The Elderly: An International Policy Perspective

Sixteen nations were surveyed on problems of the elderly. The advanced industrial countries forecast threats to economic, health care, and service supports for the elderly from slow economic growth, high inflation, and high unemployment. Many of these problems are cited also by developing nations, whose embryonic schemes are beset by additional resource-population imbalances. But these pessimistic scenarios are not justified from the record of the last two centuries. Hard appraisals and hard choices will be needed, however, and may lead to a shift in policy emphasis from social supports to social involvement through a restructured work force.

Author(s): Eli Ginzberg

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Volume 61, Issue 3 (pages 473–488)
Published in 1983