Course: 7.3 晚年 | The Way To Learn

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后来的几年

Objectives
::目标目标目标和目标目标目标目标目标

Describe the characteristics of the life during late adulthood.
::描述成年后生活的特点。

Explain the new challenges that older Americans face.
::解释美国老年人面临的新挑战。

Analyze the physical and mental functioning levels of people in late adulthood.
::分析成人后期人的身心功能水平。

Universal Generalizations
::普遍化

Due to medical advances, more people around the world are living longer.
::由于医疗进步,全世界有更多人寿命更长。

People in late adulthood face a different set of challenges and problems.
::成年后的人面临不同的挑战和问题。

In American society, we identify a person by their job or profession.
::在美国社会,我们通过个人的工作或职业来识别一个人。

People age 65 years and older are the fastest- growing segment of the world’s population.
::65岁及65岁以上人口是世界人口中增长最快的部分。

Failure to adapt to retirement can have adverse effects on an individual.
::不适应退休可能对个人产生不利影响。

Suicide rates are higher among people over the age of 65.
::65岁以上的人的自杀率较高。

Guiding Questions
::问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问问

What type of changes characterize late adulthood?
::成年后有什么变化?

How does late adulthood differ from early adulthood?
::成年后与成年早期有什么不同?

What are the effects of Alzheimer’s disease?
::阿尔茨海默氏病有什么影响?

What new opportunities are offered to older Americans?
::老年美国人有什么新机会?

What is America’s perception of the elderly?
::美国对老年人有什么看法?

The U.S. Elderly
::美国老年人

Learning Objectives
::学习目标

Present a brief sociodemographic profile of the U.S. elderly.
::介绍美国老年人的简要社会人口概况。

Discuss the several problems experienced by the U.S. elderly.
::讨论美国老年人遇到的一些问题。

Describe how the social attitudes of older Americans generally differ from those of younger Americans.
::描述老年美国人的社会态度一般与年轻美国人的社会态度有何不同。

Who Are the Elderly?
::谁是老年人?

presents the demographic composition of Americans aged 65 or older. Slightly more than half the elderly are 65–74 years of age, and about 57% are female, reflecting males’ shorter life spans as discussed earlier. About 76% of the elderly are non-Latino whites, compared to about 66% in the population as a whole; 8.5% are African American, compared to about 13% of the population; and 6.6% are Latino, compared to 15% of the population. The greater proportion of whites among the elderly and lower proportions of African Americans and Latinos reflects these groups’ life expectancy differences discussed earlier and also their differences in birth rates.
::65岁或65岁以上美国人的人口构成。略多于半数的老年人为65-74岁,女性约为57%,这反映了男性寿命的缩短(如前所述 ) 。大约76 % 的老年人为非拉美白人,而整个人口为66%;8.5%为非裔美国人,而人口为13%左右;6.6%为拉美人,而人口为15%。白人在老年人中的比例较高,非洲裔美国人和拉美人的比例较低,反映了上述群体的预期寿命差异以及出生率的差异。

Demographic Composition of the Elderly, 2008

^a 2007 data
Age	Marital status
65–74 years	51.8%	Married	57.0%
75–84 years	33.5%	Widowed	29.8%
85 years and over	14.7%	Divorced	9.1%
Gender	Never married	4.1%
Female	57.1%	Years of school completed
Male	42.9%	0–8 years	11.2%
Labor force participation	1–3 years of high school	11.4%
Employed	16.1%	High school graduate	36.9%
Unemployed	0.7%	1–3 years of college	20.1%
Not in labor force	83.2%	College graduate	20.5%
Race and/or ethnicity	Household income ^a
White, non-Latino	75.5%	Under $15,000	23.4%
African American	8.5%	$15,000–$24,999	20.6%
Latino	6.8%	$25,000–$34,999	15.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander	3.4%	$35,000–49,999	13.7%
Amer. Ind., Esk., Aleut.	0.6%	$50,000–$74,999	11.9%
Two or more races	0.7%	$75,000–$99,999	6.0%
Living in poverty	9.7%	$100,000 and over	9.3%

Source: Data from U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). Statistical abstract of the United States: 2010 . Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from .
::资料来源:美国人口普查局数据(2010年),《美国统计摘要:2010年》,华盛顿特区:美国政府印刷局。

The percentage of elders living in poverty is 9.7, compared to 13.2% of the entire population. Although most elders have fixed incomes, the fact that their family size is usually one or two means that they are less likely than younger people to live in poverty. In fact, today’s elderly are financially much better off than their grandparents were, thanks to Social Security; Medicare, the federal health insurance program for older Americans; pensions; and their own assets. We will revisit the health and financial security of elders a little later.

The lower proportions of African Americans and Latinos among the elderly partly reflect these groups’ lower life expectancies.
::非裔美国人和拉丁美洲人在老年人中的比例较低,部分反映了这些群体预期寿命较低。

Turning to education, about 21% of the elderly are college graduates, compared to about 29% of the population as a whole. This difference reflects the fact that few people went to college when today’s elderly were in their late teens and early 20s. However, it is still true that today’s elders are better educated than any previous generation of elders. Future generations of the elderly will be even better educated than those now.
::在教育方面,大约21%的老年人是大学毕业生,而整个人口的29%是大学毕业生。这一差异反映了这一事实,即当今天的老年人年龄在十几岁和二十几岁时,很少有人上过大学。然而,今天的老年人教育程度仍然比前几代老年人都好。后代的老年人教育程度将比现在更好。

While most elders are retired and no longer in the labor force, about 16% do continue to work (see ). These seniors tend to be in good health and to find their jobs psychologically satisfying. Compared to younger workers, they miss fewer days of work for health or other reasons and are less likely to quit their jobs for other opportunities (Sears, 2009). Sears, D. (2009, September 6). Myths busted on older workers’ job performance. Retrieved from
::虽然大多数老年人退休,不再在劳动力队伍中工作,但约有16%的人继续工作(见 ) 。这些老年人往往健康状况良好,并找到心理上满意的工作。与年轻工人相比,他们由于健康或其他原因错过了更少的工作日,也不太可能因为其他机会而辞职(Sears,2009年;Sears,2009年;D.(2009年,9月 6日 ) 。老年工人的工作表现被神话打碎了。与年轻工人相比,他们由于健康或其他原因错过了更少的工作日,也不太可能因为其他机会而辞职(Sears,2009年;Sears,2009年;D.(2009年,2009年,9月 ) 。

Problems Facing the Elderly
::老年人面临的问题

Although we emphasized earlier that many older Americans do not fit the negative image with which they are portrayed, it is still true that they face special problems because of their age and life circumstances. We discuss some of these here.
::虽然我们早些时候曾强调,许多老年美国人不符合他们所描绘的负面形象,但他们仍然确实因其年龄和生活环境而面临特殊问题。我们在这里讨论其中一些问题。

Physical and Mental Health
::身心健康

Perhaps the problem that comes most readily to mind is health, or, to be more precise, poor health. The biological and psychological effects of aging lead to greater physical and mental health problems among the elderly than in younger age groups. These problems are reflected in responses to the General Social Survey question, “Would you say your own health, in general, is excellent, good, fair, or poor?” shows that the elderly are more likely than the nonelderly to report that their health is only fair or poor.
::也许最容易想到的问题是健康,或者更确切地说,健康不佳,老龄化的生理和心理影响导致老年人比年轻年龄组的老年人更严重的身心健康问题,这些问题反映在对“一般社会调查”问题的答复中,“你是否说自己的健康总的来说是优秀的、良好的、公平的还是贫穷的?” 表明老年人比非老年人更有可能报告他们的健康是公平或贫穷的。

Age and Self-Reported Health
::年龄和自我报告的健康

Source: Data from General Social Survey, 2008.
::资料来源:2008年社会普查数据。

The elderly’s perception of their own health is supported by government estimates of chronic health conditions for older Americans. For every 1,000 people aged 65 or older not living in a nursing home or other institution, 495 have arthritis, 533 have high blood pressure, 309 have heart disease, 405 have hearing loss, 174 have vision problems, and 180 have diabetes (these numbers add up to more than 1,000 as people may have several health conditions) (Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, 2008). Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. (2008). Older Americans 2008: Key indicators of well-being . Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. These rates are much higher than those for younger age groups.
::老年人对自身健康的看法得到政府关于老年美国人长期健康状况的估计的支持。每1 000名65岁或65岁以上不居住在养老院或其他机构的人中,有495人患有关节炎,533人患有高血压,309人患有心脏病,405人患有心脏病,405人患有听力损失,174人患有视力问题,180人患有糖尿病(这些数字加起来超过1 000人,因为人们可能有几种健康状况 ) (联邦老龄问题统计机构间论坛,2008年,联邦老龄化相关统计机构间论坛 (2008年 ) 。 2008年,美国老年人2008年:福祉的关键指标。华盛顿:美国政府印刷局。这些比率远高于较年轻的年龄组。

The elderly also suffer from dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, which affects about 1 of every 8 people 65 or older (Alzheimer’s Association, 2009). Alzheimer’s Association. (2009). 2009 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures . Chicago, IL: Author. Another mental health problem is depression, which affects about 14% of people 65 or older. Because of mental or physical disability, 42% of all people 65 or older, or more than 16 million elders, need help with at least one “daily living” activity, such as preparing a meal (Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, 2008). Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. (2008). Older Americans 2008: Key indicators of well-being . Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
::老年人还患有痴呆症,包括阿尔茨海默氏病,这种疾病影响到65岁或65岁以上的8人中的1人左右(阿尔茨海默协会,2009年)。 2009年,阿尔茨海默氏协会。 2009年,阿尔茨海默氏病的事实和数字。芝加哥,IL:作者。另一个心理健康问题是抑郁症,影响65岁或65岁以上人口的14 % 。由于精神或身体残疾,所有65岁或65岁以上的人或超过1 600万老年人中有42%需要帮助进行至少一项“日常生活”活动,例如准备一顿饭(联邦老龄问题相关统计机构间论坛,2008年)。联邦老龄问题相关统计机构间论坛(2008年)。 2008年,美国老年人2008年:福祉的关键指标。华盛顿:美国政府印刷局。

If the elderly have more health problems, then adequate care for them is of major importance. They visit the doctor and hospital more often than their middle-aged counterparts. Medicare covers about one-half of their health-care costs; this is a substantial amount of coverage but still forces many seniors to pay thousands of dollars annually themselves. Some physicians and other health-care providers do not accept Medicare “assignment,” meaning that the patient must pay an even higher amount. Moreover, Medicare pays little or nothing for long-term care in nursing homes and other institutions and for mental health services. All of these factors mean that older Americans can still face high medical expenses or at least pay high premiums for private health insurance.
::如果老年人有较多的健康问题,那么充分照顾他们就非常重要。他们比中年的同龄人更经常地去医生和医院看病。医疗保险覆盖了大约一半的医疗费用;这是一个相当大的覆盖面,但仍迫使许多老年人自己每年支付数千美元。一些医生和其他保健提供者不接受医疗保健“分配 ” , 这意味着病人必须支付更高的费用。此外,医疗保险在疗养院和其他机构以及精神保健服务中支付的长期护理费用很少或根本没有支付。所有这些因素都意味着老年美国人仍然可以面临高昂的医疗费用,或者至少支付很高的私人医疗保险保险费。

Older people visit the doctor and hospital more often than younger people. Partly for this reason, adequate health care for the elderly is of major importance.
::老年人比年轻人更经常地看医生和看医院,部分原因是老年人获得适当的保健至关重要。

In addition, Medicare costs have risen rapidly along with other health-care costs. Medicare expenditures soared from about $37 billion in 1980 to more than $450 billion today (see ). As the population continues to age and as health-care costs continue to rise, Medicare expenses will continue to rise as well, making it increasingly difficult to find the money to finance Medicare.
::此外,医疗保健费用与其他医疗保健费用一起迅速上升,医疗保健支出从1980年的约370亿美元猛增到今天的4500亿美元(见 ) 。随着人口不断老化和医疗保健费用继续上升,医疗保健费用也将继续上升,因此越来越难以找到资金为医疗保健供资。

Medical Expenditures 1980-2007
::1980-2007年医疗支出

Source: Data from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (n.d.). National health expenditure data. Retrieved from .
::资料来源:医疗保健和医疗补助服务中心的数据(未注明日期)。

Nursing Home Care
::家庭护理护理护理

Nursing homes are often understaffed to save costs and are also generally not subject to outside inspection. These conditions help contribute to the neglect of nursing home residents.
::护理院往往人手不足,无法节省费用,一般也不接受外部检查,这些条件助长了对护理院居民的忽视。

While most older Americans live by themselves or with their families, a small minority live in group settings. A growing type of group setting is the continuous care retirement community , a setting of private rooms, apartments, and/or condominiums that offers medical and practical care to those who need it. In some such communities, residents eat their meals together, while in others they cook for themselves. Usually these communities offer above-average recreational facilities and can be very expensive, as some require a lifetime contract or at least monthly fees that can run into the thousands of dollars.
::虽然大多数老年美国人独自生活或与家人生活在一起,但少数人口却生活在群体环境中。越来越多的群体环境是持续护理退休社区、私人房间、公寓和(或)为需要者提供医疗和实际护理的公寓或公寓。在一些这样的社区,居民一起吃饭,而在另一些社区,他们自己做饭。这些社区通常提供高于平均水平的娱乐设施,而且可能非常昂贵,因为有些社区需要终身合同或至少每月支付数千美元的费用。

For elders who need high-level medical care or practical support, nursing homes are the primary option. About 16,100 nursing homes exist, and 3.5% of Americans 65 or older (or about 1.3 million individuals) live in them; this figure rises to 14% of people 85 or older (Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, 2008). Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. (2008). Older Americans 2008: Key indicators of well-being . Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. About three-fourths of all nursing home residents are women. Almost all residents (94%) receive assistance in bathing and showering, 80% receive help in using the bathroom, and one-third receive help in eating.
::对于需要高层次医疗护理或实际支助的老年人来说,养老院是首要选择,约有16 100所养老院,65岁或65岁以上美国人(或约130万人)中3.5%住在养老院;这一数字在85岁或85岁以上的人中上升到14%(联邦老龄化相关统计机构间论坛,2008年)。联邦老龄化相关统计机构间论坛,2008年。美国老年人2008年:福祉的关键指标。华盛顿特区:美国政府印刷局。所有养老院居民中大约四分之三是妇女。几乎所有居民(94%)在洗澡和淋浴方面都得到帮助,80%的人在使用卫生间方面得到帮助,三分之一的人在吃饭方面得到帮助。

As noted earlier, Medicare does not pay for long-term institutional care for most older Americans. Because nursing home care costs at least $70,000 yearly, residents can quickly use up all their assets and then, ironically, become eligible for payments from Medicaid , the federal insurance program for people with low incomes.
::如前所述,医疗保险不为大多数老年美国人支付长期机构护理费用。因为养老院护理每年至少花费70,000美元,居民可以迅速使用所有资产,然后,具有讽刺意味的是,他们有资格从联邦低收入者保险计划“医疗补助计划 ” ( Medicaid Aid ) ( Medicaid ) ( Medicaid ) ( Medicaid ) ( Medicaid ) ( Medicaid ) ( Medicare ) ( Medicaid ) ( Medicaid ) ( Medicaid ) ( Medicaid) ( Medi) ( Medica) ( Medi) ( Medica) ( Medi) (Medicare) ( Medi) (Medicare) (Medica) ) (Medicare ) (Medicare ) 。

If one problem of nursing homes is their expense, another problem is the quality of care they provide. Because their residents are typically in poor physical and/or mental health, their care must be the best possible, as they can do little to help themselves if their care is substandard. As more people enter nursing homes in the years ahead, the quality of nursing home care will become even more important. Yet there is much evidence that nursing home care is often substandard and is replete with neglect and abuse (DeHart, Webb, & Cornman, 2009). DeHart, D., Webb, J., & Cornman, C. (2009). Prevention of elder mistreatment in nursing homes: Competencies for direct-care staff. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 21 (4), 360–378. doi:10.1080/08946560903005174
::如果疗养院有一个费用问题,另一个问题是护理质量问题。因为其居民通常身体和/或精神健康差,所以他们的护理必须是最佳的,因为如果护理不达标,他们只能做少事帮助自己。随着今后几年更多的人进入疗养院,疗养院的护理质量将变得更加重要。然而,有许多证据表明,护理院护理往往不合格,而且充满了忽视和虐待(DeHart, Webbbb, & Cornman, 2009)DeHart, D., Webbb, J., & Cornman, C.(2009)。防止养老院虐待老年人:直接护理人员的能力。《老年人虐待和忽视杂志》,21(4),360-378。 doi:10.1080/0894656030051。

Financial Security and Employment
::财政保障和就业

Earlier we noted that the elderly are less likely than younger age groups to live in poverty and that their financial status is much better than that of previous generations of older people. However, this brief summary of their economic well-being obscures several underlying problems (Crawthorne, 2008; Treas, 1995). Crawthorne, A. (2008, July 30). Elderly poverty: The challenge before us. Retrieved from ; Treas, J. (1995). Older Americans in the 1990s and beyond. Population Bulletin, 50 (2), 1–46.
::前面我们曾指出,老年人比年轻年龄组更不可能生活在贫困之中,他们的经济状况比前几代老年人要好得多,然而,关于老年人经济状况的这一简要概述掩盖了几个根本问题(Crawthorne,2008年;Treas,1995年)。Crawthorne,A.(2008年,7月30日)。 " 老年人贫困:我们面临的挑战 " ,从下列来源检索:Treas,J.(1995年)。《1990年代及以后的美国老年人》,《人口公报》,50(2),1-46。

First, episodic poverty , refers to the drifting of many people into and out of poverty as their jobs and other circumstances change. Once they become poor, older people are more likely than younger ones to stay poor, as younger people have more job and other opportunities to move out of poverty. Recall also that the official poverty rate obscures the fact that many people live just above it and are “near poor.” This is especially true of the elderly, who, if hit by large medical bills or other expenses, can hardly afford to pay them. In another problem, older women are more likely than older men to live in poverty for at least two reasons: women earn less than men and thus have lower monthly benefits under Social Security than men, and women outlive men and thus use up their savings. Racial and ethnic disparities also exist among the elderly, reflecting poverty disparities in the entire population, as older people of color are much more likely than older whites to live in poverty (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). Statistical abstract of the United States: 2010 . Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from
::首先,零散的贫困是指许多人随着工作和其他情况的变化而陷入和摆脱贫困。一旦他们成为穷人,老年人比年轻一些的人更有可能继续贫穷,因为年轻人有更多的工作和其他机会摆脱贫困。还忆及官方的贫困率掩盖了许多人生活在贫困之上和“近贫困”的事实。对于老年人来说尤其如此,他们如果受到巨额医疗账单或其他开支的打击,就很难支付他们。在另一个问题上,老年妇女比老年男子更有可能生活在贫困中,原因至少有两个:妇女的收入低于男子,因此,社会保障下的每月福利低于男子,妇女比男人过月生活,从而利用他们的储蓄。老年人之间也存在种族和族裔差异,反映了整个人口中的贫困差距,因为肤色老年人比老年白人更有可能生活在贫困中(美国人口普查局,2010年)。美国人口普查局(2010年),美国人口普查局(2010年),美国人口普查局(2010年),美国统计局)统计摘要:2010年,华盛顿:美国:美国政府印刷局。

Two final problems relate to Social Security, which is the largest income source for most elders. If Social Security did not exist, the poverty rate of the elderly would be 44%, or about five times higher than the actual rate (Crawthorne, 2008). Crawthorne, A. (2008, July 30). Elderly poverty: The challenge before us. Retrieved from
::最后两个问题与社会保障有关,社会保障是大多数老年人最大的收入来源,如果没有社会保障,老年人的贫困率为44%,比实际贫困率高出约5倍(Crawthorne,2008年;Crawthorne,A.(2008年,7月30日)。老年人贫困:我们面临的挑战。

Without Social Security, then, nearly half of all people 65 or older would be living in official poverty, and this rate would be even much higher for older women and older persons of color. Unfortunately, many observers think the Social Security system is facing a crisis as the large number of baby boomers now reaches retirement age (Sloan, 2009). Sloan, A. (2009, August 2). A flimsy trust: Why Social Security needs some major repairs. The Washington Post , p. G01. Another problem is that, as noted earlier regarding women, monthly benefits are tied to people’s earnings before retirement: the higher the earnings, the higher the monthly benefit. Thus a paradox occurs: people who earn low wages will get lower Social Security benefits after they retire, even though they need higher benefits to make up for their lower earnings. In this manner, the income inequality that exists before retirement continues to exist after it.
::没有社会保障,那么,65岁或65岁以上人口中有近一半的人将生活在官方贫困中,而对于老年妇女和有色老年人来说,这一比率甚至更高。不幸的是,许多观察家认为社会保障体系正面临危机,因为大量婴儿潮患者现已达到退休年龄(Sloan,2009年;Sloan,A.(2009年,8月2日 ) , 令人难以置信的信任:为什么社会保障需要大修。正如前面提到的,《华盛顿邮报》,第G01页。另一个问题是,在妇女问题上,月津贴与退休前人们的收入挂钩:收入越高,月津贴越高。因此,矛盾的是:低工资者退休后将获得较低的社会保障福利,尽管他们需要更高的福利来弥补较低的收入。这样,退休前存在的收入不平等在退休后继续存在。

Older women are more likely than older men to live in poverty.
::老年妇女比老年男子更有可能生活在贫困之中。

This paradox reflects a wider problem involving Social Security. However helpful it might be in aiding older Americans, the aid it provides lags far behind comparable programs in other wealthy Western nations (see the “Learning From Other Societies” box). Social Security payments are low enough that almost one-third of the elderly who receive no other income assistance live in official poverty. For all of these reasons, Social Security is certainly beneficial for many older Americans, but it remains inadequate compared to what other nations provide.
::这一悖论反映了涉及社会保障的更广泛问题。无论在帮助老年美国人方面有何帮助,它提供的援助远远落后于其他富裕的西方国家的相应方案(见“从其他社会学习 ” 框 ) 。社会保障的支付足够低,以至于几乎三分之一没有其他收入援助的老年人生活在官方贫困之中。由于所有这些原因,社会保障肯定对许多老年美国人有利,但与其他国家相比仍然不够。

Learning From Other Societies
::从其他社会学会学习

Elderly Policy and Programs in the Netherlands and Sweden
::荷兰和瑞典的老年人政策和方案

A few years ago, AARP assessed quality-of-life issues for older people and the larger society in 16 wealthy democracies (the nations of North America and Western Europe, along with Australia and Japan). Each nation was rated (on a scale of 1–5, with 5 being the highest score) on 17 criteria, including life expectancy, health care for the elderly, pension coverage, and age-discrimination laws. Of the 16 nations, the Netherlands ranked first, with a total score of 64, while Italy ranked last, with a score of 48; the United States was 13th, with a score of 50 (Edwards, 2004). Edwards, M. (2004, November/December). As good as it gets: What country takes the best care of its older citizens? AARP The Magazine . Retrieved from Despite its immense wealth, then, the United States lagged behind most other democracies. Because a “perfect” score would have been 85 (17 × 5), even the Netherlands fell short of an ideal quality of life as measured by the AARP indicators.
::几年前,美国退休人员协会评估了16个富裕民主国家(北美和西欧国家,以及澳大利亚和日本)的老年人和较大社会的生活质量问题。每个国家被评为17种标准(1-5级,5分最高 ) , 包括预期寿命、老年人医疗保健、养老金覆盖范围和年龄歧视法。在16个国家中,荷兰排名第一,总得分为64分,意大利排名最后,得分为48分;美国排名第13位,得分为50分(Edwards,2004年;Edwards,M.(2004年,11月/12月) 。哪个国家最能照顾年长的公民?AARP杂志。尽管美国拥有巨大的财富,但它仍然落后于大多数其他民主国家。因为“成功”得分本来是85分(17×5 ) ,甚至荷兰也没有达到按美国退休人员协会指标衡量的理想生活质量。

Why did the United States not rank higher? The experience of the Netherlands and Sweden, both of which have longer life expectancies than the United States, points to some possible answers. In the Netherlands, everyone at age 65 receives a full pension that does not depend on how much money they earned while they were working. Everyone thus gets the same amount, and this amount is larger than the average American gets, since Social Security does depend on earnings and many people earned fairly low amounts during their working years. As a result Dutch elderly are much less likely than their American counterparts to be poor. The Dutch elderly (and also the nonelderly) have generous governed insurance for medical problems and for nursing home care; this financial help is much higher than older Americans obtain through Medicare.
::为什么美国不列高位?荷兰和瑞典的经验表明,这两个国家的预期寿命都比美国长。荷兰和瑞典的经验表明了一些可能的答案。在荷兰,所有65岁的人都领取全额养老金,并不取决于他们在工作期间挣多少钱。因此,每个人都得到同等数额,这个数额比美国平均得到的多,因为社会保障确实取决于收入,而且许多人在工作年收入相当低。因此,荷兰老年人比美国老年人更不可能贫穷。荷兰老年人(以及非老年老年人)对医疗问题和护理家庭提供慷慨的保险;这种财政援助比美国老年人通过医疗保险获得的保险要高得多。

As one example, the AARP article mentioned an elderly Dutch woman who had cancer surgery and 32 chemotherapy treatments, for which she paid nothing. In the United States, the chemotherapy treatments would have cost at least $30,000. Medicare would have covered only 80% of this amount, leaving a patient to pay $6,000.
::例如,美国退休人员协会的文章提到一位荷兰老年妇女接受了癌症外科手术和32次化疗治疗,但她没有为此支付任何费用。在美国,化疗治疗至少要花费30,000美元。医疗保险只能支付其中的80%,病人只能支付6,000美元。

The Netherlands also helps its elderly in other ways. One example is that about one-fourth of that nation’s elderly receive regular government-subsidized home visits by health-care professionals and/or housekeepers; this practice enables the elderly to remain independent and avoid having to enter a nursing home. In another example, the elderly also receive 7 days of free riding on the nation’s rail system.
::荷兰还以其他方式帮助老年人。一个例子是,约四分之一的本国老年人定期接受政府补贴的保健专业人员和(或)管家家家访客;这种做法使老年人能够保持独立,避免进入养老院。在另一个例子中,老年人还可以免费乘坐7天的铁路系统。

Sweden has a home-care visitation program that is similar to the Netherlands’ program. Many elderly are visited twice a day by a care assistant who helps them bathe and dress in the morning and go to bed at night. The care assistant also regularly cleans their residence and takes them out for exercise. The Swedish government pays about 80% of the costs of this assistance and subsidizes the remaining cost for elderly who cannot afford it. Like the Netherlands’ program, Sweden’s program helps the elderly to remain independent and live at home rather than enter a nursing institution.
::瑞典有一个与荷兰计划类似的家庭护理探视计划。许多老年人每天两次接受护理助理的探视,帮助他们洗澡和上衣,晚上睡觉。护理助理还定期清理他们的住所,带他们出去锻炼。瑞典政府支付大约80%的这项援助费用,并为负担不起的老年人提供其余费用补贴。像荷兰计划一样,瑞典的方案帮助老年人保持独立,住在家里,而不是进护理机构。

Compared to the United States, then, other democracies generally provide their elderly less expensive or free health care, greater financial support during their retirement, and home visits by health-care professionals and other assistants. In these and other ways, these other governments encourage “active aging” (Hartlapp & Schmid, 2008; Ney, 2005). Hartlapp, M., & Schmid, G. (2008). Labour market policy for “active ageing” in Europe: Expanding the options for retirement transitions. Journal of Social Policy, 37 (3), 409–431; Ney, S. (2005). Active aging policy in Europe: Between path dependency and path departure. Ageing International, 30 , 325–342. Adoption of similar policies in the United States would improve the lives of older Americans and perhaps prolong their life spans.
::与美国相比,其他民主国家一般都为老年人提供费用较低或免费的医疗保健、退休期间的更多财政支持以及保健专业人员和其他助理的家访。以这些和其他方式,这些其他政府鼓励“积极老龄化 ” (Hartlapp & Schmid,2008年;Ney,2005年)。 Hartlapp,M., & Schmid,G.(2008年)。欧洲的“积极老龄化”劳动力市场政策:扩大退休过渡的选择。《社会政策杂志》,第37(3)、409-431期;Ney,S.(2005年)。在欧洲推行老龄化政策:在道路依赖和道路离开之间。老龄化国际,第30、325-342页。在美国采用类似的政策将改善老年美国人的生活,甚至延长他们的寿命。

EMPLOYMENT AMONG THE ELDERLY
::二、在就业、就业、就业、就业、

Older Americans also face problems in employment. Recall that about 16% of seniors remain employed. Other elders are retired or unemployed because several obstacles make it difficult for them to find jobs. First, many workplaces do not permit part-time working arrangements that many seniors favor. Second, the rise in high-tech jobs means that older workers would need to be retrained for many of today’s jobs, and few retraining programs exist. Third, although federal law prohibits age discrimination in employment, it exists anyway, as employers do not think older people are “up to” the job, even though the evidence indicates they are good, productive workers (E. D. Berger, 2009). Berger, E. D. (2009). Managing age discrimination: An examination of the techniques used when seeking employment. The Gerontologist, 49 (3), 317–332. Finally, earnings above a certain level reduce Social Security benefits before full retirement age (66), leading some older people to avoid working at all or to at least limit their hours. All of these obstacles lead seniors to drop out of the labor force or to remain unemployed (Gallo, Brand, Teng, Leo-Summers, & Byers, 2009). Gallo, W. T., Brand, J. E., Teng, H.-M., Leo-Summers, L., & Byers, A. L. (2009). Differential impact of involuntary job loss on physical disability among older workers: Does predisposition matter? Research on Aging, 31 (3), 345–360.
::老年美国人也面临着就业问题。 360年年长的美国人还面临就业问题。记得大约16 % 的老年人仍然在就业中就业。其他老年人退休或失业是因为一些障碍使他们难以找到工作。首先,许多工作场所不允许许多老年人喜欢的非全日制工作安排。其次,高科技职位的增加意味着老年工人需要重新接受当今许多工作岗位的再培训,而再培训方案也很少。第三,尽管联邦法律禁止就业中的年龄歧视,但总而言之,由于雇主认为老年人并不“接近”工作,尽管有证据表明他们是优秀的生产性工人(E.D.Berger,2009年;Berger,E.D.(2009)。管理年龄歧视:对求职时所使用的技术的审查。 Gerontors, 49(3), 317-332。最后,超过一定水平的收入会降低整个退休年龄之前的社会保障福利(66),导致一些老年人避免工作,或者至少限制工作时间。所有这些障碍导致老年人退出劳动力,或者继续失业(G.Brand, Teng, Leo-Summers, Timmer, L. & R. & R. & R.

Older people who want to work may have trouble finding employment because of age discrimination and other factors.
::由于年龄歧视和其他因素,想要工作的老年人可能难以找到工作。

Social Isolation
::社会孤立

“We all need someone we can lean on,” as a famous Rolling Stones song goes, and most older Americans do have adequate social support networks, which, as we saw earlier, are important for their well-being. However, a significant minority of elders live alone and do not see friends and relatives as often as they wish. Bereavement takes a toll, as elders who might have been married for many years suddenly find themselves living alone. Here a gender difference again exists. Because women outlive men and are generally younger than their husbands, they are three times more likely than men (42% compared to 13%) to be widowed and thus much more likely to live alone (see ).
::“我们都需要一个可以依靠的人,”正如著名的《滚石》歌曲所演的那样,而且大多数老年美国人确实有足够的社会支持网络,正如我们早些时候所看到的那样,这些网络对于他们的福祉非常重要。但是,有相当少的老年人独居,没有看到他们想要的经常见到的朋友和亲戚。丧偶造成了巨大的损失,因为可能结婚多年的老年人突然发现自己独居。这里又出现了性别差异。由于女性比男性长寿,而且通常比丈夫小,她们成为丧偶者的可能性比男性高三倍(42%比13%),因此独居的可能性也大得多(参见 ) 。

Living Arrangements of Noninstitutionalized Older Americans, 2008
::《2008年非机构化老年美国人的生活安排》

	Men	Women
Living alone	19%	42%
Living with spouse	72%	39%
Other arrangement	10%	19%

Source: Data from Administration on Aging. (2009). A profile of older Americans: 2009. Retrieved from
::资料来源:老龄问题管理局的数据(2009年),老年美国人概况:2009年。

Many elders have at least one adult child living within driving distance, and such children are an invaluable resource. At the same time, however, some elders have no children, because either they have outlived their children or they never had any. As baby boomers begin reaching their older years, more of them will have no children because they were more likely than previous generations to not marry and/or to not have children if they did marry. Thus baby boomers face not only the prospect of scarcer Social Security funds when they reach retirement age but also a relative lack of children to help them when they enter their “old-old” years (Leland, 2010). Leland, J. (2010, April 25). A graying population, a graying work force. The New York Times , p. A14.
::许多长者至少有一名成年子女在开车的距离内生活,而这样的子女是宝贵的资源。然而,与此同时,有些长者没有子女,因为他们要么已经过龄,要么从未有过子女。随着婴儿潮发作者开始长大,他们中更多的人将没有子女,因为他们比前几代人更有可能不结婚和/或结婚后没有子女。因此,婴儿潮发作者在达到退休年龄时不仅面临社会保障基金短缺的前景,而且相对缺乏儿童帮助他们进入“老年”年龄(Leland,2010年)。Leland, J.(2010年,4月25日)。灰色人口,灰色劳动力。《纽约时报》,第A14页。

Bereavement is always a difficult experience, but because so many elders lose a spouse, it is a particular problem in their lives (Hansson & Stroebe, 2007). Hansson, R. O., & Stroebe, M. S. (2007). Coping with bereavement. Generations, 31 (3), 63–65. Usually grief follows bereavement. It can last several years and, if it becomes extreme, can involve anxiety, depression, guilt, loneliness, and other problems. Of all of these problems, loneliness is perhaps the most common and the most difficult to overcome.
::丧葬总是一个艰难的经历,但因为许多长者失去配偶,这是他们生活中的一个特殊问题(Hansson & Stroebe, 2007年);Hansson, R. O. & Stroebe, M. S. (2007年);《与丧葬打交道》。 31(3), 63-65岁。悲伤通常会随着丧葬而来。它可以持续数年,如果它变得极端,可能涉及焦虑、抑郁、内疚、孤独和其他问题。在所有这些问题中,孤独也许是最常见的,也是最难克服的。

Elder Abuse
::虐待老年人

Some seniors fall prey to their own relatives who commit against them. Such abuse involves one or more of the following: physical or sexual violence, psychological or emotional abuse, neglect of care, or financial exploitation (Killick & Taylor, 2009). Killick, C., & Taylor, B. J. (2009). Professional decision making on elder abuse: Systematic narrative review. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 21 (3), 211–238. Accurate data are hard to come by since few elders report their abuse, but estimates say that between 2% and 10% of older Americans have suffered at least one form of abuse, amounting to hundreds of thousands of cases annually. Fewer than 10% of these cases come to the attention of the police or other authorities (National Center on Elder Abuse, 2005). National Center on Elder Abuse. (2005). Elder abuse prevalence and incidence . Washington, DC: National Center on Elder Abuse.
::一些老年人成为自己对其实施虐待的亲属的牺牲品,这种虐待涉及以下一种或多种形式:身体或性暴力、心理或情感虐待、忽视照料或经济剥削(Killick & Taylor,2009年Killick,C. & Taylor,B. J. (2009年);关于虐待老年人的专业决策:系统化叙述性审查;《虐待老人和忽视老人杂志》,21(3),211-238;由于很少有老年人报告虐待老人事件,很难获得准确的数据,但估计有2%至10%的老年美国人至少遭受过一种形式的虐待,每年有数十万个这类案件,其中不到10%的案件受到警察或其他当局的注意(全国虐待老人中心,2005年);全国虐待老人中心(2005年);虐待老人的流行和发生率。华盛顿:全国虐待老人中心。

Although we may never know the actual extent of elder abuse, it poses a serious health problem for the elders who are physically, sexually, and/or psychologically abused or neglected, and it may even raise their chances of dying. One study of more than 2,800 elders found that those who were abused or neglected were 3 times more likely than those who were not mistreated to die during the next 13 years. This difference was found even after injury and chronic illness were taken into account (Horn, 1998). Horn, D. (1998, August 17). Bad news on elder abuse. Time 82.
::虽然我们可能永远不知道虐待老年人的实际程度,但它给身体、性、和/或精神虐待或忽视的老年人造成严重的健康问题,甚至可能增加他们死亡的机会,对2 800多名老年人的一项研究发现,在今后13年里,受虐待或忽视的人比没有受到虐待的人多3倍于死亡的人,这种差别甚至在考虑到受伤和长期疾病之后(Horn,1998年;Horn,D.(1998年,8月17日),关于虐待老年人的坏消息,82年。

A major reason for elder abuse seems to be stress. The adult children and other relatives who care for elders often find it an exhausting, emotionally trying experience, especially if the person they are helping needs extensive help with daily activities. Faced with this stress, elders’ caregivers can easily snap and take out their frustrations with physical violence, emotional abuse, or neglect of care.
::虐待老人的一个主要原因似乎是压力。照顾老人的成年子女和其他亲属往往发现这是一种疲劳的、情感上痛苦的经历,特别是如果他们帮助的人在日常活动中需要大量帮助。面对这种压力,老人的照顾者可以很容易地在身体暴力、情感虐待或忽视照料的情况下发疯并消除他们的挫折感。

Senior Power: Older Americans as a Political Force
::年长权力:作为政治力量的老年美国人

Older Americans also hold strong views on issues that affect them directly, such as Medicare and Social Security. Although scholars continue to debate whether the many other differences (e.g., gender, race, social class) among the elderly prevent them from acting in their own interests as a unified political force (Walker, 2006), Walker, A. (2006). Aging and politics: An international perspective. In R. H. Binstock & L. K. George (Eds.), Handbook of aging and the social sciences (6th ed., pp. 338–358). New York, NY: Academic Press. it is clear that politicians work to win the elderly vote and shape their political stances accordingly.
::老年美国人也对直接影响到他们的问题持有强烈观点,如医疗保健和社会保障。尽管学者们继续争论老年人之间许多其他差异(如性别、种族、社会阶级)是否阻止他们作为统一的政治力量(Walker,2006年),Walker, A.(2006年),《老龄化和政治:国际视角》,载于R.H.Binstock & L.K.George(Eds),《老龄化和社会科学手册》(第6版,第338-358页),纽约:学术出版社。显然,政治家们努力赢得老年人的选票,并据此塑造其政治立场。

During the past few decades, older people have become more active politically on their own behalf.
::在过去几十年中,老年人为了自己的利益在政治上更加活跃。

Since the 1980s, organizations of older Americans have been established to act as interest groups in the political arena on the many issues affecting the elderly more than other age groups (Walker, 2006). Walker, A. (2006). Aging and politics: An international perspective. In R. H. Binstock & L. K. George (Eds.), Handbook of aging and the social sciences (6th ed., pp. 338–358). New York, NY: Academic Press. One of the most influential such groups is AARP, which is open to people 50 or older. AARP provides travel and other discounts to its members and lobbies Congress and other groups extensively on elderly issues. Its membership numbers about 40 million, or 40% of the over-50 population. Some critics say AARP focuses too much on its largely middle-class membership’s self-interests instead of working for more far-reaching economic changes that might benefit the elderly poor; others say its efforts on Medicare, Social Security, and other issues do benefit the elderly from all walks of life. This controversy aside, AARP is an influential force in the political arena because of its numbers and resources.
::自1980年代以来,美国年长的美国人组织已经成立,在影响老年人超过其他年龄组的许多问题的政治舞台上充当利益集团(Walker,2006年,Walker,Walker,A.(2006年),《老龄化与政治:国际视角》,R.H.Binstock & L.K.Georg(Eds),《老龄化与社会科学手册》(第6版,第338-358页),纽约,纽约:学术出版社。最有影响力的这类团体之一是AARP,它向50岁或50岁以上的人开放。AARP为其成员和游说大会及其他团体提供旅行和其他折扣,并广泛讨论老年人问题。其会员人数约为4 000万,占50岁以上人口的40%。一些批评家说,AARP过于关注其大为中产阶级成员的自身利益,而不是致力于可能造福于老年人的更深远的经济变革;其他人说它在Medicare、社会保障和其他问题上的努力确实使老年人从各行各业获益。这一争论不谈,AARP在政治舞台上具有影响力,因为其数量和资源。

A very different type of political organization of the elderly was the Gray Panthers, founded by the late Maggie Kuhn in 1970 (Kuhn, Long, & Quinn, 1991). Kuhn, M., Long, C., & Quinn, L. (1991). No stone unturned: The life and times of Maggie Kuhn . New York, NY: Ballantine Books. Although this group has been less newsworthy since Kuhn’s death in 1995, at its height it had some 85 local chapters across the nation and 70,000 members and supporters. A more activist organization than AARP and other lobbying groups for the elderly, the Gray Panthers took more liberal stances. For example, it urged the establishment of a national health-care service and programs to increase affordable housing for the elderly.
::由已故玛姬·库恩(Kuhn, Long, & Quinn, 1991年)创立的灰豹组织是老年人的一个非常不同的政治组织。 Kuhn, M., Long, C., & Quinn, L. (1991年),《无处不在:Maggie Kuhn的生活和时代》,纽约,纽约:Ballantine Books。虽然这个组织自1995年库恩逝世以来就不太有新闻价值,但在其高峰期,它在全国有大约85个地方分会,有70 000名成员和支持者。比美国退休人员协会和其他老年人游说团体更活跃的组织,灰豹组织采取了更为自由的立场。例如,它敦促建立全国性保健服务和方案,增加老年人负担得起的住房。

As older Americans have engaged the political process on their own behalf, critics have charged that programs for the elderly are too costly to the nation, that the elderly are better off than groups like AARP claim, and that new programs for the elderly will take even more money from younger generations and leave them insufficient funds for their own retirement many years from now. Their criticism, which began during the 1980s, is termed the argument (Williamson, McNamara, & Howling, 2003). Williamson, J. B., McNamara, T. K., & Howling, S. A. (2003). Generational equity, generational interdependence, and the framing of the debate over Social Security reform. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 30 (3), 3–14.
::由于美国年长的美国人自己参与政治进程,批评家们指责老年人方案对国家来说代价太高,老年人比美国退休人员协会等团体更富裕,老年人新方案从年轻一代那里获取更多的钱,从今以后许多年里留给他们自己的退休没有足够的资金。他们从1980年代开始的批评被称为论据(Williamson, McNamara, & Howling, 2003 ) 。 Williamson, J. B., McNamara, T. K., & Howling, S. A. (2003 ) 。代际公平,代际相互依存,以及社会安全改革的辩论框架。《社会学和社会福利学杂志》,第30(3), 3-14页。

Advocates for the elderly say that the generational equity critics exaggerate the financial well-being of older Americans and especially neglect the fact that many older Americans, especially women and those of color, are poor or near poor and thus need additional government aid. Anything we can do now to help the aged, they continue, will also help future generations of the elderly. As Lenard W. Kaye (1994, p. 346) Kaye, L. W. (1994). Generational equity: Pitting young against old. In J. Robert B. Enright (Ed.), Perspectives in social gerontology (pp. 343–347). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. observed in an early critique of the generational equity movement,
::老年人权益倡导者说,代际公平批评者夸大了老年美国人的经济利益,尤其忽视了许多老年美国人,特别是妇女和有色人种,是穷人或接近穷人,因此需要额外的政府援助这一事实。我们现在为帮助老年人可以做的一切,它们将继续,也将帮助后代老年人。正如Lenard W.Kaye(1994年,第346页)Kaye, L.W.(1994年)。代际公平:年轻时与老一代对立。在J. Robert B. Enright(Ed.)中,《社会老年学的观点》(pp.343-347)中,波士顿,MA:Allyn & Bacon.在对代际公平运动的早期评论中看到,

In the long run, all of us can expect to live into extended old age, barring an unexpected fatal illness or accident. To do injustice to our current generation of elders, by means of policy change, can only come back to haunt us as each and every one of us—children, young families, and working people—move toward the latter stages of the life course.
::从长远看,我们所有人都可以期待长寿,避免意外的致命疾病或意外事故。通过改变政策,对我们这一代长者采取不公正的做法,只能回到我们每个人 — — 儿童、年轻家庭和工人 — — 向生命过程的后阶段前进时,再次困扰我们。

Key Takeaways
::密钥外出

The U.S. elderly experience several health problems, including arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, hearing loss, vision problems, diabetes, and dementia.
::美国老年人患有若干健康问题,包括关节炎、高血压、心脏病、失聪、视力问题、糖尿病和痴呆。

Nursing home care in the United States is very expensive and often substandard; neglect and abuse of nursing home residents is fairly common.
::美国的护理家庭护理费用非常昂贵,而且往往低于标准;对护理家庭居民的忽视和虐待相当普遍。

Despite help from Social Security, many older Americans face problems of financial security.
::尽管社会保障提供了帮助,许多老年美国人仍面临财政保障问题。

It is difficult to determine the actual extent of elder abuse, but elder abuse often has serious consequences for the health and lives of older Americans.
::很难确定虐待老年人的实际程度,但虐待老年人往往给老年美国人的健康和生活带来严重后果。

During the last few decades, older Americans have been active in the political process on their own behalf and today are an important political force in the United States.
::在过去几十年中,老年美国人代表自己积极参与政治进程,今天是美国的重要政治力量。

For Your Review
::供您审阅

What do you think is the worst or most serious problem facing the U.S. elderly? Explain your answer.
::你认为美国老年人面临的最坏或最严重的问题是什么?

The text suggests that the lives of the U.S. elderly would be improved if the United States were to adopt some of the policies and practices that other nations have for their elderly. Explain why you agree or disagree with this suggestion.
::案文表明,如果美国采取其他国家为其老年人制定的一些政策和做法,美国老年人的生活将会得到改善,请解释你为什么同意或不同意这一建议。

Aging and Ageism in the United States: What Sociology Suggests
::美国的老龄化和老龄主义:社会学的建议

We have seen some contradictory impulses that make it difficult to predict the status of older Americans in the decades ahead. On the one hand, the large number of baby boomers will combine with increasing longevity to swell the ranks of the elderly; this process has already begun and will accelerate during the coming years. The inevitable jump in the size of the aged population may well put unimaginable stress on Social Security, Medicare, and other programs for the aged, if the worst fears of some analysts come to pass. Even if these fears are exaggerated, the boost in the number of seniors will almost certainly strain elder programs. On the other hand, the baby boomer generation will reach its old age as a much better educated and more healthy and wealthy group than any previous generation. It will likely participate in the labor force, politics, and other arenas more than previous generations of elders and, as has been true for some time, exert a good deal of influence on national political and cultural affairs.
::我们看到了一些相互矛盾的冲动,使得难以预测未来几十年美国老年人的地位。一方面,大量婴儿潮患者将随着寿命的延长而不断延长,从而扩大老年人的行列;这一进程已经开始,并将在未来几年加速。老年人口规模的不可避免的大幅上升很可能给社会保障、医疗保险和其他老年人方案带来难以想象的压力,如果某些分析家最担心的事情发生的话。即使这些恐惧被夸大了,老年人人数的增加也几乎肯定会给老年人方案带来压力。另一方面,婴儿潮患者一代将作为一个比前几代人更受教育、更健康和更富足的群体而步入老年。它可能比前几代老年人更多地参与劳动力、政治和其他领域,并像以往的几代老人一样对国家政治和文化事务施加很大的影响。

Although this sounds like a rosier picture, several concerns remain. Despite the relative affluence of the baby boomers, segments of the group, especially among women and people of color, remain mired in poverty, and these segments will continue to be once they reach their older years. Moreover, the relative health of the baby boomers means that they will outlive previous generations of the aged. Yet as more of them reach the ranks of the “old-old,” they will become frailer and require care from health-care professionals and organizations and from social support networks. As noted earlier, some may not have children and will be in even more need of help.
::尽管这听起来像一个令人振奋的景象,但一些关注依然存在。尽管婴儿潮患者相对富裕,但这一群体中的某些群体,特别是妇女和有色人种,仍然陷于贫困之中,这些群体在他们到达老年后将继续处于贫困状态。此外,婴儿潮患者的相对健康意味着他们将比前几代人长寿更久。然而,随着他们中更多的人到达“老一代 ” 的行列,他们将变得疲软,需要保健专业人员和组织以及社会支助网络的护理。如前所述,有些人可能没有孩子,甚至更需要帮助。

Although older Americans fare much better than their counterparts in poor nations, they fare not nearly as well as their counterparts in other wealthy democracies, which generally provide many more extensive and better funded programs and services for their elderly. Older Americans also continue to confront stereotypes and prejudicial attitudes that add to the burden many of them already face from the biological process of aging.
::尽管年长的美国人比贫穷国家的老年人要好得多,但他们与其他富裕的民主国家的老年人相比却差得多,而其他富裕的民主国家通常为年长的美国人提供范围更广、资金更充足的方案和服务。年长的美国人还继续面对陈规定型观念和偏见态度,这加重了他们当中许多人已经从生理衰老过程中面临的负担。

A sociological understanding of aging and ageism reminds us that the problems that older Americans face are ultimately rooted not in their own failings but rather in the stereotypes about them and in the lack of adequate social programs like those found throughout other Western nations. A sociological understanding also reminds us that the older Americans who face the most severe problems of health, health care, and financial security are women and people of color and that their more severe problems reflect the many inequalities they have experienced throughout the life course, long before they reached their older years. These inequalities accumulate over the years to leave them especially vulnerable when they finally arrive into their 60s.
::对老龄化和老年主义的社会学理解提醒我们,老年美国人面临的问题最终的根源不是他们自己的失败,而是对他们抱有的成见,以及缺乏像其他西方国家那样的适当社会方案。社会学的理解还提醒我们,在健康、保健和财政保障方面面临最严重问题的老年美国人是妇女和有色人种,他们更严重的问题反映了他们在一生中经历的许多不平等,他们早在年老之前就遭受了这种不平等。多年来,这些不平等不断积累,使他们在60年代最终到达时特别脆弱。

With this understanding, it becomes clear that efforts to improve the lives of older Americans must focus on providing them with more numerous and more extensive social services and programming of many kinds and on reducing the stereotypes and prejudicial attitudes that many Americans hold of older people. Possibilities involving improved social services and programming might be drawn from the example provided by other Western nations and include the following:
::有了这种理解,显然,改善老年美国人生活的努力必须侧重于向他们提供更多、更广泛的社会服务和多种类型的方案规划,并减少许多美国人对老年人持有的定型观念和偏见态度。

An expansion of Social Security to provide a much more comfortable life for all older Americans, regardless of their earnings history, and thus regardless of their gender and race/ethnicity
::扩大社会保障,为所有老年美国人提供更加舒适的生活,无论其收入历史如何,从而不论其性别和种族/族裔如何

As with stereotypical and prejudicial views based on gender and on race/ethnicity, greater educational efforts should be launched to reduce stereotyping and prejudicial attitudes based on aging. Like sexism and racism, ageism has no place in a nation like the United States, which has historically promised equality and equal opportunity for all.
::与基于性别和种族/族裔的陈规定型和偏见观点一样,应当加大教育力度,减少基于老龄化的陈规定型和偏见态度。与性别主义和种族主义一样,美国这样的国家在历史上承诺人人平等和机会平等的美国是没有立足之地的。

Section outline

General

后来的几年

The U.S. Elderly ::美国老年人

Learning Objectives ::学习目标

Who Are the Elderly? ::谁是老年人?

Problems Facing the Elderly ::老年人面临的问题

Physical and Mental Health ::身心健康

Nursing Home Care ::家庭护理护理护理

Financial Security and Employment ::财政保障和就业

Learning From Other Societies ::从其他社会学会学习

EMPLOYMENT AMONG THE ELDERLY ::二、在就业、就业、就业、就业、

Social Isolation ::社会孤立

Elder Abuse ::虐待老年人

Senior Power: Older Americans as a Political Force ::年长权力:作为政治力量的老年美国人

Key Takeaways ::密钥外出

For Your Review ::供您审阅

Aging and Ageism in the United States: What Sociology Suggests ::美国的老龄化和老龄主义:社会学的建议