology and social welfare. (RM)

Experience gathered to date confirms that capitation of Medicare does not necessarily decrease quality of health care and may in fact encourage an improvement in health care quality. Incentives inherent in capitated reimbursement are threefold. First, practitioners, by not receiving more payment for more service, are discouraged from providing…

There are 16.4 million women over age 65 in this country, compared to 11 million men. The 41 percent of this population who live alone are the poorest of the poor in this country, with an annual median income of just over $3,000 for white women and little more than $2,000 for black women. This abject poverty affects the ability of these women to…

This is a report of a hearing on April 9, 1981, before the Subcommittee on Aging, Family, and Human Services of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, United States Senate, on examination of the Domestic Volunteer Services Act. The focus is reauthorization of this act that provides the statutory base for ACTION and its domestic volunteer…

Many farmworkers are faced with serious problems such as toxic drinking water, malnutrition, low levels of education and income, and poor health care. Based on statistical review, social surveys, and case studies, this document describes older farmworkers' living conditions, focusing on their housing problems. For many, housing is a luxury item…

Various aspects of aging in industrially developed and traditional societies are discussed in this monograph and bulletin. The objective of the monograph is to foster consciousness of the link between local and global concerns and of the need for a more humane world order. Discussion focuses on the marginality of older adults in industrialized…