Profiles oldest-old Americans, those aged 85 years and over, including their demographic, socioeconomic, and relational characteristics. Concludes that the data which emerge are not as negative as might be feared. (Author/ABL)

Examined correlates of education, income, and poverty among a national sample of elderly Black adults (N=581). Analyses indicated gender, marital status, age, employment status, urbanicity, and region were all important predictors of these measures of socio-economic status. Highlights demographic differences and overall depressed socio-economic…

Suggests reasons for expecting an increase in the divorce rate for the population over age 65. Knowledge about the effects of marital status upon well-being suggests that being divorced or separated is detrimental to one's social and economic welfare in old age. (Author)