Academic Essay Draft Final

Society & Aging population 1

What does society owe to its aging population?

Francesca Conliffe

ID# 420060752

Course: FOUN 1003 English for Academic Purposes

Lecturer: Ms. Sherry Asgill

November, 27th, 2010


Population aging is the “shift in the distribution of a country’s population toward older

ages. It is an increase in the population’s mean or median age, a decline in the fraction of the

population composed of children, or a rise in the fraction of the population that is elderly”

(Weil, 2006, p.3). In other words, families are getting smaller and people are living longer, the

number of adults and old people is increasing in relation to a declining population of young

people. From the moment of birth the aging process begins for every human being. The aging

process itself is not an overwhelming problem for most individuals. However, it is the treatment

that these individuals receive which is problematic. The elderly are seen as a minority group,

within society, and consequently suffer personal prejudice and institutional discrimination

(Neubeck, Neubeck & Glasberg, 2007). This aging population is a product of

worldwide social and economic progress, together with scientific

achievements, such as, the eradication of illness and disease, and as such,

our society is obliged to provide the aging members of our population with adequate health care

systems, employment and housing.

First of all, our society is obliged to provide acceptable heath care systems for its elderly.

One reason for this obligation is that national governments are generally responsible for and are

the main provider of a country’s formal health system. At present, health care systems are based

on an acute care medical model with a focus on curing disease. However, a functional model

should be utilized, that would recognize the importance of assisting and improving a person’s

ability to manage and maintain daily activities. Such a system would ensure that the elderly

could maintain their good health and would therefore receive the opportunity to continue living

an independent life (Galambos & Rosen, 1999). The adoption of a health system which caters to

the overall well being of the elderly would be an indicator to a successful society. One such


country, which has already reformed its health service, is Thailand. There the government has

ensured that the aging population can access health care services that will meet their needs, with

the implementation of a free medical care programme. This was initiated in 1989 and extended to

cover all elderly by 1992. Furthermore, an act in 2003 was devised to ensure that the elderly

have the right to access convenient and rapid medical and health care services

(Kespichayawattana & Jitapunkul, 2009).

Further to providing a regular health service, a requirement which has already been

achieved in many regions, including the Caribbean, we now also need to provide extra assistance

for the elderly. We, in developed societies, must recognize that we are responsible for the

burgeoning population of pensioners. According to United Nations Population Division (2002),

“humanity’s median age, after decades of very little change, has ascended for five years in the

last 20, to an expected 29.1 years in 2010” and within the next four decades similar increases are

expected (see Appendix1). The root cause of this elevation of median age is a decline in fertility

rates over the past century. This phenomenon can be viewed as an objective process brought

about by the conditions of a society’s socio-economic status, such as wealth and education

(Valentina, Steshenko & Piskunov, 1974). For example, in developed countries, literacy rates

are high and women spend longer periods in formal education, which enables them to achieve a

wealthier lifestyle after graduation. They are better informed in relation to birth control and are

better able to afford it (Uhlenberg, 1992). The combined result of these factors is that they tend

to have their children later in life, with many choosing to remain childless. As a direct result

social networks have been diminished. For example, in the past, children may have provided a

support network for their parents, but now these older and childless individuals may turn to the

government to seek assistance in providing this network, especially in the area of health care


(Anon, 2002, p.3). Developed societies all over the world must now realize that they are

responsible for the existence of this situation and take action to fulfill the elderly population’s

need. Such societies must seek to provide an appropriate emotional support structure for this

population, whether through the public health service or through the mobilization of charitable

organizations.

According to Jean Hampton (1988), Social Contract Theory is an explanation for the

origins of and the justification for the current social structures and nature of society. This theory

argues that, it is in an individual’s best interest to agree to live in a society which enforces

morality, since society protects the rights and interests of its members. Therefore, human dignity

should be the focal point of the social paradigm. This means laws and social practices should be

adhered to, as they protect the weak and vulnerable from domination, exploitation or neglect. A

given society can then function in union and can be at its best by functioning as a whole. Social

care is most effective when it is consistent and available to all, enabling those who have

resources to enjoy their full benefits, while providing security to those who are less fortunate

(World Health Organization, 2002).

Secondly, a developed society, such as our own in the Caribbean, is compelled to offer

employment for its aging population. Since the development of the technological era, it has

become very difficult for most elderly persons to obtain a job, with most employers choosing

youth over experience. Research by Joanna Lahey (2005) supports this claim. This study

involved sending 4000 resumes to firms in Boston, Massachusetts and St. Petersburg, Florida.

The applicant’s ages ranged from 35 to 62. Results revealed that a younger worker, in either city,

is more than 40 percent more likely to be called back for an interview, than an older worker

(“Older” having been defined as age 50 or above). In Massachusetts, this trend translates into a


younger seeker needing to send in 19 resumes for one interview request, compared to 27 for an

older worker. Similarly, in Florida, the comparable numbers of resumes are 16 and 23

respectively (see Appendix 2). Lahey’s research showed that employers are operating in a “state

of nature”. According to Thomas Hobbs (as cited in Hampton, 1988), in the “state of nature”,

humanity is viewed as being motivated by selfishness and subsequently lacks compassion or

regard for others. Within this type of situation, life is based on the “survival of the fittest” model

(Boucher & Kelly, 1994). Employers are choosing to employ the younger generation, as an

assumption is made that they are more likely to be highly skilled and technologically aware, as

opposed to the older applicants, regardless of their actual ability. This type of

discrimination is known as “statistical” discrimination. Employers face

significant costs in order to explore specific characteristics of an individual

applicant or worker. To avoid these costs, the employer makes assumptions

about the applicant based on group characteristics (Lahey, 2005).

Our Caribbean society should not be plagued with this type of

mentality, in respect to the elderly and employment. It is in our best interest

to view these individuals as a societal resource rather than a societal burden.

As a result of our reduced fertility rates, there are fewer young people

entering the employment market. The labour force is shrinking and the

dependency ratio of retired people to workers is increasing. In order to offset

this problem, we should allow older people to remain in the workforce for a

longer period, both as workers and as taxpayers (Healy, 2004). We should use our

new science and technology to extend the working life of the elderly and to prolong their


productivity, which would thereby reduce pension costs. This would not have an adverse effect

on young peoples’ career prospects as it would only serve to maintain the current labour force.

Finally, an aging population will change the pattern of housing needs and it is within our

society’s best interest to accommodate these individuals. According to Andrew Sixsmith &

Judith Sixsmith (2008), most seniors want to “age in place”, which means, they would prefer to

remain at home as they grow older. A society that chooses to assist these individuals and fulfill

their desires would benefit the elderly population’s quality of life immensely. Research by

Kathryn Lawler (2001) illustrated that, remaining in the same environment and in excellent

housing conditions can prolong physical and mental health, as opposed to remaining in

inadequate housing conditions, which can be detrimental to the elderly. For example, a home

environment which is poorly maintained can be directly linked to ill health and, in terms of

mental health; it can also contribute to psychological distress. A home which lacks positive

meaning lacks security, order, warmth and identity (Gifford, 1996). Furthermore, improved

health is not only a direct benefit, of improved housing, to the individual, in the long term, it

would also provide a cost effective solution to the problems of an expanding population. This

would translate into savings for the society (Lawler, 2001).

Developing effective public policies to meet the challenges associated with aging can be

advantageous to any society. The Social Contract Theory (as cited in Rachels, 1989, p.30) states,

“morality consists in the set of rules, governing how people are to treat one another, that rational

people will agree to accept, for their mutual benefit, on the condition that others follow those

rules as well." It is through these laws that mankind can seek peace and enable man’s natural

right to all things, providing that others will do the same. Thomas Hobbes’s approach is


subjected to several criticisms. Firstly, other theorists such as David Hume have argued that the

“state of nature” did not exist and that nobody had subscribed to a social contract, as this concept

was purely hypothetical. Secondly, further concerns were placed on non participants to the

contract, such as, all animals, apart from humans, and those who are not rational. These groups

were omitted from this theory and so society’s treatment of them would not be guided by the

moral principles within the contract. Despite these weaknesses, there are strengths. It clarifies

ethical theories, such as, the moral rules that bind society and the justification of these rules, the

reasons for following these rules and the circumstances in which we may break them. This

theory has also made provisions for an objective basis for morality (Rachels, 1989). Therefore,

the social contract theory should not be disregarded, as the issues surrounding aging are

complex, interrelated and require visionary planning from government. According to Hobbes (as

cited in Rachels, 1989) human beings are naturally self interested, but they will still choose to

submit to the authority of a Sovereign in order to survive, this provides the justification for

political obligation. As a result, any government’s policies should address emerging issues

associated with aging, in order to meet, protect and enhance the needs of their aging population,

under the social contract.

It is evident that society is not only responsible for improving health care, transforming

work conditions and providing housing for the elderly, but also needs to ensure that the entire

system of socialization and development of subsequent generations, is improved. This will give

future generations a better chance to attain and generate new social policies, in order to improve

the quality of life for the elderly (Steshenko & Piskunov, 1974). Therefore, we should embrace

the elderly as an integral part of our society, both in the Caribbean and throughout the world.

Apart from all of the statistical, political and theoretical arguments, we must never forget that it


is the current elderly population which has provided us with the developed society, which we

now enjoy. We should also recognize that we ourselves will one day comprise the elderly

population. Therefore, it is in all of our interests to treat the elderly appropriately.

References

Anon., 2002, Australian Social Trends 2002. Population Population Projections: Fertility

Futures. Retrieved on the 10th October 2010 from http://www.abs.gov.au.

Boucher, J., & Kelly, P. (1994). The Social Contract From Hobbes to Rawls.New York :

Routledge.

Galambos, C., & Rosen, A. (1999). The Aging Are Coming and They Are Us. Journal of Health

and Social Work, 24 (1), 73-77.

Gifford, R. (1996). Environmental psychology: Principles and practice (2nd Ed). Boston: Allyn

and Bacon.

Hampton, J. (1988). Hobbes and the social Contract Tradition. New York: Cambridge

University Press.

Healy, J. (2004). The Benefits of an ageing population. Discussion paper number 63. Australian

National University. Retrieved on the 10th October 2010 from http://www.tai.org.au/.

Kespichayawattana, J., & Jitapunkul, S. (2009). Health and Health Care System for the Older

Persons. Journal of Ageing International, 33, 28-49.

Lahey. N. J, (2005). Age discrimination and hiring: Evidence from a Labor Market Experiment.

Working paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved on the 10th

October 2010 from http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/Lahey_NASI_annual.pdf.

Lawler, K. (2001). Aging in Place Coordinating Housing and Health Care Provision for

America’s Growing Elderly Population. Retrieved Retrieved on the 10th October 2010

http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/Lahey_NASI_annual.pdf


from http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/publications/seniors/lawler_w01-13.pdf.

Neubeck, J. K., Neubeck, A. M., & Glasberg, S. D. (2007). Social Problems: A critical approach

(5th Ed). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Rachels, J. (1989). The Right thing to do: basic readings in moral philosophy. California:

Random House.

Sixsmith, A., & Sixsmith, J. (2008). Aging in Place in the United Kingdom. Journal of Ageing

International, 32 (3), 219-235.

Steshenko, S. V., & Piskunov, P. V. (1974). Evaluating population aging. International Social

Science Journal, 26 (2), 235-243.

Uhlenberg, P. (1992). Population Aging and Social Policy. Annual Review of Sociology, 18, 449-

474.

United Nations Population Division (2002). World Population Ageing: 1950-2050. Retrieved on

the 20th October 2010 from http://www.un.org.

Weil, D. (2006). Population aging. Palgrave Encyclopedia of Economics. Retrieved on

10th

October 2010 http://www.nber.org/papers/w12147.pdf.

World Health Organization (2002). Ethical choices in long-term care : what does justice

require?. Retrieved on the 10th October 2010 from

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/ethical_choices.pdf.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/ethical_choices.pdf

http://www.nber.org/papers/w12147.pdf


Appendix 1


Appendix 2

Retrieved from http://agingandwork.bc.edu/documents/Lahey_NASI_annual.pdf

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