In the USA, since 1963, May is proclaimed as the “month of elderly Americans.” Traditionally this month, the country leaders address elderly compatriots with speech. For example, George Bush, in one of the performances, has told, that “elderly Americans show us an example of the fearlessness, love and self-sacrifice, show lessons of wisdom and are a good example for a rising generation.” This year the experts of The Census Bureau and The National Institute on Aging have carried out special research on a standard of living, employment among elderly Americans. For today of all 5 million American men (20 %) in the age of 65 also are employed, in 1950th their number made about 50 %. Elderly American women are more stable than men: and half a century back and now more than 10% of women of a pension age continue to work. According to sociological data, the majority of pensioners presume not to work themselves after 65 years but only to have a rest, travel, take a great interest in sports, improving diets. For example, 11 million elderly Americans are active members of golf clubs, sports clubs on navigation, and tennis. Owing to good medicine and material welfare, the life expectancy of the average American makes 75 years ( 8 years more than in middle XX of a century), and the life expectancy of the American has increased for the same time almost for ten years and is equal to 80 years.
20 % of Americans of pension age have a degree of a bachelor; about 7 % – a degree of the master, 70% – have the education of high school. It is interesting that last year 50 thousand elderly citizens of America have entered colleges to get new education (Adams, 1990).
The Professor of Georgetown University Robert Friedland, in particular, has said that “not so long ago Americans worked until could work, while they were allowed with force and health. ” As he said, now taking into account modern economic growth, the material welfare, many, having approached 65, think, whether it is necessary to work further. It is good, if the person earlier, then leaves their job, will understand that, for example, at a rate of $1 million it is not enough pension accumulation for 20-30 years. ” If you have left the workplace, believing, that money for life will suffice, and then it will appear, that is not present – you will appear at the broken trough “, – the professor considers.
The given researches are very important, as in the USA there are already 35 million persons of pension age now. And experts predict that by 2030 their number will be doubled, and almost 60 % of pensioners – women. “Social and economic difficulties of growing old generation – a greater problem for elderly Americans and for a society”(Barrett). Americans, as research shows, began to work less, but, nevertheless, the privileges have increased. Moreover, a very small percent of elderly Americans consider it necessary to continue to work after 65 years. Experts see a problem that many private pension funds cease to pay pensions and grants to the elderly Americans, many companies “cut down” pension schemes which earlier guaranteed money resources, medical insurances, considering the experience of elderly employees(Adams, 1990).
Medical program Medicare for pensioners can appear insolvent (to cover services of doctors, hospitalization, medicine, and so on) by 2020, and the program of social insurance can “break” in general by 2041. Director of the institute of old age Richard Hodes has said that the results testify to considerable progress for the last decades – the medicine, the general standard of living of older persons, are improved. Nevertheless, a lot of work remains. The experts of his department expect a small growth of a number of working pensioners in the nearest years, though such high percent as in 1950th of the last century will not be repeated. The Agency Harris Interactive has found out what problems complicate the life of inhabitants of the USA to the greatest degree. It has appeared that from the 14 most painful problems, only three are connected with money. More all inhabitants of the USA suffer from a rise in prices (similar disturbs 74 % interrogated). On the second place – a chronic overloads and lack of time, presence plenty of affairs which are necessary for making (56 %). On the third, sleeplessness and fear of that in case of occurrence of the force-major circumstances, available money will not suffice on their sanction (on 53 %), informs The Washington Profile. For comparison, 43 % of Americans are disturbed by the state of their health, 29% – loneliness, 24 % – problems on work, 21 % – problems with old men-parents, 19 % – problems with children (interrogated some problems, therefore a total sum of points more than 100 %) (Eshleman, 2005).
Americans of the senior generation (61 and more) have the quietest life. Women suffer from stress more than men. Young inhabitants of the USA complain of loneliness, then representatives of the senior age groups are much more often. Representatives of sexual minorities, more often than people of traditional orientation, suffer from bad health. With low incomes, it is much more than Americans, than the others, disturb monetary problems and Americans with high incomes – a chronic shortage of time. It is curious that overloading and shortage of time conduct behind themselves and other problems: for example, 76 % interrogated which complained of chronic haste, also tested problems with sleeping. At the beginning of 2006 Journal of the American Medical Association has published the results of the research in common lead British University College London and American RAND Corporation. During the research, white inhabitants of Great Britain were compared identical on age, incomes, and habits. As it has appeared, Americans much more often than British suffer from diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, insults, illnesses of lungs, and cancer. The reasons for it are not quite clear, though there is a popular theory, that the reason consists in much more nervous life which is conducted by inhabitants of the USA.
The American economic system is based on private, free business. And Americans highly appreciate the ability to rely on their own forces in people. The writer and lecturer Ralf Woldo Emerson very actively acted for this virtue. For many Americans, it is simply a point of honor. At the same time to those who have appeared temporarily or constantly in a difficult situation, the state offers various forms of help (Barrett).
In the USA, rendering assistance to the poor traditionally was considered as the business of private philanthropists or local authorities. Arriving immigrants relied basically on earlier arrived fellow countrymen, hoping that they would help them to begin a new life in America. In the end, XIX – the beginning of the XX centuries a number of the European states was founded with programs of social maintenance. In America, a similar practice got accustomed slowly. Fast rates of industrialization and an abundance of the agricultural ground appear, confirmed ordinary opinion that any wishing to work could find the work. This belief has been destroyed by the Great Depression, which has begun in 1929. For the first time in the history of the country, many Americans have appeared without work in conditions of mass bankruptcies of banks and enterprises. President Herbert Hoover considered, that business if the opportunity to operate without the intervention of the state will be given to it, will manage to correct an economic situation. Before expected improvement, it relied on the governments of staff and local authorities in questions of rendering assistance requires. But they had no sufficient means for this purpose. The majority of Americans have been convinced that Hoover has not undertaken sufficient efforts to struggle against economic depression, and they selected Franklin D.Roosevelt as the president in 1932. That was the beginning of an era of social support(Adams, 1990).
The majority of the programs begun during the Great depression were provisional measures, but one of the – social insurance – became the American institute. Financed wages of workers, the system of social insurance provides pensioners with modest monthly payments, provides insurance on a case of loss of work and physical inability, and also other kinds of help for those who required it. Pensions are paid after the achievement of 62 and under the condition of going away from work. But many prefer to wait for 65 years’ age as in this case pensions slightly rise. Fears recently expressed that in the Fund of social insurance, there will be no enough money to carry out the obligations in the XXI century when sharp growth of a number of elderly Americans is expected. Statesmen offered various ways of overcoming expected deficiency, but variants of the long-term decision of a problem are discussed and today.
The following generation of elderly people in the United States will be the most educated, more traveled, more professionally prepared, politically correct, and most creative generation in the cultural attitude than ever earlier. And they bear in themselves a remarkable heritage. They have entered themselves through history as rebels who eventually send to upholding many noble ideas: civil rights, nuclear disarmament, sexual freedom, protection of the rights of consumers, struggle for the cleanliness of an environment, and clearing of an ethnic minority, women, and homosexuals. Since times of such independent political figures of the beginning of the previous century as Robert Lafollette and President Teodor Roosevelt, any generation before did not enter an antagonism with authority, putting forward thorny questions about ethical principles of use of riches and imperious powers. The youth – time of upholding of high moral ideals, another such period is necessary on old age. The rebellious young generation of 60-ies has grown into responsible adults that have affected their idealism. But today, adults become even more senior, and the condition which differs from freedom of campus eventually reach.
Now the comical stereotype of the elderly American is the person leading a parasitic way of life, one leg in a tomb, hobbling on a field for golf. This image is rather far from real older persons who work on a voluntary basis more and more, come back in the increasing quantities in educational institutions, actively participate in political life and show alive interest to innovations, mastering computers. Any expert working with pensioners knows that at this age, people seriously think about the meaning of life and try to devote something “eternal.” The following generation of old men can find this sense in work which it has left not finished many years back.
References
Adams Pam (1990) Who Cares About Elderly People? (Life Skills & Responsibility – Who Cares Series), Childs Play Intl Ltd
Barrett Julia The information needs of elderly, disabled elderly people, and their carers.
Eshleman, R. J., & Bucroft, R. A. (2005) The family. Boston, MI Allyn & Bacon