Life in an Older America

Front Cover
Robert N. Butler, Lawrence K. Grossman, Mia R. Oberlink
Century Foundation Press, 1999 - Aging - 287 pages

Today, one in eight Americans--32 million people--are aged sixty-five or older. That proportion will rise to one in five by 2020. The number of elderly Americans is growing faster than the U.S. population at large, with those aged eighty-five or older representing the most rapidly increasing segment of all. Because most of the elderly are no longer in the workforce, and because they are especially vulnerable to chronic illness, disability, and social isolation, the projected explosion in their numbers has enormous ramifications for American society and public policy. This collection of essays, cosponsored by The Century Foundation/ Twentieth Century Fund and the International Longevity Center, explores the wide-ranging economic and social consequences of the aging of America. Compiled under the supervision of Pulitzer Prize-winning author and gerontologist Dr. Robert N. Butler, the volume presents essays by some of the nation's foremost experts on economics, demography, public policy, health care, and the media. The authors include Marilyn Moon of the Urban Institute; Robert H. Binstock, professor of aging, health, and society at Case Western Reserve University; economist James Schulz of Brandeis University; former NBC News president Lawrence K. Grossman; William Gale of the Brookings Institution; and Sara Rix of the American Association of Retired Persons.

From inside the book

 

Contents

FOREWORD by Richard C Leone
1
Medicare Medicaid and the Health Care System
25
Coming of Age in the Twentyfirst Century
49
Copyright

9 other sections not shown

Common terms and phrases

AARP African Americans aged sixty-five assets assistance baby boom baby boomers Balanced Budget Act beneficiaries caregivers changes consumer coverage deficit defined benefit plans defined contribution plans demographic disabled earnings economic economists Eggebeen elderly eligible employers employment example expenditures federal future Gerontology growth health care costs higher Hispanic home health household impact income increase investment issues Journal labor force less long-term care services major managed managed care Medicaid Medicare Medicare and Medicaid ment million needs nomic nursing home old age older adults Older Americans older persons older workers options parents payments payroll tax percent percentage population aging private pension problems providers rates reforms retirement age Robert saving sixty-five and older Social Security Administration Social Security benefits Statistics Subacute Care tion Transfer Behavior trends trust fund U.S. Congress U.S. Department U.S. Government Printing United Washington women younger

References to this book

About the author (1999)

Robert N. Butler is the director of the International Longevity Center, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and editor-in-chief of the journal Geriatrics. He is the author of The Longevity Revolution and Why Survive? Being Old in America, both published by HarperCollins. Lawrence K. Grossman is the former president of NBC News and PBS. Mia R. Oberlink is the Project Director of the AdvantAge Initiative at the Center for Home Care Policy and Research.

Bibliographic information

TitleLife in an Older America
G - Reference,Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series
EditorsRobert N. Butler, Lawrence K. Grossman, Mia R. Oberlink
PublisherCentury Foundation Press, 1999
Original fromthe University of Michigan
DigitizedAug 24, 2007
ISBN0870784382, 9780870784385
Length287 pages
  
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