Japan has the highest proportion of older adults in the world. Aging is not only an immediate personal issue but also a salient factor in crucial public policies, such as pensions, health, and long-term care. The Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant disaster of March 2011 has highlighted current and emerging issues of a…

This document contains the bases of lectures delivered in Florida by a visiting Stockholm University sociology professor. The first chapter, "Growing Old in Sweden," includes information on the income, standard of living, and quality of services available to the elderly in that country. That information is presented within the changing…

The ageing of the population in western societies has aroused great concern and interest in recent years as the so-called "baby-boomers" begin to retire, leaving a seemingly depleted workforce. Society and the individuals within it learn the "truths" of being aged or old through the normalizing of gerontological, demographic…

This document, examining transition to retirement from a sociological perspective, consists of four sections and a 14-item bibliography. The first section traces the evolution of West German retirement from what was considered a new phenomenon into what is now commonly assumed to be a normal or even natural life stage. The second section discusses…

Japan's rapidly aging population has become a top policy issue, especially as the increasing costs of pensions and medical care are debated. With the highest life expectancy on earth, the Japanese potentially face long periods of retirement, as well as the possibility of long periods of disability. Although family support of the elderly is thought…

Retirement is a life cycle phase most couples can now expect to experience. Research on retirement has been directed primarily toward the impact of retirement on the retiree, rather than on the marital dyad. Qualitative and quantitative changes that women experience were investigated, with regards to their role as wife in response to their…

This document consists of the following three papers: (1) "Aging in the People's Republic of China" (Liang), including a 22-item bibliography; (2) "The Reform of China's Social Security System for the Elderly" (Chuanyi); and (3) "Developing Research on Aging in China" (Jihui). The first paper briefly outlines the…

The concept of Personal Major Events is proposed as a methodological approach to the study of death and dying with retired couples. A pilot study which elicited the personal major events during retirement of retired couples indicated that these couples tended to place different emphases on death. (Author)

This document contains papers delivered at a conference designed to highlight similarities and differences in the situation of the elderly in Sweden and in the United States. The papers are: (1) "Aging and Work" (Sheppard, Berglind); (2) "Services to the Elderly: An Emphasis on the United States" (Hokenstad); (3) "Notes on…

In the last two decades, problems associated with aging have caused increased public concern. As a result of recent research in the Federal Republic of Germany, the science of gerontology has revealed new information about the living conditions and living standards of the elderly. The image of older people is still a negative one and passing…

Despite the world wide absolute and relative increase in the size and longevity of the aging population, there is a virtually universal trend toward earlier retirement from industry and even from agriculture. (Author)

German people are thinking about how senior citizens, who comprise about 15% of the population, can live a better life. Women predominate among the senior citizens in Germany. Investigators into the educational needs of older women living alone found that a very small number take part in further educational opportunities. Two major problems of…

Preretirees displayed the least work satisfaction, preferred a lower retirement age, and manifested simultaneous positive attitudes toward retirees and their gatherings. Early retirees had negative attitudes toward work and retirement. Working retirees were the most work-oriented while fully retired persons were retirement-oriented and negative…

Compared single retired women and widows for the extent of their social involvement and degree of adjustment to old age. Widows were more socially engaged than singles, primarily because of their involvement in kinship roles. Never-married women were better adjusted than the widows. (Author)

Older adults are generally satisfied with moving to the seaside, and are motivated by a more congenial physical environment and social advantages of living with retirees with similar interests. Unfortunately social and health services have not kept up with the demand. (JAC)